Hammock Gear Burrow Top Quilt Review

By topquilt.com · Updated Oct 21, 2026 · 11 min read

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The Hammock Gear Burrow top quilt is the flagship down quilt from Hammock Gear, a cottage manufacturer that grew out of the hammock camping community. If you search for a "hammock gear top quilt," the Burrow is almost always the model people mean. This is a research-based review: we summarize the published specs, the design choices, and consistent owner feedback from forums and long-distance hikers. We have not lab-tested it, and Hammock Gear updates its specs and prices regularly, so confirm details on the maker's site before you buy.

If you are new to quilts in general, start with our primer on what a top quilt is and come back here.

Hammock Gear Burrow specs at a glance

The Burrow is made in several temperature ratings, lengths and widths, with optional upgrades. The figures below are typical for a regular-length, standard-width quilt with the standard down, and are approximate.

Design breakdown: what makes the Burrow work

The footbox: zipper plus drawcord

The defining feature of the Burrow is its footbox. A short zipper along the lower section closes the quilt into a foot pocket, and a drawcord at the very bottom cinches it shut. Unzip and loosen the cord and the quilt opens fully flat. That gives you three modes: a closed-footbox quilt for cold nights, a vented footbox when your feet overheat, and a full blanket for warm weather or for draping over a partner at camp.

The trade-off is a little weight and one more potential cold spot compared to a sewn footbox. Owners rarely report drafts from the zipper, but if you sleep very cold or only use your quilt in shoulder-season and winter conditions, read our open vs sewn footbox comparison before deciding. Hammock Gear has offered a sewn-footbox option in some builds; check what is currently available.

Baffles and down distribution

The Burrow uses baffled construction rather than sewn-through stitching on its warmer ratings, which lets the down loft fully without cold seams. Baffle orientation and spacing have changed over the years, and owners occasionally mention needing to shake down back toward the center before bed on lighter ratings. That is normal for most quilts; our guide to fixing down shifting explains the routine. For background on why baffle design matters, see quilt baffles explained.

Neck closure and draft control

Up top, a snap and drawcord let you close the quilt around your shoulders. There is no full draft collar on the standard model. In a hammock that rarely matters because the fabric of the hammock wraps around you and the quilt drapes naturally. On the ground, side sleepers and active sleepers may notice more air at the shoulders. If that worries you, read our draft collar guide and consider a wide version.

Fill power and the down choices

The standard Burrow uses high-fill-power duck down, and Hammock Gear offers a premium goose upgrade that shaves weight and packed size at extra cost. The difference is typically an ounce or two on a 20°F quilt. If you are wondering whether that is worth it, our pages on down fill power and duck vs goose down lay out the math.

Fabric and colors

The shell is a lightweight 10D-class nylon available in a wide range of colors, with different inner and outer colors common. These fabrics are downproof and feel soft, but like all ultralight shells they need some care around sharp branches, Velcro and campfire sparks. Small tears are easy to patch; see how to repair a quilt.

Sizing: length and width

Getting the size right matters more than squeezing out another ounce. A quilt that is too narrow leaks heat at the edges, and one that is too short leaves you choosing between cold shoulders and cold feet.

• Length: Regular fits most people up to about 6 feet. Long is worth it if you are taller, or if you like pulling the quilt over your head on cold nights.
• Width: Standard width suits most back sleepers in a hammock. Side sleepers, broad-shouldered sleepers and anyone using the quilt on the ground should strongly consider wide.
• Hammock vs ground: In a gathered-end hammock, the hammock walls help keep the quilt tucked, so standard width often works. On the ground, there are no walls, and wide plus pad straps makes a real difference.

Use our quilt width and length sizing guide if you are on the fence.

How the Burrow performs in a hammock

The Burrow was designed for hammock camping first, and that shows. In a gathered-end hammock, the Burrow drapes over you without the compression and zipper struggles of a mummy bag. You can lie on the diagonal, pull the quilt up to your chin, and let the hammock fabric hold the edges in place.

Remember that a top quilt only handles the top half of the equation. Underneath, you need an underquilt or an insulated pad, or you will feel cold butt syndrome long before the Burrow's rating. Hammock Gear's own underquilts are a natural pairing, but any well-matched underquilt works. For setup tips, see how to use a top quilt in a hammock.

Owners commonly report that the Burrow's footbox is easy to work in a hammock: you can slide your feet in first, pull the quilt up, and snap the neck closure without much wrestling. On warm nights, opening the footbox to vent is a big comfort win.

How the Burrow performs on the ground

On the ground, the Burrow behaves like most quality backpacking quilts. It is warm, light and roomy, but it relies on your pad for insulation beneath you and on pad straps to stop drafts. Owners who report being cold on the ground usually trace it to one of three issues: a pad with too low an R-value, a standard-width quilt that lifts off the pad edges when they roll, or no sleep clothes.

If you will use the Burrow mostly in a tent, go wide, add straps, and read quilt pad attachment systems. A simple pair of elastic straps does the job; you can find generic options such as Check price on Amazon if you don't buy Hammock Gear's.

Temperature ratings: how honest are they?

