Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Bag vs. Quilt

I use the NeoAir XTherm when weight/space is an issue, otherwise I use a Thermarest Base Camp or similar type self-inflating foam.

It’s about the highest R value for the weight, available. I own multiple pads and if I have space in my pack or I’m camping near the truck I love my Exped Downmat 9, but it’s bigger and heavier, so if weight and space are a concern the Neoair XTherm MAX cannot be beat. It’s a fantastic all around pad, and has proven very durable for me. The non-MAX version is cut in a mummy shape, and the MAX is rectangular. I find my bivy is less likely to slide off the MAX version.

The only downsides to the XTherm are the feeling and sound. It feels like plastic/rubber against the skin and crinkles a little bit when moved, so I recommend having a layer between your skin and the pad. The sound is minimal for me, so I wouldn’t worry about it. In contrast, the Exped has a soft, micro-fleece feeling, and doesn’t make noise when moved. I do think the XTherm is more durable and more easily repaired than the Downmat, from what I’ve seen.

Quilts are cute.....

It depends on what you mean by quilt. There are some that are just insulated sheets. There are also some that are hammock top quilts. Then there are ground-sleeping backpacking quiilts.

On the ground, you lose heat into the ground through conduction rather than radiation. You can lose heat into the air through convection, and in all directions through radiation.

Fluff insulation like a down or synthetic fluff held in place with a polyester or nylon cover (a sleeping bag or quilt) will be especially effective to reduce convective loss and radiated loss in the directions where it can fluff. It won't be so effective when it's squished under your weight. That's why we use foam or inflated sleeping pads.

The backpackers quilt comes about from the desire to shave weight -- the weight of mostly ineffective down or synthetic insulation fluff on the underside of the bag that often just gets squished by your weight. Such a backpacking type quilt should have a pocket or some attachment system so it fixes to the sleeping pad. It's an ultralight thing.

As a weight-concious backpacker of almost 40 years experience, I think the quilt/pad system is smart -- smarter than a traditional bag and pad. However:

It doesn't make any difference if you're not packing it on your back. It's superfluous for camping out of a vehicle.
There are other alternatives like the hammock, though they're applicable in fewer circumstances.
The options on the market right now are mostly high-performance down paired with inflatable pads
people seeking the advantage of the lower weight of quilt/pad systems are unlikely to forgo the advantage of high power down and inflatable pads
down and high power down are $$$
down performs poorly when wet (which is inevitable after multiple nights just from condensation)
ultralight shells tend to be delicate and they typically pair with inflated pads (lower weight than closed cell foam) that are also delicate.

The combination of expensive and delicate cancel the benefits of ultralight highest-R value per ounce quilt/pad systems for me. I sleep with a 90 pound dog when I'm backpacking, so I go inexpensive synthetic and it's a traditional bag and closed cell foam pad. They're more durable and less costly to replace. It might weigh a full pound more for a given warmth rating. I'm happy with the tradeoff but others will opt to spend the money and save the weight.

I've slept in bags for years but last year a friend loaned me his EE Convert with 850 fill, 0 degree, regular wide. I fell in love with it. You can use it as a bag, a quilt or just a comforter. Yes, it does need a pad under it, but so do bags. I ordered one for myself this year. On the other "quilt" discussion, someone suggested I change the order to a long, wide one, which I did. It came last week and I used it camping in the GA mountains this week, as a comforter, and when it got warm I just opened it. In my opinion, the main difference between a bag and quilt is room to move around better. As far as the 0 degree rating is concerned, remember, that is the temp that will keep you alive. You can usually add 20 degrees to that for comfort. All of the good bag/quilt companies have personnel that will be glad to work with you to make sure you have what you need. Good luck.