Light weight sleeping bag substitute

[Ticklebelly]

I posted most of this elsewhere but wanted to make contribution here. I made a polarfleece quilt for those overnighters where the minimum temps will be well north of 15degrees or so.

Spotlight supplied 2100mm of 210gsm Polafleece at $5.99 a metre. Resident expert folded edges to middle then sewed the bottom, then closed the first 300mm from the bottom to form a footbox. Used quilt style (split to the bottom), I slide the mat into the footpocket, lie on the mat with the feet in the footbox and pull the rest of the quilt up over the body as you would a blanket or quilt. I knocked 200mm off the width of the Polafleece (finished width 1700mm) and turned the top 75mm for a finished length of 1900mm. Weight comes in around the 600grams but I have not weighed it accurately yet. Stuffs well and I will have to make a custom compression bag to get minimum size for the pack.

Should be able to use this thing as an over bag in the cold to squeeze an extra couple of degrees out of the proper sleeping bag, especially if I make a nylon cover for it.

I already take a merino top, fleece vest, spare socks, and a rain jacket as emergency gear anyway so I should be able to get comfortable, in the tent, down to 6-8 overnight without concern.

I'm now seriously looking at a sub 7Kg pack, before water, for an overnighter.

Ticklebelly

[Franco]

Stuffs well and I will have to make a custom compression bag to get minimum size for the pack

On the other hand you could try a loose stuff sack (or no sack at all) and let the weight of the other items compress the quilt for you .
(try it...)
Franco

[Ticklebelly]

On the other hand you could try a loose stuff sack (or no sack at all) and let the weight of the other items compress the quilt for you.

Yes, I like the suggestion, thanks. I usually put the bag into the pack first and the weight on top will reduce the volume a lot. As I'm going smaller and lighter, I'm getting more and more real estate in the "summer pack" and volume is less of a problem. I'll try the loose stuff sack for the exercise but no stuff or compression sack will save a few more grams.

Ticklebelly

[icemancometh]

Unless you have sharp stuff in there, you can put it in the middle and let your gear compress it!! (like so: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJiW_7taIF4&context=C39f5e87ADOEgsToPDskI6ABoP7VwyJONPwzquCuP2 )
Same idea for your belay (insulated) jackets

A loose stuff sack is still weight.

[cdg]

I made a polarfleece sleeping bag some time ago, its pretty comfortable. i wouldnt use it in the snow, but for most of my camping its fine. easy to wash as well.

[John Sheridan]

A fleece sleeping bag sounds sweet, just put in a zipper and you have a nice blanket as well when the temps start to get a little too hot at night.

Cheers.

[pokolbinguy]

This sounds like a great idea. Might have to swing by spotlight sometime soon.

[Lady McGuyver]

Just remember Pok, it's fleece; you can't weld it, screw or nail it!!
But you could bash some eyelets in it and lace it up!!

[pokolbinguy]

But you could bash some eyelets in it and lace it up!!

Not such a dumb idea really.....

[John Sheridan]

How about sow some velcro strips on it to close it up

Noisy but efficient

Cheers.

I'll stick to my 453 gram HighLite sleeping bag, if it gets too hot, just put it on top of me or halfway or across me, or just sleep on top of it

Cheers.