I've heard great reviews about Katabatic quilts!? One complaint of some quilt brands I've heard is the shifting of the down stuffing resulting in cold spots.? The Katabatic Flex has the option of adding an ounce or two of overfill -- thus reducing the shifting and adding just a few degrees to the rating.? Any thoughts on either cold spots or overfill?
This would be my first quilt and I want to get it right the first time!? Thanks.
On Wednesday, March 16, 2022, 01:11:20 PM PDT, Charlene Jensen <thepowerofyes@...> wrote:
I'm a rotisserie sleeper and have always felt restricted and even claustrophobic in sleeping bags. My Katabatic Gear quilt is a godsend. It has the usual cord system for use with a sleeping pad and it also came with a set of webbing straps to thread thru elastic loops for use without a sleeping pad. The closed overstuffed foot box can be fully opened on warm nights and it's lightweight. I watched an outdoor video series way back where the host talked about 'smoothing it' (vs. 'roughing it') and, imho, this quilt nails it.
On Mar 16, 2022, at 12:44 PM, oschiopu6 <oschiopu6@...> wrote: ?
Thanks Fred
I have both a quilt and a sleeping bag. Several bags, actually. The main advantage of the quilt is that it's lighter. The secondary advantage is that it is less confining.
The main disadvantage is that it is more prone to leak warm air when you move around than a zipped up bag. And unless your quilt has a hood or is extra long it's harder to keep your head and face warm in really cold weather.
But in the context of the JMT, from June-September, it's quilt all the way for me.
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I'm a rotisserie sleeper and have always felt restricted and even claustrophobic in sleeping bags. My Katabatic Gear quilt is a godsend. It has the usual cord system for use with a sleeping pad and it also came with a set of webbing straps to thread thru elastic loops for use without a sleeping pad. The closed overstuffed foot box can be fully opened on warm nights and it's lightweight. I watched an outdoor video series way back where the host talked about 'smoothing it' (vs. 'roughing it') and, imho, this quilt nails it.
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On Mar 16, 2022, at 12:44 PM, oschiopu6 <oschiopu6@...> wrote: ?
Thanks Fred
I have both a quilt and a sleeping bag. Several bags, actually. The main advantage of the quilt is that it's lighter. The secondary advantage is that it is less confining.
The main disadvantage is that it is more prone to leak warm air when you move around than a zipped up bag. And unless your quilt has a hood or is extra long it's harder to keep your head and face warm in really cold weather.
But in the context of the JMT, from June-September, it's quilt all the way for me.
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Thanks Fred
I have both a quilt and a sleeping bag. Several bags, actually. The main advantage of the quilt is that it's lighter. The secondary advantage is that it is less confining.
The main disadvantage is that it is more prone to leak warm air when you move around than a zipped up bag. And unless your quilt has a hood or is extra long it's harder to keep your head and face warm in really cold weather.
But in the context of the JMT, from June-September, it's quilt all the way for me.
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I have both a quilt and a sleeping bag. Several bags, actually. The main advantage of the quilt is that it's lighter. The secondary advantage is that it is less confining.
The main disadvantage is that it is more prone to leak warm air when you move around than a zipped up bag. And unless your quilt has a hood or is extra long it's harder to keep your head and face warm in really cold weather.
But in the context of the JMT, from June-September, it's quilt all the way for me.
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I find it very interesting that this discussion here has confirmed the survey finding that most people who have quilts are quite happy with them. It's always nice to get a discussion going that either suggests that the survey may be misleading in some way, or confirming it, or just elaborating on it. I appreciate all who have commented. I have a good deal more faith in the observation based on survey comments alone that most people find quilts good, and better than their prior experience with sleeping bags.
--
John Curran Ladd
1616 Castro Street
San Francisco, CA? 94114-3707
415-648-9279
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Re: Permits for Kennedy Meadows entrance northbound
#permits
Kennedy Meadows is a non-quota trailhead but a permit is still required. ? I liked the section of the PCT between Kennedy Meadows and the JMT junction near Crabtree meadows and it is a good entry point for people who have the extra time.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/recarea/?recid=81827
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Re: Permits for Kennedy Meadows entrance northbound
#permits
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Permits for Kennedy Meadows entrance northbound
#permits
Thinking about starting at Kennedy Meadows and exiting at Reds or Tuolumne. ?Anyone know what permits would be required?
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Re: footwear - stream crossers and camp shoes
#gear
I tried the Mayfly's last year NOBO. ?I left them behind at MTR for two reasons. ?They were too minimal for me. ?Perhaps enough if you just want to shuffle around camp. ?But if you need to walk for water, etc. I found them slippery (arguably dangerous) and insufficient. ?Other reason is it was so dry last year that by trail runners never really got wet.
