Big Meadows Ultralight 40° Wide Summer Backpacking Quilt

How It Gets to 13 oz: 1000 Fill Power Down, Argon 67 Shell

At 13 oz for the Regular, the Big Meadows Ultralight 40° delivers the same wide half-taper coverage as the standard Big Meadows 40° in a dramatically lighter package — 1000FP down and Argon 67 shell fabric for backpackers who refuse to trade shoulder room for a lighter pack.

The Big Meadows Ultralight uses the same half-taper shape as the standard Big Meadows 40°: 55 inches wide from the head end to the midpoint, tapering to 45 inches at the foot end. That width across the shoulders and torso is what keeps side sleepers covered when they shift positions — there's enough quilt to stay tucked around you rather than riding up. The narrower foot section eliminates dead air and excess fabric without sacrificing the coverage that matters. A snap-and-drawcord system at the head end forms shoulder pockets that seal out drafts at the neck on colder nights. The Big Meadows Ultralight is a dedicated top quilt for ground sleepers and tent campers.

The Big Meadows Ultralight 40° is filled with 1000 Fill Power RDS-certified down — the highest-grade down available. Fill power measures how many cubic inches of loft one ounce of down produces when fully expanded. At 1000FP, significantly less down by weight is needed to reach the 40°F rating compared to 850FP alternatives, which is how this quilt reaches 13 oz without compromising warmth. The Big Meadows 40° uses 850 fill power down at a lower price point with the same half-taper coverage.

Every Big Meadows Ultralight 40° ships with a 33% overstuff by weight. Down naturally migrates toward the ends of each baffle over time, leaving the middle of the baffle thinner and reducing effective insulation across the full length of the quilt. The extra fill means that even after downshifting has occurred, every section of every baffle retains enough loft to hold the 40°F rating — you don't end up with cold spots through the center of the quilt where the fill has thinned out. The same buffer also compensates for loft loss as the down accumulates dirt and oils between cleanings. No additional overstuffing is needed or recommended. For trips that push into colder conditions, the Big Meadows Ultralight 20° extends the same ultralight build to a 20°F rating.

The foot box is formed using a drawcord, cord-locks, and double-sided Kam Snaps. On cold nights, snap it closed and cinch the drawcord for a sealed foot pocket that keeps warm air in. On hot nights, leave it open and use the quilt as a blanket — no need to unpack a separate layer. Double-sided Kam Snaps also let you stack a second quilt on top and connect the two together in colder conditions. Three tabs along the sides provide additional attachment points.

The shell is Argon 67 — a 0.67 oz ripstop nylon independently tested and certified downproof — with a DWR coating. It is the lightest shell fabric in the JRB lineup. While 1000FP down is the primary reason the UL version weighs nearly 4 oz less than the standard Big Meadows 40°, the Argon 67 shell contributes to the difference as well. Every quilt ships in a storage bag that does not compress the down and allows airflow, keeping the fill healthy for long-term storage. Backpackers who prioritize minimum weight over shoulder coverage should look at the Hudson River Ultralight.

Most NOBOs swap their 20° quilt for a 40° at Trail Days in Damascus — dropping weight before the long push north — and carry that 40° all the way to the summit. This quilt was built for those miles.

Named for the Trail

The name comes from the trail. Big Meadows sits at 3,500 feet in Shenandoah National Park, deep in one of the most-hiked stretches of the AT. Most northbound thru-hikers arrive in late May and June, when the meadow breaks open from the tree line into open sky, deer move through the tall grass at dusk, and the days are finally warm — but the nights still cool fast at elevation. Thru-hikers know it as the place you detour off the trail for a blackberry milkshake at the Wayside, refill your food bag, and remember there are still 1,400 miles to Katahdin.

Handmade in Pennsylvania by Jacks R Better — making quilts since 2004. In-stock quilts ship the same or next business day.

Specs

• Temperature rating: 40°F (5°C) comfort
• Fill: 1000 Fill Power RDS-certified down
• Shell: Argon 67 (0.67 oz ripstop nylon) with DWR coating, independently tested and certified downproof
• Construction: Sew-through