View Poll Results: How Well Does Your IX UQ Work?

Voters
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  • 60s °F

    4 7.69%
  • 50s °F

    7 13.46%
  • 40s °F

    17 32.69%
  • 30s °F

    12 23.08%
  • 20s °F

    4 7.69%
  • Teens °F

    6 11.54%
  • Didn't work for me at any temperature.

    2 3.85%
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  1. #1
    Senior Member dejoha's Avatar
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    Real World Experience - How Does Your IX UQ Work?

    There is a lot of mystery revolving around the Insultex (IX) insulation. The manufacturer makes wild claims about sub-zero performance, but our own cottage manufactures admit more reasonable performance.

    Still, Insultex promises lightweight warmth in a quilt that weighs a fraction of other alternatives, including down. What is your experience? Since this is a simple poll, please indicate in your comment whether you have a DIY quilt or no, what size (full-length, 3/4, etc.), and other helpful comments like is your UQ form-fitting or have cinch ends, clothing worn, hot/cold sleeper, or other factors that may help determine performance criteria.

    Again, this will be difficult to sort out to show apples vs. apples since not all quilts are created equal, but hopefully by sorting the comments we can see what factors may help.

    Thanks for participating!

  2. #2
    Senior Member dejoha's Avatar
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    My tests so far are using the MMG IX full-length UQ. It is an early model, but I haven't confirmed that the specs have changed. I've used this quilt on my GT UL, GT Nano, GT Silk Double, and a DIY end-gathered 10x5 hammock.

    I wore a balaclava, fleece bottoms, and a light merino wool top. I wore synthetic blend socks.

    My problem is that I can't seem to consistently get the head and foot sections to seal. I'm hoping to get more tests in with some mods to the quilt, but so far, the best I've been able to get is around 50°F.

    I normally sleep on my back, but occasionally sleep on my side. I've noticed larger gaps when I shift to my sides. I'm 5' 11" and the quilt is about as long as I am.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Bomber's Avatar
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    I voted 40´s, i sleep in my hiking clothes(which will vary according to season of course) and like to sleep warm. I use either a 3 season down sleepingbag or a fleece blanket as a TQ. I´m 6´4 high, have broad shoulders and very lean(around 5% bodyfat). I find that the learning curve is a little steeper when it comes to IX - fit is crucial!

    I have the universal IX uq(one off the first commercially available i believe, before the color coded suspension tabs). And the only "trouble" i´ve had is in high winds, when i´m on my side - sometimes it can get a bit "drafty"

    Over all i really like this quilt because of its special attributes(insensitive to water) and its very light weight, though i dont like the color.

    As mentioned above, it took me some time to "dial in" the suspension to match my sleeping position, but its getting better all the time...

    On a side note: i normally use it on a WBBB, but have a hammock with the same dimensions as the WBBB - but it fits my other hammock better which i cannot explain.

    /Bomber
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  4. #4
    Senior Member millergear's Avatar
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    My tests were using an MMG IX full-length UQ early model. I've used this quilt on my WB Traveler and Speer hammocks. I wore silk weight LJ's, light wool socks and a light Buff. Temps never went below 55. My problems were: (one) I couldn't consistently get the head and foot sections to seal so I modfied both end with draw cords to snug them up. (2) If I stayed on my back I was O.K. to around 55. But I sleep in a fetal position and that stretched the IX tight under me ( at 6' 2" that was a lot of stretch). W/O that small air gap under me I barely made it to 60. Also, w/o a cover you can't let it touch the ground. Everything sticks to IX.
    I THOUGHT GETTING OLDER WOULD TAKE MUCH LONGER.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Rat's Avatar
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    5'-11", 190 lbs, Male, warm sleeper, back sleeper.
    I easily made it into the low 30°s wearing lightweight wool longjohns, light fleece jacket and a rabbit fur cap. I was not "toasty warm" but not unbearably cold either. This is on a current production model quilt with added stranglers on the ends.

    My second night in the same temperatures with midweight longjohns and and rain gear (parka and pants) between the hammock and the underquilt was very toasty; no fleece no cap.

    I am currently testing an unmodified quilt to find performance characteristics under many conditions.
    "I aim to misbehave." - Capt. Mal Reynolds
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  6. #6
    Senior Member dejoha's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bomber View Post
    when i´m on my side - sometimes it can get a bit "drafty"
    ...
    Over all i really like this quilt because of its special attributes(insensitive to water) and its very light weight
    Bomber, that's been my experience too -- more "drafty" when I'm on my side. I, too, LOVE the other attributes of this quilt, and I have plans to take it on some canyoneering trips next year (I don't dare take my down quilts when I'm swimming in the water). I am very optimistic about the IX quilt.

    Quote Originally Posted by millergear View Post
    If I stayed on my back I was O.K. to around 55. But I sleep in a fetal position and that stretched the IX tight under me ( at 6' 2" that was a lot of stretch). W/O that small air gap under me I barely made it to 60. Also, w/o a cover you can't let it touch the ground. Everything sticks to IX.
    Millergear, that's what I noticed too -- side sleeping, or when I had pulled the suspension too, too tight, the differential gap disappeared, voiding the air gap, making it cooler. Mine is an early quilt, but it does have the one white tab, but it isn't covered. Yes, everything does stick to it! I have to be extra careful about packing and attaching.

    Quote Originally Posted by Rat View Post
    My second night in the same temperatures with midweight longjohns and and rain gear (parka and pants) between the hammock and the underquilt was very toasty; no fleece no cap.
    Rat, can you explain more about how you fit your rain gear with the quilt? Did it help seal up the gaps or was it more around your torso? I take it you had a top quilt in both scenarios?

