PDA

View Full Version : Enlightened Equipment Quilt



archie
02-08-2013, 02:43
I want to share my experience with EnLIGHTened Equipment quilts here since this where I first heard of them. Even though I live in the same state where they are made, I learned of them reading the forums here at Whiteblaze.

Last Sept. I decided to try an EE quilt. I emailed the owner, Tim, to inquire. He responded immediately and was very helpful in deciding what I wanted. I ordered an in stock 30* revX quilt. Tim gave me an ETA of two weeks. I agreed that would be fine but mentioned I was going on a trip in one week and if the quilt got here in time I would be thrilled. He made no promises. I was shocked when it was at my door four days later! For a cottage company providing specialty gear I thought that was astonishing service.

When I opened the box and looked at the quilt I was amazed. The weight was accurate. The design, workmanship and materials seemed to be top notch. I know the material is cosmetic seconds but there is NOTHING that I can see that would make me think it was seconds. It looked perfect.

I took my new 30* quilt out on a three day trip on the NCT in central Minnesota that weekend. The temps the first two nights were in the mid 30's and I slept perfectly comfortable in the quilt, with no extra layers. The third night was colder, 26* reported but maybe a degree or two colder on the trail. I did wear an extra base layer that night anticipating the cold but again I was warm- this time feeling toasty except for an occasional cool spot during the night. I am a very active sleeper, rolling from side to front to other side and back constantly throughout the night. I was very impressed by the quality as well as the design. I never thought a quilt would work so well for me, let alone at temps beyond the rating.

I thought about the quilt after the trip. I realized that If I would have ordered the overstuff, as Tim had suggested, this quilt would have gotten me down to 20* or even lower. I emailed Tim after turkey dinner on Thanksgiving day, thinking he would respond after the holiday. He responded within two minutes! ON THANKSGIVING! Tim thought the reason I had cool spots was that I did not reposition the down correctly, and I totally agree. I did not reposition the down at all, and the way I toss around it is no wonder it shifted a bit. Tim suggested overstuffing would help this minor issue. He explained that the new quilts will come with this overstuff as standard. Remember, I only experienced this at temps well below the rating of the quilt. I decided to wait until after the holiday season to send it back as I already felt bad for pestering him on Thanksgiving.

Fast forward to February. I finally decided to get around to sending it in. I emailed Tim to refresh him on the situation and let him know it was on the way back. Again he responded immediately. I told him I expected to pay extra, above the normal overstuff price, as this was what I ordered and doing it after the fact was certainly more work for him. He responded to just ship it back and get it done. I also mentioned that I needed the quilt back by the end of May so he had three months do get it done. I shipped the quilt to him on Sat. and thought no more.

The quilt was on my doorstep today, five days after I sent it in! Not only did he do this so quickly, he also did not charge me any extra for doing this overstuff after the initial order, which he had every right to do. He also paid the shipping back to me! This was clearly not his responsibility either. The down in the newly overstuffed quilt is obviously more shift resistant that before. I took a catnap on the deck today and there were no cold spots at all. I was a little chilly but it was only 9 degrees. I am confident that the quilt will be solid down to 20* or lower. remember this is a 30* rated quilt! disclaimer:I do sleep warm and I am acclimated to northern MN temps so order your quilt accordingly.

EnLIGHTENED Equipment has provided me with a product of exceptional quality. The design, materials and workmanship are all top notch. Perhaps more important is the phenomenal customer service Tim has provided. I don't think I have ever experienced better service. EnLIGHTENED Equipment has greatly exceeded every expectation I had. I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone.

Thank you EnLIGHTENED Equipment!

leaftye
02-08-2013, 05:44
Thank you for sharing your experience.

Rasty
02-08-2013, 09:54
100% agree on everything about Enlightened Equipment. The 0 degree with overstuffing is a furnace.

garlic08
02-08-2013, 09:59
Ditto the above. I had a fine summer trip last with my 30F quilt and now I'm considering replacing my three-season bag with another EE quilt. I ordered mine "normally", was quoted a 6-week lead time, and that's exactly what it took. The weight of mine was right on, too. The quality and function exceeded expectations.

bubonicplay
02-08-2013, 12:17
I have an all 10d one and its luxurious.

Rocket Jones
02-08-2013, 12:54
Very happy with mine.

tds1195
02-08-2013, 12:59
Thanks for sharing, Archie! I'll be getting a couple of their quilts in the next few weeks - very excited to test them out.

Loneoak
02-08-2013, 21:10
I have heard nothing but good things about them and their products. Hopefully someday I will find out myself

CenAZwalker
02-09-2013, 00:17
I also had a positive experience with EE. Great communication with Tim, super fast turn around time on my order and a very well crafted product. I highly recommend Enlightened Equipment to anyone looking for a quilt. I've had my 20* over-filled RevX on a few trips this winter and it has kept me very comfortable.

