Regular vs short cumulus quilt

O

Obscurus

Hiker
Hi all,

I have finally decided to purchase a cumulus 450 quilt. However, I am really torn about which is the proper size for me.

I am a short guy (166 cm or 5 feet 5 and a half). I am also a stomach sleeper which raises my height to 176-177 (about 4 inches more). So is the short going to cut it or do I need to size up? From my understanding the short one is for people up to 170 cm. But is this calculated only for people laying on their back?

Since this is going to be the most expensive piece of gear I own I really would like to make the right choice.
 
O

Obscurus

Hiker
Resellability is something I have also considered. And covering my head in chilly nights. But would I fit into the short quilt, taking into account my sleeping position, or is it out of the question? I fear that the regular one might mean too much unused space.
 
B

Bob-W

Trail Blazer
My wife is 5'2" and uses a regular length Cumulus 350. Other shorter statured owners also have the regular length. Didn't realise Cumulus did a "short" version (I can't see it on their site) unless it's a custom build in which case they'll simply remove a whole baffle/chamber of about 130mm in the same way that that is how they increase the length.

As @Whiteburn states, if you want to sell it on at any time then a regular length is more likely to shift.
 
O

Obscurus

Hiker
Indeed that's exactly what they will do. Remove a baffle which will make it 15 cms shorter. Since your wife has the regular is it really 195 cms long while open? This looks massive. Perhaps they mean it's 195 cm while fully stretched with no loft?
 
B

Bob-W

Trail Blazer
Ours are the older version so might be a bit shorter but the max user length is the same. I'll measure one tomorrow. I'm 1m80 (5' 11") and the quilt comes over my shoulders.
 
H

Hd8ekownio24ugh5

Thru Hiker
I have the 150(190) and at 1.79m height the quilt comes up to about my forehead lying on my back.
Whether the higher loft (350) would reduce this I don't know?
Does Cumulus adjust for this? I'd ask them.
If I were to get a quilt for colder temps than I bought this one, I might get the 'long' to cover my whole head.
Go the standard size.
 
O

Obscurus

Hiker
Well I did send them plenty of emails. They did reply to all of them however our communication has not been very...efficient! Regular is the way to go I guess. From what they told me you cannot return a custom quilt if you do not like it. If someone has the newer quilt and is a shortie like me please feel free to share your opinion!
 
O

Obscurus

Hiker
Lamont-Cranston said:
I have the 150(190) and at 1.79m height the quilt comes up to about my forehead lying on my back.
Whether the higher loft (350) would reduce this I don't know?
Does Cumulus adjust for this? I'd ask them.
If I were to get a quilt for colder temps than I bought this one, I might get the 'long' to cover my whole head.
Go the standard size.
Click to expand...

You mean it comes up to your forehead while you are fully enclosed in it (closed footbox and everything) or if you just lay it flat and open and lay on top of it?
 
B

Bob-W

Trail Blazer
OK, measured my wife's 350 older style quilt. It's 183cm, that's laid out but not pulled taut. Laying in it on my back with feet at the bottom of the sewn-in box but not pushing against it, the top edge comes to my nose, I'm 1.80m remember. Turning onto my side and the top edge is maybe 1cm further down my face.

Cumulus' measurements can be a bit misleading - the old style when laid out looked a bit like Concorde's wings with "beaks" at the neck end and they'd quote the width of 150cm to the beak but that width only extended towards the foot by about ten centimetres at most so the usable width was more like 115cm. The current model is 140cm wide at the neck and this width extends down to hip level before tapering in. (This info came from Rafael at Cumulus but images seem to support the statement)

One other point: are you being charged for this custom work? I'd be concerned about paying more for a quilt that if you don't like it (and not everyone gets on with quilts), it that would be harder to sell on. I'd still be inclined to go with the regular length: you won't really notice the spare space but also you won't be pushing your feet against the end of the footbox whilst still cinching in around the neck to get yourself inside it.

I know what you mean about email correspondence being slow, replies to queries would take from a day to five days. I find the old style just a little narrow (see above) so contacted them about making a wider quilt but the response was that the new model would be wide enough. I'd just like them to offer custom colours like they do for their bags.
 
O

Obscurus

Hiker
Bob-W said:
OK, measured my wife's 350 older style quilt. It's 183cm, that's laid out but not pulled taut. Laying in it on my back with feet at the bottom of the sewn-in box but not pushing against it, the top edge comes to my nose, I'm 1.80m remember. Turning onto my side and the top edge is maybe 1cm further down my face.

Cumulus' measurements can be a bit misleading - the old style when laid out looked a bit like Concorde's wings with "beaks" at the neck end and they'd quote the width of 150cm to the beak but that width only extended towards the foot by about ten centimetres at most so the usable width was more like 115cm. The current model is 140cm wide at the neck and this width extends down to hip level before tapering in. (This info came from Rafael at Cumulus but images seem to support the statement)

One other point: are you being charged for this custom work? I'd be concerned about paying more for a quilt that if you don't like it (and not everyone gets on with quilts), it that would be harder to sell on. I'd still be inclined to go with the regular length: you won't really notice the spare space but also you won't be pushing your feet against the end of the footbox whilst still cinching in around the neck to get yourself inside it.

I know what you mean about email correspondence being slow, replies to queries would take from a day to five days. I find the old style just a little narrow (see above) so contacted them about making a wider quilt but the response was that the new model would be wide enough. I'd just like them to offer custom colours like they do for their bags.
Click to expand...

Thank you very much, I really appreciate your time measuring the quilt. It's actually a mere 10 euro to shorten the quilt. But seeing that you all recommend going for the longer one I am inclined to go for that as well.
I was also contemplating to go for a wider. My girth is close to 125 cms at the triceps. But I decided I will be probably be fine with the regular. Making a wide quilt will probably push it to sleeping bag territory weight wise.
 
Tartanferret

Tartanferret

Thru Hiker
Bob-W said:
I'd just like them to offer custom colours like they do for their bags.
Click to expand...

They do, just pick what you want from the custom bag section and get in touch with them.
I had my quilt made in lime green and graphite Toray Airtastic fabric.
Think it added about £40 to the cost for the Toray fabric. Others are probably cheaper.
 
Charlie83

Charlie83

Thru Hiker
getting my 450 wider by 10cm and longer by a baffle added 116g to the overall weight from the advertised weight.

i'm a head of hair short of 5.11, i reckon i could have easily been comfortable without the additional length and width, but its ace having that wee bit extra.

i also got custom colours for £40
 
B

Bob-W

Trail Blazer
Tartanferret said:
They do, just pick what you want from the custom bag section and get in touch with them.
I had my quilt made in lime green and graphite Toray Airtastic fabric.
Think it added about £40 to the cost for the Toray fabric. Others are probably cheaper.
Click to expand...

Oh, I know you can but it's not an obvious option in the way it is for the custom bags. I.e. it's not offered, you have to ask. Of course if they went that way then it makes sense to have the drop down box on the site have something other than "M" as an option along with a width option so you could completely customise it. I suspect they'd rather just have a standard product on the production line and then handle us awkward so and sos as we turn up.
 
O

Obscurus

Hiker
Finally received my 450 quilt standard size. First impression is that it is silly hot. It really was intolerable within a couple of minutes after trying it in my cosy apartment. Second impression I think I did well and went for the normal (non short) size. Only flaw I found is a few excess hanging threads here and there.
 
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