I used an Enlightened Equipment quilt for 3 seasons but eventually just went back to a trad bag. Sleeping in a quilt becomes more of a technically unattractive operation if one happens to move around a bunch. The quilt is very light and incredibly warm - but as a mobile sleeper, I find a bag easier to deal with.

That’s actually one of the reasons I prefer a quilt. I don’t get tangled up like I do in the bag.

after owning a bunch (a big bunch!) of both, my thoughts are 20-30+ degrees- quilt (that is wide & long enough to give you ample coverage); below 20 degrees- lightweight sleeping bag

I owned quilts as rated as low as 0 and can tell you that a draft at 0 degrees is significantly different than one at 30 degrees

I still own several quilts, but they are all rated 20+ degrees, colder the nod goes to a bag

yep. spend the extra bucks for a long, wide quilt

Agreed.

I agree completely. Having no spent so much time in a quilt, the unrestricted movement is my favorite thing about it.

What about putting a quilt over/around a conventional bag to have a quilt for summer and add the quilt to bag for colder? If a good idea should I go with the same size as the sizing guides say or go a little wider? I have an old Big Agnes Lost Ranger 15 and looking at adding a Enlightened Equipment Revelation 10.

yup- I do that in the winter, have a 15-ish degree down bag and add a 50 degree Apex quilt, gets me down to 0 or a little lower pretty easily; on longer trips it helps keep the loft of the down by allowing moisture to migrate through the down bag and go into the synthetic quilt- which handles moisture better

if you plan on using a quilt in this way, you want it a little wider- and wider in a quilt is rarely a bad thing

EE has a good chart showing what temps you can realistically expect by layering what quilt of what bag/quilt

Yup. Longer and wider is a good thing.

I have a UGQ quilt that I love. I'm a side sleeper and they have extra wide sizes to give plenty to tuck in. A quilt is great when it's time for the 3am pee - no zippers to deal with getting in or out.
The UGQ comes with 2 straps but I've never used more than 1 and that one only on the back side. The extra width tucks in easily and the strap isn't needed.

Mine is a 10 degree and it's warm enough down to about 25. Like most higher end bag makers, they use the European system of warmth ratings. The listed rating won't keep you warm at that temp, it'll keep you alive. Add 10 to 20 degrees to the rating to see where it'll keep you warm.

Costco has some down blankets for about $20. I got one, folded it over, and sewed across the bottom and about a foot up the side to make a foot pocket. I added a buckle to match my quilt strap and use it inside the quilt. It adds about 10F to the warmth and weighs nothing. I do wish the blankets were a bit longer but it does help when it gets cold.

Sleeping hot is never a problem with me, so I can't understand the quilt thing. I frequently use my bag as a quilt, by just opening it up and laying on the pad with it over me. I really don't like being too cold to sleep.

Quilts are popular for backpacking because they're lighter weight and more compact. You don't have to haul around the insulation that would be under you and useless. You also don't have a zipper which is just more dead weight. It adds up. A good 0 degree quilt will weigh under 3lb.

I bought 2 and sewed them together and added snaps for a cheap summer packing quilt

Did you sew them for double thickness or double width?

I haven't had very good luck with quilts. I can't sleep directly on my pad / air mattress, traps too much body moisture and I wake up soaked. (Same reason I don't do well with bivy sacks.) I've added a thin sheet which helps but that takes away the weight and bulk advantages. I've more or less given up on quilts and returned to regular sleeping bags (semi-rectangular for more room). The layer between me 'n' the pad takes care of moisture and I can open / unzip to manage the warmth so I'm not too hot and not too cold. The quilt idea seemed good, just didn't pan out for me.

Tom

I can't lie directly on an air mattress either so I use a waffle ensolite pad on top of it. It's a bit bulky but weighs nothing. The waffles allow moisture to escape and I'm very comfortable on it.

width, overlapped a bit at bottom

El Coyote quilts, a new company is Arizona seems to be worth looking at. https://www.elcoyotequilts.com/