Size question: I'm just shy of 5'6, what size should I get. I'm male of avg muscular build. Will use it as a top quilt on a ridgerunner hammock and occasionally on the ground With pad.
xoshooterIf you think you may want to pull it over your head on a very cold night, go longer, Regular is 6' long, and would work. If you never plan to pull it over your head, the Short would do fine.
CardamomteaThanks for the link discussion. Regular it is. As much as I think a short could work and reduce the accumulating weight the 'wiggle' room is the factor.
CardamomteaHmm. I'm 5'5" and originally went with the Regular/Short -- I don't care about ounces, but I do compare about pack volume. But now I've started to wonder whether the Regular/Regular would work better, for the space at the foot to keep clothing warm, as well as at the top to be able to pull it over my head. It seems like most of the time the Regular/Short would perfect for me, but then there are the rarer (but important) occasions when I'd wish for the quilt to be longer. Decisions, decisions... I'll think more about this after work.
WLVAIf it helps at all, I plan on getting an EE bag in short (I'm 5'3.5"), because I know I will never put the bag over my head -- breathing into down is usually a bad idea, but a lot of people seem to do it without ill effects, apparently? I plan on acquiring a down hood/balaclava of some sort (like EE's synthetic hoodlum, GooseFeet's or Nunatek's down balaclava, or diy), so wouldn't ever put it over my head. I also wouldn't get the XS because I shift a lot in my sleep, and like to put my fuel & water filter in the bottom of the bag with me.
CardamomteaThank you, Cardamomtea, that's a helpful perspective. I had planned on continue using my Black Rock Gear hat but there were a couple nights camping last summer (in Iceland, near the Grand Canyon) when I found myself pulling my synethic mummy bag around my entire head. I guess I'll need to modify my habits and expectations with a down quilt.
Is breathing down a bad idea because of potential respiratory issues, or because that moisture ruins the loft of the down? Either way, getting a balaclava would be a good idea. I would also look at the hood made by Black Rock Gear (thanks, Massdrop, for introducing me to their products!) except their website isn't functioning right now.
WLVAMoisture ruining down loft :-) over a short trip w/ airing out bag soon after, I don't see it as too bad of a problem. Multi night trips it could become a real problem. (Why winter distance hikers/expeditions use vapor barrier liners, as loss of down loft becomes a life threatening issue.) I'm never out long enough in the cold for my night time moisture loss to noticeably affect my bag's loft. Good stuff to be aware of though. In warmer weather moisture should pass through down and condense elsewhere... it's in the cold where it freezes in your bag (some people do a double bag in winter w/ a synthetic outer bag to collect frozen perspiration).
SajorI turn a lot in my sleep if that makes a difference. I've never used a quilt and likely it would be kept open as a top quilt on the hammock is my guess. Both quilt and hammock are new to me. .