I just received my REI Quarter Dome Air Underquilt the day before I was going camping so I put it to the test.
https://www.rei.com/product/118931/r...ock-underquilt
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It's well made and ideal companion to the Quarter Dome Air which I was using this weekend. Here's what I liked and didn't like about it.
Temperature
It was between 90 degrees and 60 degrees and it kept me nice and warm. It's supposedly rated to 30 degrees and I didn't have a opportunity yet to test that out. Conditional Pass.
Attachment
Because of the design and being made for the Air I was able to attach it in about 30 seconds. All 4 ends have pairs of shock cords (one of which had a plastic clip) and it was a simple matter of clipping them together. I was initially worried that the clips wouldn't hold but the connection is positive enough that I no longer have that worry.
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On the two long sides there are toggles that mate perfectly with the loops in the hammock. This keeps the hammock from drooping both lengthwise and widthwise and doesn't require long shock cords. Pass.
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Adjustment
At both ends there are shock cords with cord locks that you use to take up the slack and keep the UQ snug to the ends and to prevent wind from coming in either end. It took seconds to adjust and if you use it on the same hammock this is a one time adjustment. Pass.
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Color
The UQ comes with one side orange that nicely matches the Air and the other a very dark blue. You can hang it either way. I was wanting more stealth this time so I went with the dark side out. Pass.
Access
Because of how the toggles are placed to attach the UQ to the Air, they are located right where the mesh pouches are -- both the one outside and the split one inside. As a result, one of these will be blocked a bit depending if you are using the bugnet or not. I was using the bugnet so the outside one was blocked although I was able to place my headlamp in there with a bit of difficulty. No blocking the split one inside. Partial Fail.
Pack Size
Because it's a synthetic UQ it takes up a fair bit of room compared to a down UQ but reasonable for the rating. The material is very durable and could have been made of lighter weight material but wouldn't save too many grams. Pass.
Value
For $100 it's a pretty decent synthetic UQ from a reputable company with an excellent return policy (I got it for $80 with a 20% off coupon). The insulation isn't name brand but there seems to be a sufficient amount and it doesn't seem like it will shift any. You could DIY one cheaper but this seems like a decent value. Pass.
Conclusion
If you have an Air hammock this is a no brainer. Get it. I could find almost no downside to it. Sure, I might eventually make a DIY down version which will pack smaller and the obstruction of one of the pockets is a minor annoyance but if you like the Air you will like this UQ.
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