Gear Review: Enlightened Equipment Revelation Quilt

Here it is!   My first shot at writing a dedicated gear review.   I have written quick reviews and recommendations embedded in trip reports that mostly express discovering nifty things or gear I found a good deal on…but wanted to challenge myself to focus on writing a review about ONE piece of gear.  So why not start with my new favorite piece, my Enlightened Equipment Revelation Quilt.

Compared to a traditional sleeping bag, a lightweight quilt offers multi functional use that works well in a variety of conditions while significantly reducing your gear weight. I stumbled upon the Enlightened Equipment Revelation Quilt on the Superior Hiking Trail group page and discovered it was rated best quilt of 2017 by backpacker magazine.  

When I found out that their quilts were about 2 lbs lighter than my favorite sleeping bag, that I could customize the specs AND that they were made in Winona Minnesota, I had to find out what all the fuss was about.

Generally, quilts are typically a lighter weight option than sleeping bags because features like zippers, heavy duty material and extras like pockets and hoods are eliminated or reduced to maximize efficiency.

Features

• Multi-use functionality
  • Tapered Quilt
  • Sleeping bag-removable elastic closures and partial zipper at footbox
  • Hammock-under quilt
• Compresses Small
• Customizable weight, temperature and fabric combinations
  • Instantly design and visualize on website
• Very lightweight and warm
• Locally made in Winona, MN

Specs

• Down Type (DownTek Treated): 850
• Temperature: 10°F (-12°C)
• Length: Regular – 6′
• Width: Regular – 54″
• Outside Fabric Options: Burnt Orange 10D
• Inside Fabric Color: Red 10D
• Weight: 21.85 oz.

Field Testing

At the time of writing this review, I have tested the Enlightened Equipment Revelation 10 degree on 5 trips with varying conditions including:

1. Backpacking:  Afton State Park.  October, hammock, 50 degrees, rain
2. Tent Camping:  Scout Camp.  December, deflated sleeping pad, influenza.
3. Hammock Camping: Scout Camp. December, 18 degrees without a tarp
4. Backpacking: Lake Superior. April, 30 degrees, damp fog, wet gear
5. Inside:  Fort Ripley Military Base. April, 72 degrees, in the fancy BOQ.

In 7 months, I have used it as my sleeping bag inside of a Tent and Hammock, wrapped and cinched up like a ‘hot dog/burrito’ around my mummy bag and hammock for extra warmth and as a traditional quilt.  Using the Revelation quilt as a hammock burrito, significantly boosted my 25 degree down bag’s warmth down to 18 degrees comfortably without a tarp or other coverage (there’s even a double bag formula).   It is also worth noting that I am a cold sleeper, so I usually need to adjust the temperature rating approx. 20+ degrees to sleep comfortably in the cold.

The waterproof down has proven to hold its warmth in cold rain, overnight frost and damp nights on Lake Superior.  It also seems to still ventilate well enough to avoid overheating.  I brought it to Scout Camp on a Military Base where I was required to sleep inside and tested it as a quilt.   I expected to get too hot in a 10 degree quilt in a 72 degree room, but it worked great with my feet tucked into the tapered bottom and loose on the top half.

Performance

• Weight-Excellent at 21.85 oz for a 10 degree bag
• Warmth-Excellent considering that women generally sleep colder, keep this in mind when you order yours.
• Durability-still under review. I accidentally broke a snap on the second trip, but I may have cinched it too tight learning how to set it up around my hammock.  (EE offered to fix it free of charge).  I am also more careful with the material as is it is much more fragile than your standard sleeping bag.

Compared to a Standard Sleeping Bag, the Revelation Quilt is a lightweight way to reduce your pack weight without sacrificing warmth.

Strengths

• Lightweight quality construction
• Warm but breathable
• Customizable (so many options!)

Limitations

• Potential learning curve if you are new to quilts
• Durability-material is strong but more fragile than traditional sleeping bag.  (no potato sack races)
• Gap-unzippered closure creates a small gap if you are not sleeping on a pad. In a hammock, you may need to use a jacket or over quilt to block the draft.

Wish List

• If I could change one thing to make this quilt even more versatile, it would be to add a 4-5” wide flap along one long side to allow the quilt to completely close with the elastic straps if used as a bag or hammock burrito.   It may keep the draft out and prevent the need for another bag or top quilt in colder temperatures.  Had I not already discovered how tough sewing lightweight nylon was while making my backpack, I might try to figure out how to add this myself.

Final thoughts

I’ve written posts about how I don’t like to spend a ton of money on gear but have learned where to invest, and a good sleeping bag is worth spending money on.  I sold 3 sleeping bags I had laying around (a 35 degree, 20 degree and 0 degree) to buy this quilt as a way to lighten my load for my upcoming Superior Hiking Trail thru hike.

I enjoyed building my quilt online but ended up calling customer service to validate that what I had built would work for my trip.   I was given great customer service and a personal recommendation, confirming the temperature rating that I had selected would work.  I received my custom quilt 16 days later!  Enlightened Equipment also supports Scouting by offering a discount to Scouts and leaders.  Thanks!

My Revelation quilt is my new favorite piece of gear mainly because it’s proven to be lightweight, warm and versatile.   Being able to customize the colors, temperature rating and overall weight is also a great way to ensure you’ll get a piece of gear you’ll love.   Finally, and maybe most importantly, I really like the idea of buying a quality product that has gained high regard in the backpacking community that is made in Winona Minnesota.   Buying local, feels great and that’s what I think about that every time I snuggle up in it.

Review Rating

Highly Recommend

Have you used a quilt for backpacking or camping?   Happy with your sleeping bag?  Tell me about it!

Happy Trails,

~WP

Disclosure: This is a non-sponsored review.  The author owns this product and paid for it (by selling 3 sleeping bags!) and using their own funds.