Best Ultralight Backpacking Quilts (2024)

FAQs

What is the most compressible backpacking quilt? ›

Therm-a-Rest Vesper 20

The Vesper is one of the lightest and most compressible quilts on the market, so it's great for hikers wanting to keep their gear as dialed in as possible.

Ripstop by the Roll recommends calendered fabric for technical quilts because this makes them more wind resistant. However, it also makes them less breathable. Something to consider is that the creators of Ripstop by the Roll are hammock campers so they are likely to be especially susceptible to windy conditions.

One of the most noticeable differences between a sleeping bag and camping quilt is freedom of movement. If a sleeping bag to be lightweight and compact, the internal width will be limited. If you're a sleeper that moves around in the night, or likes to throw a leg out into the night air, a quilt offers huge advantages.

In a sense, a top quilt is a sleeping bag without all of the extra weight. It has an open back, no hood, and no zippers. This allows a top quilt to shave ounces and sometimes even pounds compared to a sleeping bag of the same temperature range. Top quilts were originally designed for hammock campers.

Is a 3lb sleeping bag too heavy for backpacking? In short, no. As you shop for the backpacking sleeping bag right for you, you'll note that the average weight of one for three-season use will range anywhere between 2.5 and 4 pounds.

You can probably get away with using the 6' quilt if you are up to 6' ½”. Anything over that, you might feel a bit truncated in the 6' length. The same rule applies to the 5'6” size. If you are more than a ½” beyond that, you probably will want to size up.

Organic Mulberry Silk Quilts

Considered the healthiest choice of all bedding materials, organic mulberry silk is a luxurious, delicate, natural product that helps to regulate body temperature. When sleeping with an organic mulberry silk quilt, the quilt tends to drape over you, contouring your body whilst you sleep.

Always store your sleeping bag uncompressed, in a place that will not trap moisture (no plastic bags or bins). The breathable storage sack that comes with your quilt is ideal for this. Or you can hang it in a roomy closet. Your quilt is made from some of the lightest, most advanced materials available.

20–29℉ is the most popular temperature rating for a sleeping bag or quilt. The majority (64 percent) of hikers opt for natural down insulation, but Dri-Down and Synthetic fill are common as well. Inflatable sleeping pads are the most popular, with 82 percent of hikers opting for them.

Because of the high quality of Amish quilts, they are in demand. Not all of the shops in the region have handmade quilts and those seeking an authentic Amish quilt can expect to pay $700 or more for a quilt made by hand. Mass-produced quilts can be recognized because they usually have a tag from the manufacturer.

How can you tell a good quality quilt? ›

A good quilt will have over 50,000 stitches, so some quilt-makers feel an economic incentive to make bigger (and consequently fewer) stitches. Uneven stitching is the mark of an inexperienced or sloppy quilt-maker. Again, the quality of the stitching is usually best seen on the back of the quilt.

Bamboo is naturally anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and chemical free, and is resistant to mould and dust mites. Bamboo material is also odour-resistant, which prevents the quilt from absorbing unpleasant odours and keeps your bedding fresh and clean.

Quilts as storytelling

According to Grace, a woman should make three quilts before she's married: a Tree of Paradise, a Flower Basket, and a Pandora's Box. Although, some versions of this truism replace the Pandora's Box with a Double Wedding Ring quilt.

“A coverlet is meant to be a lightweight layer that can either be made into the bed, between the sheet and duvet, to act like a blanket, or folded at the foot of the bed for an extra layer of warmth or decoration,” says Monica Bhargava, Pottery Barn's executive vice president of product development and design.

The Appalachian version of quilting mixed Scottish, Irish, and German folk traditions with local Native American, Amish, and Quaker influences. Quilting patterns from these cultures tend to be geometric and often express family history or local events. But some national events get recorded too.

Feather and down quilts are very soft, light and fluffy, so look wonderful on the bed, if you're into interior design and decoration. Feather and down quilts are usually much more expensive than quilts made with other materials, and if not regularly washed, can be allergenic to some people.