At 69" tall, I find my Burrows to be perfect at 74". For some reason, my 0° is a few inches longer than my 20 and 40°. You can see this in the photo even from a low camera angle. But I still find it to be a good length. That little extra at the bottom can "bunch up" and creates more insulation which is welcome in the winter.
my topquilt is only 2" longer than i am tall, and it works perfectly in a hammock. i can pull it over my head without any issues. if you get a long, then i think that it'll be a lot of wasted down around the footbox that could be put to better use by getting a regular size with overstuff (essentially the same amount of down from a long, and shoved into a regular size quilt either all throughout or overstuffed only in the footbox).
Very interesting discussion. I built my down TQ 8 inches longer than I am. I also put a draft ruffle around the top and sides of my TQ. The foot box is built in with a extra 1 oz of down. I am 62 inches tall. I hate being cold and or trying to plug cold air leaks all night. I hate things that are too long or wide. My point is you are getting into personal taste. Since your lady is taller than average (my sister is 6ft. 3ins. & very sensitive about height), your lady might be a bit sensitive about that fact she is wonderfully tall, a quilt that takes that into consideration might be well received.
Personally I would suggest the longer quilt so she will be sure to cover up her shoulders with a bit left over for tossing and turning.
I do cover my head when it is cold, I do leave a breathing space open, so I can breathe and to prevent condensation issues.
Being a short, lightweight the standard length TQ used have a bit of excessive length. If needed just toss some the extra clothing into the foot box. Pre warmed outerwear. Tend to go on the lighter side with the TQ and heavier(warmer) with the UQ. Using a hooded insulated outerwear for colder conditions. No need to cocoon yourself in your TQ.
Only big negative was when I was a bit over gram conscious.
Noel V.
In my short but intensive "career" in hammock camping with quilts, I'd advise anyone in between two sizes to go long".
The irony is that an underquilt that is two inches too short is really no big deal, but a top quilt that is two inches too short is, quite possibly, THE MOST annoying thing in the world...
When you are wrestling around on a cold night trying to keep the tops of your shoulders tucked in or combat that draft around your neck, your smug sense of satisfaction at having saved dozens of grams in down and Argon will not keep you nearly as warm as those two inches now missing at the top of your quilt.
Also consider that your height is not the only important independent variable to consider in computing your ideal top quilt length. If you have big feet -- especially if you have a flat-sewn footbox in your quilt -- your top quilt will be a bit shorter in effective length; the same goes for those hangers with a larger torso girth, or those who like to sleep with their legs in a "Figure 4" orientation.
A slightly longer and wider top quilt that still works in your hammock also makes an effective sleeping system if you ever have to go to ground on a pad.
Last edited by kitsapcowboy; 07-17-2016 at 21:33.
I think it's important to get a top quilt that is sized correctly. If you snap the collar on and lay back the quilt should snug up next to your torso on its own. It's best to test this on a pad on the floor, but it almost as if the quilt seals itself. Just follow the suggestions from the vendor and you should be OK as to the length. As an aside, I think it's best to get the wide, 55 inch width. If you have to go to ground you'll appreciate the added width.
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Go to gr....!oh the horror!
Todd
LOL, yes, I know, but let's face it... Top quilts are relatively expensive pieces of equipment, so if you can size them to be more multifunctional, that is a feature worth considering.Originally Posted by kunzman
Go to gr....!
It's no accident that my LLG 80" x 58" top quilt is almost exactly the same dimensions as a queen-size bed, thereby making it a good "pillow top" or an adequate throw blanket if pressed into service for domestic uses beyond camping. Just sayin'...
This has been a good read so far. So this is where I put a spin on things. I have a dig quilt I made, and I have 2 hammocks of differant length (11' and 12' and the 12 is also xl wide). My quilt feels too short in the 11' hammock, but is perfect in the 12' hammock. It's like I am trying to stretch out more in the 11 footer because I can't get a real comfortable lay. Has any one else experienced anything like this.
For what it's worth, I'm 5'7" and have a 78" 20* TQ and a 72" 40* TQ, both made by UGQ. The 78" quilt does feel a tad long "if" it's warm and I don't want to snug the quilt around my neck; like perhaps to my armpits or just laid loosely like a blanket. On cold nights, the 78" length is PERFECT, since there is a nice poof of down surrounding my neck to the bottom of my chin. It seals out all drafts and is very warm. When I decided to buy a 2nd quilt, I went with the 72" length for warmer weather. That quilt is fine when I don't want to snug it around my neck, but it's marginal when I do. When I snug it down, my toes always feel a bit crammed and I always wish it was a couple of inches longer. The two different lengths sort of work out for me, since I tend to grab the longer, warmer one in colder temps when I usually will be snugging things down, and the shorter one when the weather is fair and I'm more apt to use it blanket style. If I could only pick one length, hands down it would be the 78". Extrapolate as you wish for your height.
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