I’m looking for input on an upcoming down top quilt MYOG project. Below I’ve shared my thoughts on design and construction. Feel free to comment if you have thoughts on how to make it better. Although most of my gear is homemade, I have not worked with down before. This will be done at the same time that I make a down underquilt, which will be in a different post. I plan to post my finished results once I’ve completed the project.

a. General
I’m planning to sew a down top quilt in keeping with my ultralight style. This includes a minimum of extra weight, but enough insulation to keep safely comfortable since I won’t be carrying much else to use as backup if it gets cold. The weight of the quilt will be compared to my homemade Ray-Way “Alpine” synthetic quilt, which weighs about 33oz. Hopefully, there will be about a 1 lb. improvement.

The average January low temperature is 25F in my area. Although many nights in a given winter are below this average, I would like to target something that would work down to about 20F with long johns on. This would allow me to go out on virtually any night of the year, unless I get really unlucky with my scheduling.

b. Geometry
The most difficult part of a hiking trip in the cold, for me, is that time between getting up and getting underway. Packing up camp and eating breakfast involve less activity than hiking, without the insulation used during sleeping. This often results in cold fingers and toes. Having a top quilt that is wearable, poncho style, is a multi-use way to help make this transition time more comfortable. I plan to add a hole in center of the quilt that can be closed with snaps to minimize the cold spot. In order to facilitate wearability of the quilt, I plan to make the footbox close with snaps, so that it can be opened when in poncho mode.

I like the gorget on the Ray-way, but I plan to make it a little bit more aggressive so it drapes over my body with fewer air gaps. The gorget is basically a cutout to the shell fabric that causes the quilt to have a cupped shape, which drapes over your body and shoulders better than a flat quilt would.

Overall dimensions
Down Top Quilt.png

c. Materials
I plan to use a breathable DWR material for the outer shell, while using the lightest down-proof material possible for the inner shell. Argon 67 and Momentum 50 are both contenders for the inner shell, and possibly the outer shell, though I may go to something a little heavier. I don’t want something on the outer shell that I’m going to have to baby.

d. Insulation/Baffling
There are many formulas and opinions about how much insulation would be required for 20F, but I’m thinking I will need about 2.5” of loft. I have a synthetic top quilt with about 1.8” of loft that I have used comfortably on the ground with insulated clothing down to about 20F.

In order to provide an overstuff, which will hopefully reduce the amount of down shifting, and makes the quilt look really nice (I think), I will plan on 1.75” high baffles and a 2.5” total loft. I plan to use 800 FP down, approximately 12 ounces.

I plan to orient the baffles crosswise, spaced for approximately 1 oz. of down per baffle. The baffles will be cut in a slight arc to help the quilt to maintain its loft when wrapped around my body.
Quilt baffles.PNG