Backpacking Quilt Vs Sleeping Bag – What’s Right for You?

Backpacking Quilt Vs. Sleeping Bag

Some of the most important pieces of gear to optimize on your backpacking packing list is your sleeping gear. Your sleeping bag and pad, for example, are part of the “Big Four”. This means they are two of the four biggest items in your pack, and therefore the lowest hanging fruit when it comes to optimizing pack weight and bulk. If reducing the size and weight of these items are a priority, you may want to consider using a backpacking quilt vs a sleeping bag.

Not all sleeping quilts are lighter and smaller than all sleeping bags, but many are! The benefits of a backpacking quilt doesn’t stop there, either.

While quilts aren’t for everyone, they certainly are worth considering. Let us tell you why…

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What is a Backpacking Quilt?

A backpacking quilt is kind of like a partial sleeping bag. It is made of the same materials and have a similar shape to the sleeping bags you are familiar with. The key difference is that it doesn’t have the same hood or the same type of bottom layer that a sleeping bag has. Most designs have straps or a zipper that connects the sides underneath your sleeping pad.  You can unzip or unclip those to spread it out and use it like a comforter.

Many backpacking quilts can be very similar to a sleeping bag when you secure it around your sleeping pad. They may have a foot box, draft collar, or other features you find comforting in your current sleeping bag. You’ll just be sleeping directly on your sleeping pad instead of having a layer of sleeping bag under you.

So what is the benefit of a backpacking quilt if its so similar to a sleeping bag?

Well, the thought is that the bottom layer of your sleeping bag isn’t all that effective in keeping you warm. When fill is compressed, the thermal retention properties are diminished. So the weight of your body on that layer of bag is reducing its effectiveness. Your sleeping pad may be doing all the heavy lifting.

If that bottom layer doesn’t do a whole lot for keeping you warm, then it’s just weighing you down! That’s the main logic behind using a backpacking quilt vs a sleeping bag… but there are many other benefits to it as well that we’ll go over.

How to Use a Backpacking Quilt

Backpacking quilts aren’t as simple or intuitive to use as a sleeping bag. You’ll need to do a bit more preparation and have the proper accessories for it.

For starters, you’ll want to have a warm and comfortable sleeping pad, like one of these, to use with it. Make sure it has a high enough R-value to keep you warm in the climate you are hiking in. You’ll also want to bring a warm hat or hood to keep your head warm on chilly nights. Most quilts lack a hood.

To set up your quilt, you need to first decide how you want to use it – as a blanket or a sleeping bag. If you want to use it as a blanket on a warm night, you just need to spread it out over your mat and pillow. On chillier nights, you’ll want to tuck the edges of the quilt around your pad or body.

Another way to use your backpacking quilt is to strap it around your sleeping pad to make it feel closer to a sleeping bag. Use the straps, clips, or zippers that your quilt comes with and secure it around the pad. The bottom of your sleeping pad should be where the opening is.

On cooler nights, you can also utilize whatever cinches and accessories your quilt has to keep you warmer. A common feature, for example, is a foot box that cinches closed.

The best thing about a backpacking quilt is that it is versatile, you can adjust it to feel more or less bundled up depending on the weather.

Backpacking Quilt Vs. Sleeping Bag

Backpacking Quilt vs. Sleeping Bag – Which is Right For You?

A backpacking quilt may be right for you if…

• You feel too restrained in a sleeping bag. A sleeping quilt doesn’t keep you quite so snug, you’ll have more freedom to sprawl out and move in your sleep.
• You sleep warm. When you feel too warm in your quilt, you can stick your leg out, create a draft, or open the footbox.
• You move around in your sleep a lot. Sleeping bags are great for back sleepers, but they aren’t ideal for those of us who toss and turn. Quilts give you the freedom to move around without getting tangled up.
• You camp in a hammock. Hammock campers often find quilts easier to use and get into than a traditional sleeping bag.
• You prioritize weight. If you are trying to cut backpacking weight or go ultralight, a backpacking quilt can help you shave down several ounces!

A sleeping bag may be right for you if…

• You get cold easily. A sleeping bag tends to be warmer than a backpacking quilt. You are really snug and cozy in a bag. There’s little room for drafts and for heat to escape.
• You’re a beginner backpacker. Newbie backpackers may prefer the ease and simplicity of using a sleeping bag. Setting up camp can take a lot of work, a complicated sleep set up doesn’t help.
• You’re a winter backpacker. When you’re backpacking In the winter you want all the heat you can get. A warm sleeping quilt likely won’t be enough. Opt for a thick sleeping bag that is up for the challenge.

Try both if…

If you backpack throughout the year, you might want to have both a quilt and a sleeping bag at your disposal. Bring along a sleeping bag on those cold trips where the temperatures are expected to dip. Then in the summer months, take advantage of the versatility and freedom of a quilt. You get the best of both worlds!

Our Favorite Backpacking Quilts

Therm-a-Rest Vesper 20

Our only complaints about this bad is that it has a narrower cut and a thinner material. While this is good news in terms of weight, it does take a bit away in terms of comfort.

Find it here!

Sea to Summit Ember 25

Feathered Friends Flicker UL 30

REI Co-Op Magma 30

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