Here is the setup from top to bottom:
• Jacks'R'Better Mt Rogers down quilt
• thin fleece blanket cut from a roll at a fabric store
• us!
• thin polyester sheet cut from a roll at a fabric store
• Therm-A-Rest NeoAir sleeping pads joined by coupling straps
Notes, details, explanations, disadvantages, merits, and even a haiku:
1) Quilt vs Sleeping Bag: Our quilt weighs less and packs down smaller than one of our previous sleeping bags. It also doesn't have any zippers that can (and did frequently) fail. However, a quilt only works effectively in cold weather if there's something decent below to prevent heat conduction into the ground (not that the compressed insulation of a sleeping bag does much, but it helps).
Quilts also may really annoy some couples. Because neither partner has the autonomy of a sleeping bag, every fidget and move affects the other, and certain sleeping positions expose you or your partner to the cold more than a sleeping bag or zipped-together sleeping bags would. Jacks'R'Better makes interesting quilt add-ons to prevent this, like an accessory that covers the space between your heads.
2) Sleeping Pad: Our thick Therm-A-Rest NeoAirs have a high R-value (they're warm), iron out any peas or boulders underneath, pack down really small, and are surprisingly tough. The coupling straps prevent a frigid crevasse from opening between them. The only downside is the cost, but it's absolutely worth it if you use the mattress frequently.
3) Sheets: The polyester sheet underneath keeps the tough-to-clean pads from getting dirty and provides a comfortable interface between bare skin and the clammy pad. The fleece blanket serves the same dual purpose of protection and comfort for the quilt. Both cost just a few dollars at a fabric store, weigh very little, and take up little space. Having multiple blankets also gives us flexibility to sleep in different beds where we need to, such as in hostel dorm rooms.
We haven't put this setup to any really extreme tests, but we have employed it with success in below-freezing temperatures. It can be drafty, but it's very possible to seal the system like a big sleeping bag. It also helps to have warm clothes, an insulating tent, and lots of snuggling!
Sleep is important
Free yourself from the zippers
Challenge the bag!
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