Why would you want to wear a quilt when the difference in insulation needed during active hiking during the day is VASTLY different from that at night?
Am I missing something?

The wearable quilt would function as a multirole item for an in camp, post hike jacket and a sleeping bag. So with night time lows of say 45-50, you would hike in the day, in your tshirt and shorts, and after you stop, it would be cool, so you would wear the quilt while you cook/setup. Then at night lay it out to sleep under.

+1 on multi-function.

I made myself a wearable quilt out of 2.5 apex for summer use and loved it so much that I am doing the same with 5 Apex now as well. It follows along the same lines as Glen Van Peski and Mike C!'s suggestion to wrap your quilt around you like a shawl and then put your jacket on. Only instead of having to find a nice way for the quilt to fit, it just slides on nicely. I would normally then put my wind shirt on over it. It was also surprisingly helpful on chilly mornings, because I wouldn't ever really get out of my quilt. I would just (somehow, this was a bit harder) put it on in my bivy and stay warm from the start.

Now, as it gets colder, I think the need for a dedicated light jacket will become a bit more important, but I will be testing this theory out through the colder seasons this year to decide what I need.

Ask Francis Tapon. He hiked the whole CDT with a Jacks R Better wearable quilt.

http://francistapon.com/Travels/Continental-Divide-Trail/CDT-Gear-List?option=com_content&Itemid=159&id=68&lang=en&view=article&fontstyle=f-larger

I've seen one of those Jacks R Better wearable quilts. It wears like a poncho. So the only problem I would have is that cold arms make me colder than I should be. I mean, I can tolerate cold better if I can keep cold air off my arms. Still, it looks like a great idea. My second problem is that I usually wear my down jacket inside my quilt to create that warm and toasty feeling (rather than just a warm enough feeling), so I'd end up with two wearable down items no matter what anyway.

I have two JRB wearable quilts and I carry a Montbell down inner jacket. Like Piper I wear the jacket when sleeping for that extra warm feeling but I have worn the quilt over the down jacket in winter for that extra warn feeling in camp.

Mulit-use gear such as a wearable quilt or as I call the one I made, a Tunic/Quilt, has several good uses. One is to use it as a Tunic during the day, part of my sleep system at night or as an under-quilt for my hammock.

For cold arms or legs I made a set of Insulated Chaps - Arms or Legs, see thread.

Insulated Chaps-Arms or Legs

Edited by bfornshell on 11/02/2011 10:13:05 MDT.

go to the 6th video in this article under gear and clothing for cold weather

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/sierra-prime-trip-planning.html

Interesting chaps. Worn on the legs they look like they'd be heavenly on a cold night inside your sleeping bag.

I cut some sleeves off a fleece sweatshirt, added a little elastic around the cut edge, and use those as arm or leg warmers. I am tempted with the possibility of bringing only those and my new JRB wearable quilt (plus a windjacket) for my upper-body warmth. Leave my down jacket home. I haven't received the JRB quilt yet so I'm not sure how practical it would be, especially if I had to wear it during the day.

Dang. I seem to be in a new gear buying phase again.

They also sell JRB down sleeves which you can wear while hiking to keep your arms warm, then use as a pillow when it's sleepy-time. If I had the money I'd be all over them.

EDIT: Or leg warmers. Or feet warmers. Or a crazy hat.

Edited by Nihilist_Voyager on 11/21/2011 20:18:20 MST.