Loco Libre Gear Operator Series Habanero Underquilt

[kitsapcowboy]

"You will never sleep cold in a Loco Libre Gear quilt." Beyond well-earned and widely held public perception in the hammock enthusiast community, this phrase is practically the fervent albeit unofficial company motto at Loco Libre Gear. Owner/designer George Carr (founder of End2End Trail Supply and inventor of the Gram Weenie pro alcohol stove) has built his reputation as a camping quilt vendor on a scrupulous work ethic, a true wealth of creativity, impeccable craftsmanship and customization, and great customer service -- all with value and affordability in mind.

With his recent introduction of his Operator Series ultralight down summer quilts, George adapted two of his existing camping quilts, the Ghost Pepper top quilt and the Habanero underquilt, and evolved them into a pared-down high-end minimalist warm-weather sleep set. Conservatively rated for 50 degrees Fahrenheit, George designed the Operator Series with the highest-end materials using every trick in his manual of gear alchemy to give the end user maximum warmth and comfort with minimum weight and pack size, using a carefully considered no-frills approach governed by necessity and proper function.



To quote George's own introductory preamble to the Operator Series:

An Operator is someone that has the ability to handle diverse situations while relying less on gear, gadgets, and gizmos, and more on experience, ability, and fortitude. The Operator Series Habanero Underquilt was conceived for that very individual. The one who travels fast and light. The long distance hiker who is mistaken for a day hiker. The person who thinks less is more.

I have been a big fan of Loco Libre Gear since my first order from George. I own four of his quilts, both down and synthetic, plus a camp pillow, and I have another top quilt (the new Saver Series Serrano) in his production queue at the time of writing. They are my favorites, owing to the thoughtful design, crastmanship, attention to detail, and clear dedication that is evident in each and every one.

My new Operator Series Habanero 50-degree down underquilt, which arrived only yesterday, is definitely my new favorite quilt. I ordered it 12 minutes after George announced them on Hammock Forums at an introductory price of $112.50, and it arrived more than a week ahead of schedule. Eleven minutes after my mail carrier delivered it, I had it installed on my hammock, ready for a thorough overnight test. Needless to say, this quilt was greatly anticipated...



The Loco Libre Gear Operator Series Habanero underquilt is an ultralight partial-length down underquilt with only primary suspension; secondary suspension and LLG's usual draft collars have been deleted to save weight and allow the Operator to pack down virtually to fist size. Available only in solid colors of Dutchware Argon 67 calendared ripstop nylon, I ordered my Operator Habanero in Dark Olive and Black. Despite its minimalist aims, my underquilt has a carefully constructed shape comprising nine individually tapered and contoured longitudinal differential-cut baffle chambers in a straight orientation containing a specified 3 ounces of 900FP Downtek goose down. As accurately as I could measure it, my quilt was 40.5" wide at the head end, 44" wide at the midpoint, and 34" at the foot end, which exhibits the most obvious contouring with approximately 16" of delicate tapering, if I am correctly deciphering George's magic. Each baffle is precisely seamed and shaped down its entire length, and there was not one stitch out of place anywhere on this beautiful underquilt. My Operator Habanero measured 48.5" long (instead of the listed 50") and weighed just under 9.2 ounces (260 grams) on my scale, with suspension and micro-biner hardware packed into its included nylon stuff sack. The stuff sack is generous for the diminutive quilt at 9" long and 4.5" in diameter, but the UQ shrinks down to about the size of a large grapefruit when fully compressed, showing off the virtue of the high-end down inside it.



I installed the Operator Habanero on my Dutchware Chameleon with ease and simplicity; the shock cord primary suspension was perfectly sized for an instantly snug fit (i.e., without any excess) on my 11-foot hammock, and the side channels have just enough room to allow the quilt to slide easily without collapsing into the center in an accordion fashion. Secondary suspension would be superfluous on a quilt this light, but the crispness of its adjustment and function speaks to George's experience and forethought that went into its design. The only other adjustment beyond positioning was a gentle cinching of the shock cords in the end channels. The Operator clung to my Chameleon without any gaps, as if the inner shell were glued to the hammock body.



Once inside the hammock, there was virtually no fiddling necessary to keep the Operator Habanero in position. The UQ seemed wider than its actual dimensions (probably because its light weight keeps gravity from hauling it out of place as you move around), and coverage was excellent in both dimensions. I am 6'2" with relatively broad shoulders, and the Operator Habanero covered me generously from side to side and extended from the back of my neck down to the backs of my knees. An afternoon of casual lounging in myriad positions required no further adjustment of the quilt.

Expected overnight conditions last night were for moderate wind, light rain, and 49-degree lows. With any other 50-degree quilt I would have been concerned about pushing its temperature rating -- but not with this one! I pitched my silpoly rectangle tarp high and wide in porch mode with only a bug net on my hammock and no underquilt protector, so that I could really put the thermal qualities of the Operator Habanero to the test.

The wind never kicked up and the rain never came for more than a few minutes, but the temperature dropped all the way to 47F by the wee hours of the morning, meaningfully below the conservative 50-degree rating of the Operator Habanero. "How can something this light keep me this warm?!" I kept asking myself all night, smiling in the dark. The quilt was toasty in a matter of seconds when I first climbed in at bedtime, and it maintained its warmth below its rating thought a night of peaceful slumber. I am an "average sleeper" when it comes to quilt temperature ratings, and dressed only in a light base layer I remained very comfortable at 47F and would have no qualm at all about taking this Loco Libre Gear underquilt to at least 45F, when paired with a 40-degree top quilt. (YMMV, but the extra few degrees of margin the design of this quilt has afforded me will greatly extend its utility where I live...)



In conclusion, I am absolutely satisfied with my Loco Libre Gear Operator Series Habanero summer underquilt, and it has performed even better than I expected. It will be the perfect minimalist ultralight insulation option for at least a third of the year where I live. Its statistics and performance are impressive, and the quality and price point make it an exceptional value. In addition to lightweight backpacking overnight trips, the Operator Series UQ packs so small and light that I plan to take it with me for use with an utralight hammock and a thermal bivvy on long arduous dayhike adventures as some "just in case" insurance in the event of an unplanned overnight stay -- in true operator fashion.

GET. THIS. QUILT. NOW.

Eso es todo. Muchas gracias, Loco Libre Gear...