Well, my latest order from Thru-Hiker arrived over the weekend, and I knocked out one of my gear issues from the tune-up trip. I just completed a full size quilt (M50/Apex) to replace my elephant's foot as that wasn't quite up to snuff. I oversized this one so that I could put my sleeping pad inside it just in case I needed the extra warmth (54" shoulder, 50" foot box). A little hot here to give you a number, but in an emergency I guess the quilt is safe to the mid thirties, comfy in the mid forties, cold sleepers and ladies add 10 degrees to those numbers.
I 'll have to test it out this week, but so far so good. Even with the pad in there I have plenty of room for squirming- with the open foot box I'll be able to hang my feet out on warm nights so this should be a much more versatile system. It's got a shoelace style system for a full lace up on very chilly nights, but I won't need it anytime soon.
Final Tally- 11 3/8 ounces, up from 8 1/4 on my elephants foot, but I should be able to leave the Cap 4 top home now as that was mainly a sleeping piece. So a 63 gram increase for the quilt, and a 222gram loss on the Cap 4 leaves me with a nice 159 gram (5.6ounce) savings AND a big sleepy time upgrade! Since I sewed it in all black, with black thread- it even looks relatively professional.
A half problem solved- I also had a chance to make a better prototype skirt, which I will be heading for a run to test out shortly. Also made from M50 it fits nice, has two pockets and comes in at a rather mind blowing 21grams, even if I add a few "refinements" it should still come in at an ounce. It's even a relatively tasteful length if I do say so myself. If this little number works out that will be another sweet swap- 119g shorts for 21g skirt is a nice 3.4 ounce savings. When sweat soaked, I'm saving at least triple that.
That's ultra-light at it's best; increased comfort, increased versatility, and a nine ounce savings to boot.
A blog to document and share my ongoing Appalachian Trail record attempt. I hope to beat the unsupported record of 60.5 days set by Ward Leonard. All that fancy talkin means is that I will hike it like a backpacker; carry my own stuff, not use any mode of transport but my feet and not have a "crew." Jennifer Pharr Davis is the current supported record holder, and I freely admit that I am not man enough to beat a girl. As such, I have aimed a bit lower and will attempt to beat a man.