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  1. #1
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    Which quilt is most important for warmth ?

    So my question is of the top quilt or the bottom quilt which is most important for warmth? I would think because heat rises the top quilt would be more important but I have not had any experience yet with bottom quilts, as I just purchased A couple and I am wondering how it works in real life.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Alamosa's Avatar
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    Kind of like asking if the front or back of a coat is most important. If you want to be warm you need both.

    Sent from my LM-V405 using Tapatalk
    We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately. - Ben Franklin
    (known as a win-win on this forum)

  3. #3
    LowTech's Avatar
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    I would say the UQ. I can often get by w/ less TQ but want my UQ to be my main insulation.
    Also, I bought a quality UQ months before I got a good TQ. I used blankets and sleeping bags as a TQ but using them as an UQ would be complicated.

  4. #4
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    You need both, but you can use your worn insulation (for example, down coat and pants) to add to your top quilt insultation. Because you crush the worn insulation underneath you when you lay down, it doesn't add warmth to your bottom layer.

    Just to attempt to put numbers on it... but of course this all depends on many factors... maybe if you had a 20 degree UQ, you could get buy with down jacket and pants and a 40 degree top quilt.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Rhody Seth's Avatar
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    Yeah, I'm going with the underquilt. You can wear more clothing (or use a jacket as a blanket) but if you don't have an underquilt that's a harder thing to get around.

  6. #6
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    I have 2 sets of quilts a 20 set and 40 set. So wondering about mixing the two for some weight savings while still keeping warm. It seems that those of you who run with a 3/4 length underquilt, even with a short pad etc for knees to feet put more emphasis on the top quilt don’t you?

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Longwinters View Post
    So my question is of the top quilt or the bottom quilt which is most important for warmth? I would think because heat rises the top quilt would be more important but I have not had any experience yet with bottom quilts, as I just purchased A couple and I am wondering how it works in real life.

    Without a UQ, there will be very little heat to rise - it will get sucked out the back of your hammock.

    I read a rule of thumb here once and I adopted it and have never been cold since. Take gear rated for 10 degrees lower than what you expect and you will be comfortable.

    Once you spend a shivering night without sleep, carrying that that extra 10 oz will seem like a very small price to pay.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tpatter View Post
    Without a UQ, there will be very little heat to rise - it will get sucked out the back of your hammock.

    ...
    Except heat doesn't rise. It's warm air (or water, for that matter) that rises (usually...) Heat seeks cold. It really does make a difference in how you think about it. That's precisely why there can be heat loss out the bottom.

  9. #9
    ObdewlaX's Avatar
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    + 1 for UQ. When I first started backpacking with a hammock, I was using a closed cell foam pad underneath me & a sleeping bag inside. When I discovered UQ's, it was a game changer in terms of convenience & warmth. I say, start with an underquilt & go from there.

  10. #10
    all secure in sector 7 Shug's Avatar
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    Yes on the UQ. It more or less equals the pad used in ground camping. No pad on ground in tent....you will get cold from the ground. The ground cools at night and that cold sucks out your body warmth. Same with a hammock but it is more the cold air under you. Convection vs Conduction. Of course a pad in the hammock will insulate you. But a UQ is superior in my opinion for comfort and warmth.
    Of course having a UQ and TQ or sleeping bag provides the most comfort and warmth throughout the night.
    Shug
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