    I would classify myself as a moderate sleeper, right in the middle (not warm or especially cold).

    I am very optimistic about this quilt, at least from some of the reports of people getting into the teens. I hope they cast their vote and share their experiences too. I wonder if I should get the 3/4 version to get a better fit.

    This past week when I slept a few nights in the backyard, I noticed that I slowly slid in my hammock so my shoulders no longer held the seal. In two occasions, I've had condensation in the UQ -- has anyone else experienced that? I wondered if this was a dew-point issue since it doesn't happen often for me.

  7. #7
    Senior Member BillyBob58's Avatar
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    I voted 40s, but it is not quite that simple, and I am still working on getting the most out of it.

    I got mine last spring, IX 2 layer with NO shell of any kind. Just as the last cold temps were ending. I still managed to snag a few tests in the 50s and 60s. I just didn't have much success below 60 max. About that time Mac came up with the Insultubes, and he added them to mine no charge. I really wasn't able to tell a lot of dif, but I was rapidly running out of cool temps for testing. But I continued to experiment with it.

    Finally fall gets here. I had an idea it was going to perform better the way I was hanging it now. Paying closer attention to the quilts position re: my head/neck/shoulders. So I took it on a Sipsey trip 1st week of Oct. It was about ~47*F, and I had no jacket/fleece. I was OK and made it through most of the night. About 0400 the wind really picked up and I had no wind block from a tarp. When I got up to water a tree, I decided I could make it through the night OK though not toasty, especially with the wind factor. So I added my WM torso pad and was toasty till 0700.

    A couple of weeks later at Fall Creek Falls in TN, I tried it again. I thought it would be mid 40s but it dropped to 39. This time I had fleece. Once again, I made it through most of the night, but by 0400 I decided I was not quite warm enough to sleep ( no wind this time). So again I added my pad.

    So far then, somewhere in the 40s is what I will call it, for 2 layers plus Insultube. But maybe closer to high 40s.(EDIT: rated by itself, without thick fleece jackets or synthetic sleeping bags or pads etc) But that is a big improvement from last spring, so I hope to improve some more.

    Keep in mind this is with the very 1st model. I really can't remember if this is supposed to have any form of the current "dif cut" or not, and there is no shell. I have not really had any trouble with the "seal" at either end, at least on my back. Not really sure about the seal and side sleeping.

    PS: I meant to add I am about 6'1" and 209 lbs.
    Last edited by BillyBob58; 11-12-2010 at 11:30.

  8. #8
    Senior Member Doctari's Avatar
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    I voted 40s (About 47 - 48), assuming the poll meant the 1X by itself.
    I can't use it above about 75, way too hot, but that is just me I'm sure!
    Last night it got to 34 & I was fine with just a 3/4 length RayWay & the 1X. In fact I did get cold twice,,,,, because I had thrown off my TQ.

    Weight to insulation ratio is IMHO fantastic.
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  9. #9
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    I voted low 40's and have one of the earlier models. It's one of my favorite pieces of gear. Last night it was 25 degrees in upstae NY and I used it to supplement my synthetic homemade three season UQ. I placed the IX against the hammock bottom and the three season under the IX. I was toasty warm! I like it because of it's versatility. It's a stand alone for most of three seasons and can supplement for the winter. I love it!

    Miguel

  10. #10
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    I just spent the last 2 nights in Sipsey, AL. I didn't have a thermometer but nearby Culman AL reported 37 on Night 1.

    My setup: WBBB, Baby Orca IX UQ (3/4 length), slept in light fleece pants, thermal top, thin baclava and used my down Marmot Pinnacle 15 degree bag as an overquilt. I pitched my tarp high and open (porch style). I'm somewhere between a side sleeper and a back sleeper. I tend to toss around quite a bit, even in a hammock.

    Night 1: Nearby Culman AL had a low of 41; Haleyville had a low of 36. Sipsey is in the middle of the 2, so let's call it about 38 degrees. I used my foam pad under my torso and stayed pretty warm all night. I was a little bit worried about condensation so I left my WBBB unzipped and open. There really wasn't much wind. I was absolutely TOASTY until about 4 am and from that point on I'd say I was fine but not hot. After waking up, I noticed that there was a bit of condensation underneath my torso, on my hammock, and on the foam pad.

    Observations: I think the foam pad had just enough rigidity to help the Orca give me a tight seal around my shoulders. I was happy with its performance.

    Night 2: it felt significantly warmer when I went to bed, and I wanted to avoid the condensation issue associated with my foam, so I opted to use the foam pad as a foot pad. Both Culman and Haleyville reported low temps of about 46 and 50. Things were fine until about midnight, and I didn't get a whole lot of sleep after that. I woke up at about 5 am and I was rather chilly but not frozen. I wish I had a thermometer, because I wore my thermal top, baclava, fleece jacket, and gloves for about the first hour of hiking, which is unusual for me. So I think the 50 degree temp estimation is bogus... I'd say it felt like it was between 35 and maybe 40.

    Observations: I definitely noticed a gap form when I slept on my side or in the fetal position. I also noticed that it was much easier to get a good seal when lying on my back, and when keeping the UQ positioned lower on my shoulders. My butt and legs never got cold though... they stayed quite toasty. My problem was my upper arms and flank, particularly when sleeping on my side.

    Am I happy with my IX UQ? You bet I am. Will I continue to tinker with it and fine tune its fit? Absolutely. I'm a backpacker, and that's what we do with gear! I am curious to learn more about Mac's latest modification though.

    Good luck!
    Globetruck

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