Underqulit question

[resnikov]

I have a 3/4 underquilt from unsponsored which I really like.

Its approx:
3/4 length approx 150cm in length and 110cm wide.
7 six inch sewn through baffles.
Well over 400g of 800 fill siberian goose down.
Black grosgrain suspension points and side tabs

Now I have a 4-5 season sleeping bag I use with it and am not cold but I thinking about winter camps and wondering do I need to get a full length UQ or can i get away with getting another similar 3/4 one and using both in winter?

Comments, opinions ?

 

[The Lord Poncho]

Everyone is different, but from my experience, you should be fine. Most of the compression of your sleeping bag beneath you occurs within the central 2/3rds of your body, so the sleeping bag (especially your winter bag) should provide adequate insulation at either end on its own. This will be more effective if it is a synthetic bag rather than down as it will be less compressable. You could wait for the colder months and give it a go.

I use a home made underquilt that doesn't quite reach my feet or my head and its been fine to about -5c with an army issue synthetic bag. I always sleep in a pair of thick socks though as i have a bit iffy circulation.

 

[Teepee]

You don't need a full UQ for winter, a pice of foam mat and a decent pillow will keep your head and feet warm. Lots of users in the US use baffled 3/4 UQ's down to the -30's very comfotably-much colder than well ever get here.

A full UQ nice though, pure winter luxury No messing with pillows or mats and they make excellent additional top quilts if you go to ground.

When the temps drop though, the sewn through construction will start showing its weaknesses and baffles really start coming into their own.

I think that when the temps drop below around -5, sewn through starts struggling.

A full UQ is a luxury and packs down bigger, but I'll take that every time in really cold winter jaunts.

 

[The Big Lebowski]

Used a 3/4 four season all winter, best temp was -8 although it could have been lower at stages.

No problems. al.

 

[Shewie]

I prefer a full length UQ for winter but I've seen plenty of folk use a piece of mat if they use a shorter one. I've never tried it but I imagine the mat would move about during the night, maybe the trick is to get some which is thin enough to stay flexible, something like the Gossamer Gear Thinlite stuff ...
http://www.winwood-outdoor.co.uk/acatalog/Gossamer_Gear_Insulation_Pad.html (Typical Winwood, never anything in stock)

There's not much difference in pack size between my Unpsonsored 3/4 and my Speers Snugfit full length I don't think, they'll both go into an Alpkit Medium blue stuff sack no bother.