Like nearly all cottage quilts, Burrow ratings are not ISO or EN lab ratings. They are manufacturer estimates based on fill weight, loft and experience. Owner feedback generally describes Burrow ratings as close to a "lower limit" style rating for an average sleeper wearing some sleep clothes, not a comfortable all-night rating for a cold sleeper.

Practical advice:

• If you sleep warm, buying the rating that matches your coldest expected night usually works.
• If you sleep cold or are new to quilts, choose one step warmer (for example, a 20°F for nights near 30°F).
• Hammock Gear has historically offered overfill as an option; adding an ounce or two of down is a cheap way to boost warmth. See fill weight and overfill.

Our full guide to top quilt temperature ratings explains why two "20°F" quilts can feel very different.

What owners consistently report

Across hammock forums, thru-hiker gear lists and long-term owner write-ups, a few themes come up again and again. None of these are our test results; they are the patterns we see repeated by people who have used the quilt for seasons.

• Loft and warmth are generally as advertised for average sleepers, with the common caveat that cold sleepers prefer one rating warmer.
• Build quality is solid. Stitching, zippers and snaps tend to hold up over multiple seasons, and Hammock Gear's customer service is often described as responsive when something does go wrong.
• The footbox gets the most praise. Being able to vent or fully open the quilt is the feature owners mention most when explaining why they chose the Burrow over a sewn-footbox design.
• Standard width can feel narrow on the ground. Owners who sleep in tents and bought standard width frequently say they would choose wide next time.
• Down migration on lighter ratings. The 40°F and 50°F versions carry less down, so a quick shake to redistribute fill before bed is a common habit.
• Lead times vary. Off-season orders often arrive quickly; spring orders before thru-hiking season can take longer.

Burrow in a layered sleep system

A quilt is only one layer. The Burrow pairs well with a warm hat, a light puffy and dry sleep socks, which can stretch its comfort range by several degrees on a cold night. In a hammock, add a top cover or hammock sock in wind or winter and you can push a 20°F Burrow noticeably further. Our quilt layering system guide covers how to combine pieces so you do not have to buy a separate winter quilt right away.

Many hammock campers also own two Burrows, typically a 40°F for summer and a 20°F for shoulder season, and stack them in deep winter. Layering two quilts works because both drape and neither compresses the other much, as long as the outer one is slightly wider.

Who the Hammock Gear Burrow is for

• Hammock campers who want a proven, widely recommended top quilt that pairs easily with an underquilt.
• Backpackers switching from a sleeping bag who want versatility: closed footbox, vented, or full blanket.
• Thru-hikers on trails like the Appalachian Trail, where a 20°F or 30°F Burrow covers most of the season. See our AT quilt guide.
• Buyers who like options in colors, sizes and fill, without going fully custom on every detail.

Who should look elsewhere

• Gram counters chasing the lowest weight for a given rating may prefer a 7D-shell build from another maker or a quilt with a sewn footbox.
• Cold sleepers who sleep only in winter may prefer a sewn footbox and a draft collar; look at our best winter top quilts.
• Tight budgets: the Economy Burrow or options in our best budget top quilts make more sense.
• People who need a quilt this week: custom lead times can stretch during peak season.

Pros and cons

Burrow vs the main alternatives

The closest head-to-head is the Enlightened Equipment Revelation. Both use a zippered, drawcord footbox and similar down. The Revelation offers more widths and shell fabric weights, while the Burrow is often a little cheaper and is the hammock community's long-standing favorite. We break it down in Burrow vs Revelation and the broader Hammock Gear vs Enlightened Equipment.

If you would rather buy a mass-market quilt with fast shipping, budget alternatives such as Paria's Thermodown quilt are sold on Amazon; see our Paria Thermodown review and Thermodown vs Economy Burrow.

Care and longevity

A well-treated down quilt lasts many years. Store the Burrow loose in a large storage sack, not compressed in its stuff sack, and wash it only when loft starts to drop. Use a down-specific soap such as Check price on Amazon and follow our guides on washing a down quilt and storing a quilt.

Choosing your Burrow configuration

1. Pick the rating: 30°F or 20°F covers most three-season use; 40°F for summer; 10°F or 0°F for winter hammocking.
2. Pick the length: regular for most people under about 6 feet, long if you are taller or like to cinch over your head.
3. Pick the width: standard for back sleepers in hammocks, wide for side sleepers and ground use.
4. Consider overfill: a small overfill is a cheap insurance policy for cold sleepers.
5. Add pad straps if you will sleep on the ground at all.

Not sure which rating you need? Our how to choose a top quilt guide and hammock temperature guide help you match a rating to your trips.

Verdict: is the Hammock Gear Burrow worth it?

For most hammock campers, yes. The Burrow is not the lightest quilt on the market and it does not have every premium feature, but it hits a sweet spot of warmth, weight, versatility and price that few quilts match. The zippered footbox makes it unusually adaptable across seasons, and the wide range of configurations means you can get a quilt that actually fits your body and your trips.

Buy the Burrow if you want a proven hammock top quilt that also works on the ground. Look at the Enigma or a winter-specific quilt if you only sleep in the cold, or the Economy Burrow if budget comes first. For the full field, see our best hammock top quilts roundup.

See the Burrow at Hammock Gear