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Re: footwear - stream crossers and camp shoes
#gear
Shamma sandals. My size 11 M weight 5.9oz for the pair. I would choose these over many others. Especially after they break in and get foot shaped. They are not perfect but for summer hiking in the Sierra, they are great IMO
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On Mar 15, 2022, at 7:38 PM, WanderingJim <jimjmt2020@...> wrote:
?On Tue, Mar 15, 2022 at 07:24 AM, Carol B wrote:
The lightest shoe I¡¯ve ever found was the Mizuno Wave Universe 5, a crazy 3-5oz, depending on which year. Just good luck in finding a pair. It does make sense though as it can act as a back up hiker in an emergency
Wow. How did they get those to be that light? If only they were available for purchase now. :(
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Re: footwear - stream crossers and camp shoes
#gear
On Tue, Mar 15, 2022 at 07:24 AM, Carol B wrote:
The lightest shoe I¡¯ve ever found was the Mizuno Wave Universe 5, a crazy 3-5oz, depending on which year. Just good luck in finding a pair. It does make sense though as it can act as a back up hiker in an emergency
Wow. How did they get those to be that light? If only they were available for purchase now. :(
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I have a 10 degree REI Magma sleeping bag which I used for my first JMT, then I switched to the quilt when I wanted to go lighter. I find the quit to be warmer than the bag, which gives some credence to its zero degree rating vs the 10 degree on the bag. I do find this to be a bit surprising, especially given the whole enclosed head thing with the bag, I expected the bag to be warmer.
Ian
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On Mar 15, 2022, at 8:27 AM, Lauralyn <lauralyn@...> wrote:
Let me clarify. I loved my quilt but would look for better low temp rating one. When my 30f mummy bag gets condensation I stay warm and dry. My 30f quilt did not do the same. I got cold and it did not dry quickly. I don't know if this is true or not but my experience was that the dew point was higher in a heavy snow, high water year than a drier year. I wonder if that is something to consider when considering the sleeping equipment for a trip?
On Mar 14, 2022, at 9:43 PM, Lauralyn <lauralyn@...> wrote:
?Let me clarify... just saying I was colder in the quilt because of the condensation. Without condensation I stayed warm. With condensation and a wind chill I was cold.
On Mar 14, 2022, at 5:14 PM, Don Bushek via groups.io <donbushek@...> wrote:
?@lauralynn: are you saying that a quilt is more susceptible condensation than a bag? Why would that be?
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Let me clarify. I loved my quilt but would look for better low temp rating one. When my 30f mummy bag gets condensation I stay warm and dry. My 30f quilt did not do the same. I got cold and it did not dry quickly. I don't know if this is true or not but my experience was that the dew point was higher in a heavy snow, high water year than a drier year. I wonder if that is something to consider when considering the sleeping equipment for a trip?
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On Mar 14, 2022, at 9:43 PM, Lauralyn <lauralyn@...> wrote:
?Let me clarify... just saying I was colder in the quilt because of the condensation. Without condensation I stayed warm. With condensation and a wind chill I was cold.
On Mar 14, 2022, at 5:14 PM, Don Bushek via groups.io <donbushek@...> wrote:
?@lauralynn: are you saying that a quilt is more susceptible condensation than a bag? Why would that be?
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Re: footwear - stream crossers and camp shoes
#gear
The lightest shoe I¡¯ve ever found was the Mizuno Wave Universe 5, a crazy 3-5oz, depending on which year. Just good luck in finding a pair. It does make sense though as it can act as a back up hiker in an emergency
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EDITED I asked a question on the annual survey for many years about gear and adequacies and problems. When there are complaints they tend to be that it's not warm enough. But most people report that they like the quilts. Some people report them as their favorite gear item and the one they would most recommend to friends. /g/JMT/wiki/15417/g/JMT/wiki/15352 I personally would not buy one because I find that I get a lot of additional warmth by really tightening down the hood so that nothing goes out other than my mouth and nose. I find this okay to sleep with and very warm and unusually cold nights. I think that stretches the temperature range of my bag by 15 or 20¡ã A lot of the people on the survey do not indicate whether they've had experience with regular sleeping bags before choosing a quilt. People tend to like things that they own, rather than things that they don't. So I would take the survey findings with a grain of salt Voice dictated, which I am somewhat new at. And I'm rushed this morning so I haven't edited? -- John Curran Ladd1616 Castro StreetSan Francisco, CA? 94114-3707415-648-9279
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Re: footwear - stream crossers and camp shoes
#gear
I have found ultralight running shoes good for crossings, camp. They are light enuf to wear inside my sleeping bag which makes it easier to get out of bed fast in order to pee in the middle of the night or to put on? warm clothes in the morning.
The ones on the right worn about 100 days, the ones on the right were new when pictured.
New Balance Minimus UL?
There are times when NB discontinues the model for a few years, but they bring it back with some modifications (or reversing earlier modifications).
