The flexibility of being able to open the footbox up in the summer is worth the trouble of fiddling with snaps and drawstrings for me.
The flexibility of being able to open the footbox up in the summer is worth the trouble of fiddling with snaps and drawstrings for me.
Sewn footbox quilts are lighter too. Maybe if the low temps were rather high, like maybe 55°F-ish, I would rather a quilt without a footbox at all (with a full length UQ), but I hate having hardware on my quilts and I tend not to encounter those temps where I camp.
Ever consider the multifunction versatility of the JRB Sniveller where it can also be used as a down serape when you get up in the morning? It's nice to have a down serape in the morning. The sniveller has a velcro head opening for this functionality, and it is a pretty neat idea.
I have to say I got way more feedback than I expected. Thank you everyone for your opinions. I did go with a zippered footbox for now.
I tend to agree. I have a Cumulus Quilt 350 top quilt (European), which has a zippered footbox and a drawstring closure for the bottom. With an appropriate underquilt the top quilt is told by Cumulus to go down to 20 Fahrenheit comfort / 10 Fahrenheit limit. And I've had no problems sleeping in it in sub-freezing temperatures, even without socks (but with basic merino wool underwear). However, I've REALLY appreciated the possibility to open up the drawstring bottom closure during warmer temps, and sometimes also unzip the footbox. (One thing to note is that Cumulus Quilt has a down baffle both along the footbox zipper and the bottom opening, which means that when you close the bottom drawstring, the baffle completely closes the tiny hole left by the drawstring.)
I’m surprised that I’ve never seen any hybrid designs. For example, a sewn shut footbox where the zipper goes, but with a drawstring bottom. Still lighter weight and more comfortable, because you eliminate the zipper. But you get the ability to vent by opening the bottom. Or possibly adding some stretchy fabric where the zipper goes, which would add some comfort by using less insulation under your calves and feet and also allowing the footbox to spread open a little more, but still keeping the sides tucked in well.
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