This was the fourth quilt I’ve made, and I feel like I have my design down. This quilt is a great option for an open-box, California winter quilt that still keeps you warm. I had seen some quilts like the Feathered Friends Flicker UL and the Enlightened Equipment Covert and started my design here with the idea of a full zip quilt. I'm a big fan of the classic open-back quilt and wanted to incorporate this as an option into the pattern. I decided to design a 78" long wide quilt with a tapered width of 56" to 46", with the taper starting around 36 inches from the bottom. Both ends of the quilt are able to be cinched, and the fit for me at 74" tall is perfect. The final weight came in at 1001 grams or 2 pounds 3.3 ounces. I could have gotten this weight down with a lighter zipper or ditched the full zip altogether, but I am more than willing to take the marginal weight penalty as the functionality of the full zip was the whole point of this project. The design lets me slip my head inside and cover most of my head for a nice cozy fit. I butchered the seam where I turned the quilt right-side out, but the cord channel functions fine—it's just a bit ugly. I decided to tack on the grosgrain snap tabs to the zipper before I sewed them on, both to strengthen these points and to make the sewing process a bit easier.

I am hoping to finalize and publish my pattern soon, as it has worked great on the first few trips I have brought it on. This quilt paired with my recent bivvy project, a Gossamer foam pad, and a Nemo Tensor Trail has made for a very warm sleep setup. I am pretty confident this thing will be able to hold up in the 20s and lower without issue, especially with a silpoly tarp for some wind and dew protection. According to RBTR's guide, a 7.5oz Apex should be comfortable down to 10 degrees F, and with down booties and wool base layers this is pretty accurate. During a trip I took in January to the Big Sur Interior where low temps reached 16.6°F, I woke up warm even with icy dew on the outside of the quilt. The fabric and insulation were purchased from RBTR and the total cost came out to $94.62. Below are some project pictures, as well as a materials spreadsheet.