--
John Curran Ladd
1616 Castro Street
San Francisco, CA? 94114-3707
415-648-9279
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Both my zPacks bag and my EE quilt lacks a hood which actually is something I prefer. On my old sleeping bag, which had a hood, I found it constraining and prefer using a warm cap that moves freely with my head. Depending on how cold I expect it to be, I take either my zPacks UL Fleece beanie or my Mountain Hardwear Dome Perignon. ?
It's really important to wear a warm cap, even if it is up into the 40s since so much heat is lost from the head.?
There are some nice down caps available but I prefer the fleece caps since I can wear them during the day while hiking, if needed, and they retain effectiveness if they get wet. A true multi-use item.
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Let me clarify... just saying I was colder in the quilt because of the condensation. Without condensation I stayed warm. With condensation and a wind chill I was cold.
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On Mar 14, 2022, at 5:14 PM, Don Bushek via groups.io <donbushek@...> wrote:
?@lauralynn: are you saying that a quilt is more susceptible condensation than a bag? Why would that be?
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Thanks Ian and everyone for the info....very helpful.?
Edit:
No - I actually find that doesn¡¯t help much, better to only have one warmth trapping layer of down (just a theory). ?When it¡¯s cold I sleep in long smart wool underwear and a
woollen?beanie. ?I also have a Neoair Xlite pad with an R Factor of 4.2, and that does help.
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On Mar 14, 2022, at 5:56 PM, Ian Goldsmith < ian@...> wrote:
No - I actually find that doesn¡¯t help much, better to only have one warmth trapping layer of down (just a theory). ?When it¡¯s cold I sleep in long smart wool underwear and a swollen beanie.
?I also have a Neoair Xlite pad with an R Factor of 4.2, and that does help.
Ian
Ian, when it was 10 degrees did you have a puffy on?
I have a zero degree Enigma and it¡¯s plenty warm for the Sierra even through the shoulder seasons. ?I¡¯ve used it down about 10 degrees and been good. ?Much colder than that and it probably
wouldn¡¯t be enough.
One of the nice things about the quit that I didn¡¯t mention is that when it is warmer you can just stick a foot or leg out for temperature regulation.
Ian
My 30F quilt was not sufficient to handle July temperatures at Merced Lake and Vogelsang. I think the temperature dipped to 30s and being a restless sleeper did not help. I sold it after
that. I think if I do get another quilt, it would be at least 20F if not warmer.
On Mar 14, 2022, at 3:56 PM, ravi_jmt2013 < ravi@...> wrote:
I've never actually taken the 30F quilt on my Sierra Nevada trips because I suspect I wouldn't be comfortable in all conditions.?
I really hate being cold, and the weight difference isn't huge, so I am pretty conservative when I decide which bag/quilt to take. A lot of people add 10 degrees to the bag rating, but I add more like 15-20. ?So, for the EE quilt, I normally would not take
it if I expect nighttime temps lower than the high 40s. ?In the Sierra Nevada even in the middle of summer, you can get freezing nights anytime, so I opt for the zPacks 10F.?
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Edit:
No - I actually find that doesn¡¯t help much, better to only have one warmth trapping layer of down (just a theory). ?When it¡¯s cold I sleep in long smart wool underwear and a woollen?beanie. ?I also have a Neoair Xlite pad with an R Factor of 4.2, and that does help.
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On Mar 14, 2022, at 5:56 PM, Ian Goldsmith < ian@...> wrote:
No - I actually find that doesn¡¯t help much, better to only have one warmth trapping layer of down (just a theory). ?When it¡¯s cold I sleep in long smart wool underwear and a swollen beanie. ?I also have a Neoair Xlite pad with an R Factor of 4.2, and that does help.
Ian
Ian, when it was 10 degrees did you have a puffy on?
I have a zero degree Enigma and it¡¯s plenty warm for the Sierra even through the shoulder seasons. ?I¡¯ve used it down about 10 degrees and been good. ?Much colder than that and it probably
wouldn¡¯t be enough.
One of the nice things about the quit that I didn¡¯t mention is that when it is warmer you can just stick a foot or leg out for temperature regulation.
Ian
My 30F quilt was not sufficient to handle July temperatures at Merced Lake and Vogelsang. I think the temperature dipped to 30s and being a restless sleeper did not help. I sold it after
that. I think if I do get another quilt, it would be at least 20F if not warmer.
On Mar 14, 2022, at 3:56 PM, ravi_jmt2013 < ravi@...> wrote:
I've never actually taken the 30F quilt on my Sierra Nevada trips because I suspect I wouldn't be comfortable in all conditions.?
I really hate being cold, and the weight difference isn't huge, so I am pretty conservative when I decide which bag/quilt to take. A lot of people add 10 degrees to the bag rating, but I add more like 15-20. ?So, for the EE quilt, I normally would not take
it if I expect nighttime temps lower than the high 40s. ?In the Sierra Nevada even in the middle of summer, you can get freezing nights anytime, so I opt for the zPacks 10F.?
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John Ladd
ravi_jmt2013
WanderingJim
