Nunatak has 2 lines of backcountry down quilts: The Strugi-Q and the Nano Quilt.
In short the Nano Quilt is lighter, simpler and firmly rooted in the classic quilt era.
The Strugi-Q is built with every detail optimized to provide the warmest option for shoulder season or consistent cold weather use.
Both feature a patterned wrap-around shape and a sewn footbox.
By far the most popular quilt is the Strugi-Q. Let’s base some important user considerations on that choice.
Temperature
You can get the Strugi-Q in three ratings: 28 – 22 – 18 degrees Fahrenheit. The most often asked question is: How warm should I go?
When it’s 18°F at night, it’s really cold and near the threshold for effective quilt use. If you go here with our 18°F Strugi-Q you know what you’re doing. However a notoriously cold sleeper will benefit from this rating during milder conditions.
28°F is a typical summer night-time temperature met in the mountains. A quilt made for 28° is the experienced hiker’s opportunity to save weight and bulk.
A 22° quilt is warm enough for October trips up high, or surprise cold fronts. It will protect a timid beginner with an extra buffer of insulation. In essence the true all-rounder
Comfort Rating
An average male backpacker will be comfortable in a Nunatak quilt at the given rating if he’s..
..on an insulated pad matching the conditions.
..inside a tent, with walls reaching the ground and a closable entry.
..wearing long johns, a thermal zip neck, socks and head gear.
..well fed and hydrated.
These conditions can adversely affect this backpacker’s comfort:
First time quilt user unsure how to get the most out of the features.
Recent gain in camping altitude; anxiety, fear; illness.
Sleeping under the stars, aka Cowboy Camping.
Moisture infiltration in the down insulation.
Please note the use of a male in these examples is because women are often more sensitive to cold, meaning the 22° quilt, for example, will have a higher likelihood of failing before the temps actually dip to 22°.
Sizing Correctly
Next up in important choices are overall length and width of the Strugi-Q down quilt. The numbers in inches mentioned here and on the products pages are true inside measurements. The outside is bigger due to the differential cut.
Adequate coverage is absolutely key to quilt performance. But too much will result in unnecessary weight and bulk, bringing the weight closer to the generic mummy bag.
First length. Our numbers are inside useable measurements. Select a length that at least allows the quilt to cinch down over the shoulders. We consider this a minimum, applicable to seasoned users. More comfort oriented hikers prefer longer.
Stomach sleepers may need to size four inches.
The correct width is important. Too narrow and it is hard to eliminate drafts and accidental uncovering, resulting in a highly unsatisfactory experience.
The temperature rating also has a bearing on which width to choose. During milder conditions it is less critical to have a super effective seal, while a shoulder season quilt must work as designed.
For the Strugi-Q we have six widths:
50″: For very skinny folks sleeping still.
53″: Good coverage for slim to average builds. Adequate draft control. Well suited for moderate temperatures; or experienced quilt users in all conditions.
56″: Most popular. Easy draft control. Less fiddling when turning over. Ideal coverage for average sized people. Similar to the ‘wide’ designation in some competing brands.
59: We call this size ‘regular plus’. It works for average to larger sized campers wanting that extra space.
62″: Very good coverage for bigger, active sleepers who want a ‘set-and-forget’ style quilt.
68″: Super large quilt with absolute sprawling coverage.
Measure circumference including arms. Add 8-10″ to this number and see how it corresponds to our quilt width numbers.
Finally the footbox can be individually sized. We feel a slightly oversized foot compartment is the most thermally effective. Having toes poke through the down will surely lead to cold feet, more than a larger dead air space to warm up. The latter is greatly diminished by modern ultralight fabrics that drape readily.
Again, sleep patterns can affect choices. A dedicated side sleeper/stomach sleeper with large feet may get away with a smaller footbox. On your back all the time? Go large for the sake of warm toes.
Remember the quilt goes around you, not around the pad. Attempts at pad integration with our quilts will result in cold, drafty sleep and potential damage. The only exception is proper use of the single pad-attach strap included with the Strugi-Q quilt.