Best Top Quilts for Hammock Camping

The best top quilt for hammock camping is the ENO Vesta which offers a good balance between performance, weight, and price, making it a great all-around top quilt that can suit most trips.

This is a three-season top quilt with a recommended temperature range of 30-50°F. Keep in mind that ENO tends to use a ‘comfort range’ rather than an extreme limit as most other manufacturers do, so in reality, it will be suitable slightly below this range.

It is made with Primaloft Gold synthetic insulation which is widely considered to be one of the best synthetic materials, it has a clo value of 0.92 which is equivalent to 550 fill power down.

The Vetsa is a typical style top quilt in a mummy shape with a footbox that is zippered and can be undone when you want to use it as a camping blanket.

As top quilts are still fairly uncommon, there aren’t a huge range of budget options just yet. But if you’re trying to keep costs down, one you might want to consider is the OneTigris Featherlite top quilt.

Like the ENO above, this also uses a synthetic filling, although opting for SEE Polyester which gives it a minimum temperature limit of 40°F.

At 2’8ft wide, it’s much narrower than the other top quilts in this review by almost a third, so you’ll have less room to maneuver once inside. Given that you’ll be in a hammock anyway, I don’t see this being a massive problem unless you have a broad body type already.

ENO have a range of three top quilts, I’ve already included their Vesta as my top pick but the ENO Spark top quilt is also worth including. Not only is it cheaper than the Vesta but it’s also much more versatile.

This is a three-in-one camping blanket which can be used as a top quilt, blanket, or a minimalist sleeping bag. I like to have products suitable for both tent and hammock camping so this is a great design.

This is also a product that uses synthetic insulation. It’s not the same Primaloft insulation as the Vesta but a recycled polyester filling which is why the temperature range isn’t as low with a recommended 40°F – 60°F. Remember that ENO use a comfort zone rather than an absolute limit so use this for guidance.

The ENO Spark is very lightweight at just 25oz and has a 40D ripstop nylon outer shell which is denser than any of the other brands and therefore least likely to tear over time.

Camping out in winter requires dedicated four-season equipment, including your top quilt. The Hyke & Byke Crestone is a great pick as it can be used in temperatures as low as 0°F. This is because it uses a down filling with a 650 fill power, down (fine feathers) is known for being a better insulator than synthetic equivalents on a weight-for-weight basis.

But, the Crestone has another trick up its sleeve. It goes around the outside of your hammock to function as both a winter underquilt and top quilt all-in-one. This means you can carrying weight by only taking one piece of insulation, although at 57oz it’s not a substantial saving.

The standard size shown here is suitable for users up to 6ft, however, there is also a longer size available that will accommodate anyone up to 6’6ft.

The biggest downside of this top quilt is the price, at more than $200 it’s the most expensive hammock top quilt out of all those reviewed here.

If you’re a regular on the trail, you’ll probably know what it’s like to lug unnecessary weight around with you so minimizing every item is essential. For those of you that will be carrying your top quilt around a lot, I recommend this Featherstone Moondance which is super lightweight at 23oz.

Although this is only 2oz less than the ENO Spark mentioned above, consider that it’s suitable for temperatures as low as 26°F compared to the Spark’s recommended limit of 40°F.

The reason that it’s able to perform so well despite being lightweight is due to the choice of filling. Instead of synthetic, this uses a traditional duck down filling that’s renowned for being lighter and more efficient. The down has a fill power of 850 which means it’s fluffier than the Hyke Byke product and provides more effective insulation.

The outer shell is also made from 10D nylon as opposed to 20D in the other quilts, this means it’s half the density.

Down does come with its disadvantages though, for starters it’s expensive so the top quilt has a high price tag, secondly, it doesn’t perform well when wet. Luckily the built quality of the Moondance is very high but it’s a good consideration if you’ll be using it regularly in wet or humid climates.

Although I’m only a minuscule 5’6ft myself, I’m always thinking of my taller readers which is why I wrote a guide to the best camping hammocks for tall people. This time I have a great top quilt to go with it, the Go Outfitters Adventure top quilt.

It’s made from 210T Ripstop Polyester and the design allows it to be used as both a top quilt with a footbox or as a camping blanket.

It has a synthetic filling made with max loft 100% polyester which allows the quilt to be used in temperatures as low as 20°F, the second-best rating on this list.

The only downside is the weight of the quilt, at 47oz it contributes quite a lot to your baggage weight so you probably won’t want to use this one during warm summer nights.

I had to include this final recommendation because it looks super comfortable and it would make getting in and out of your hammock so much easier. Again, it uses a synthetic filling and 20D ripstop nylon like the ENO and OneTigris options that I shared earlier.

Despite their claims that it’s lightweight in the product description, at 47oz it’s one of the heavier options and unlike the Hyke Byke Creson, you’ll also need to carry an underquilt as it won’t keep your butt warm in the slightest. This isn’t for serious trekkers but more a bit of fun when camping locally or even for use in your backyard.

Whilst it’s a nice idea in principle, I’m a little unsure about the cinch-style footbox and how well this will retain heat, this likely explains why the temperature rating is n lower than 40°F.