Sleeping bags quilt back left and sleeping bag front right.
Backpacking quilt vs sleeping bag.
Quilts are generally between 20 and 30 lighter than their sleeping bag equivalents.
Backpacking quilts are similar to sleeping bags in that most manufacturers provide a temperature rating.
A camping quilt is lighter than a sleeping bag some outdoor gear designers and manufacturers are coming up with a backless sleeping bag with an envelope that accommodates a sleeping pad.
The main differences between a backpacking quilt vs sleeping bag are.
Usually backpacking quilts are shaped much like a normal blanket would be but are made from high quality down or synthetic insulation instead of fleece and cotton.
Whereas quilts have an open design that drapes over the sleeper s top and sides sleeping bags wrap fully around you including in most cases a hood around the head.
The design of a sleeping bag differs from that of a quilt in one significant way.
Quilts are meant to be used with a sleeping pad.
On top of that they provide better freedom of movement and don t.
First if you take a look at our supporting data tables for sleeping bags backpacking quilts and alternative sleeping bags you ll see that as a category camping quilts have better weight to warmth performance ratios that is for the same warmth they weigh less.
The most obvious advantage to quilts is that they re considerably lighter and more compact than sleeping bags.
The idea behind the open back concept on a quilt is that the fill in the back of sleeping bags gets compressed by laying on it anyway which doesn t do much insulating.
Quilts are more compact.
The main difference between a quilt and a sleeping bag is that a quilt doesn t have an underside to it.
However many sleeping bag manufacturers send their sleeping bags for independent and standardised testing and then publish the iso comfort rating so that consumers can compare apples with apples when purchasing a sleeping bag.
Here s what finnish photographer and visual artist mark roberts says about his choice between a quilt and a traditional sleeping bag in his blog backpacking north.
Best backpacking quilt vs sleeping bag.
Sleeping bags are more affordable.
It s really durable and only weighs 2 3 pounds.
Personally my favorite backpacking quilt is the paria outdoors 15 degree 3 season backpacking quilt.
Quilts have a better cost to warmth value ratio that is for the same warmth quilts cost less.