The GEMINI Underquilt: $65 DIY, No-Sew, All-Season, Down, Convertible

[Donfish06]

I just unrolled my two blue ridge active down quilts from Costco. I’ve seen thicker pop tarts. But I am a warm sleeper and curious to see what happens so I shall proceed.

Give me time to fluff up. Once you take out the horizontal stitching you can get pretty decent loft

[Donfish06]

My Double Black Diamond throws from a couple of years ago were the same. I've only used them in mild weather because I don't trust them below freezing.

I slept in mine at 16°F with a 9°F wind chill. I slept for 6 hours until my feet got cold, which was a result of my poor hang.

[Crazytown3]

I just unrolled my two blue ridge active down quilts from Costco. I’ve seen thicker pop tarts. But I am a warm sleeper and curious to see what happens so I shall proceed.

Put them in a clothes dryer for 1/2 hour or so with a tennis ball. They will fluff up.

[Evan the Diplomat]

I slept in mine at 16°F with a 9°F wind chill. I slept for 6 hours until my feet got cold, which was a result of my poor hang.

Thanks for the encouragement Donfish and the tennis ball tip Crazytown. I'm dipping my toes slowly into hammock camping. Spent a glorious week under the pines with the Scouts at Camp Henson in Maryland in a cheap Gold Armor hammock. Just one night with a chilly butt and one night was a rain out because my tyvek tarp was a foot short.

Donfish, what are you using as a top quilt and did you use the triple layer Gemini that cold night?

[Donfish06]

At the time I was using an outdoor vitals 35° synthetic sleeping bag (only like $50 and weighs just 2 lbs!) Plus a 50° down sleeping bag and a sleeping bag liner. Now I have a 30° Sierra Madre Research top quilt that I love

[CatfishRacing]

I got about halfway through making this quilt then moved and can't find the throws or the snaps or any supplies.

[Evan the Diplomat]

Me too. When the tiny envelope arrived,I thought I'd been sent a fly line tippet. Imagine my surprise when I opened it. I have thicker dress shoe laces.

Is everyone still satisfied and happy using 1/32 as opposed to 1/16 shockcord? Mine just arrived and the 1/32 looks a little ridiculous. I was not prepared for it to be that thin.

[tightwad]

Me too. When the tiny envelope arrived,I thought I'd been sent a fly line tippet. Imagine my surprise when I opened it. I have thicker dress shoe laces.

I've been using mine with 1/32" shock cord for over 6 months now (I sleep in it daily) with good results. I used a bit of expandable mesh wire cover to gather them together and prevent tangling when it's stored in the stuff sack. if they get tangled a bit it's not a huge deal, its a fair weather underquilt anyway.

[DannyII]

How do you shorten just the outside nettles without having to redo all of them?

I just pushed a loop of the outer nettle through a cord lock. Adjustable and easy,

[hang-anon]

I've been using mine with 1/32" shock cord for over 6 months now (I sleep in it daily) with good results. I used a bit of expandable mesh wire cover to gather them together and prevent tangling when it's stored in the stuff sack. if they get tangled a bit it's not a huge deal, its a fair weather underquilt anyway.

Depends on how you plan to use it.. The 1/32” is skinny but packs light. If I were to replace the clews I’d consider the next larger shock cord. Mine is under my nightly sleep hammock.

One day when walking by the hammock my belt sheath for my leatherman caught on the shock cord and stretched a couple strands permanently.

To keep the clews from tangling I have a length of an old bike tire tube handy acting as a packing sleeve.