MuddyWaters
02-12-2013, 23:13
Great experience with them here too.
Tim lives with his phone in his hand, thats why email is replied to instantly. Even at 11pm at night, you will likely have a response in minutes.

Canam
03-13-2013, 23:24
I got a Revelation 20 a month ago. I can also say that Tim is incredibly responsive.

I had never had a quilt before and was somewhat skeptical. However, EE has a guarantee that if you find quilts aren't for you, you can return them. I field tested mine a couple times ahead of a 2 month AT section hike coming up, and I absolutely loved it. Temps got down to 32 and I was perfectly fine. I felt that it could have easily gone to 20 as rated. I don't see why I'd ever go back to sleeping bags except in extremely cold weather.

trovar
03-14-2013, 17:33
I love my Revelation X 20 and I continue to marvel at how much value you get for so little cost.

Crusinsusan
03-14-2013, 19:48
Thanks for this....I was close to pulling the trigger on another quilt maker, for a smaller and more expensive one, but after reading this and searching the net where I found lots of good comments, I'm leaning towards this bigger, same weight, cheaper quilt. Thanks again.

-Slingshot->
03-17-2013, 16:48
Thanks for the review, I've been looking to get one of these for a while.

Black Wolf
03-25-2013, 13:00
Your thread ..has gained Tim a new customer .. I've been looking at his products .. the Cuben quilts are my gear investment

leaftye
03-25-2013, 13:37
It'll be nice to have someone else around here with a cuben fiber quilt.

gunner76
03-25-2013, 20:48
I have a RevelationX O degree TQ, Great quilt. Looking to order a 20 or 30 degree TQ for warner weather. While the material is suppose to be factory 2nds/cosmetically flawed, I have yet to find any defects. One of the best priced TQs out there.

memphistiger02
05-10-2013, 16:42
I am looking at these now. I think I may get the synthetic Prodigy quilt. Anyone have one to tell me about it.

Kookork
05-10-2013, 18:33
Tim did not answer my phone or email,............................................ ............. Because I never called or emailed him. :D

SomeGuy
05-10-2013, 20:50
I am looking at these now. I think I may get the synthetic Prodigy quilt. Anyone have one to tell me about it.
I have a 20 degree prodigy. Can't say anything bad about it. Most people say synthetics don't pack as small, but it is not a large noticeable difference.

Dogwood
05-10-2013, 22:25
I've been assailing Tim with spec questions lately. He's been on pt with his customer service. Always gets back to me within 24 hrs. I got my Prodigy 50 * on order.

Dogwood
05-10-2013, 22:35
Most people say synthetics don't pack as small, but it is not a large noticeable difference.

The type of synthetic insulation(Tim uses Climashied Apex), how the bag/quilt is constructed, and the shell and lining fabrics are some factors that play into compressed volume

Dogwood
05-10-2013, 22:44
Black Wolf and Leaftye, where are you seeing EE offering Cuben quilts?

Dogwood
05-10-2013, 22:47
Gunner76, how low in temp have you used the Revelation X 0* quilt AND with what set up do you use it?

Unitic
05-11-2013, 05:35
Very similar experience with my RevX 20 degree overstuff...Tim is a really nice guy with a great attitude. First rate product and service!

gunner76
05-11-2013, 21:06
Gunner76, how low in temp have you used the Revelation X 0* quilt AND with what set up do you use it? I have only used it down to 30 degrees this past winter as that is as cold as it got here. I have used it with my BlackBird hammock and FL and 3/4 length Under quilts. Always stayed very very toasty. I have just gotten in a 40 degree RevX for slightly warmer campouts. Same great quality.

Dogwood
05-11-2013, 22:34
Those are the answers I'm getting from quite a few quilt users. I guess it depends on lots of things but with everyone of my conventional hooded high end UL sleeping bags I push their usage at least 10* below their lowest temp rating, sometimes as much as 17*. I'm not hearing that in general from quilt users. While I totally get the versatility of a quilt in the sense they can easily extend the comfortable sleeping temp upwards from their stated temp rating I personally am having more issues with extending a quilts versatility when it comes to sleeping reasonably comfortable much lower than its temp rating. Thanks Gunner. Unless I start seeing something I'm missing I'm quickly coming to the conclusion that quilts much below 20-25* aren't the way to go for me when cowboy camping or tarping. I also don't see the great wt savings in a quilt when comparing the highest end UL down quilts with a similar temp rated highest end UL down sleeping bag. That little wedge taken out of and the elimination of a hood from conventional UL highest end down sleeping bags to make it a quilt has TOO GREAT OF NEGATIVE IMPLICATIONS in COLD(below about 25*) temps for me to ignore. Personally, on a long hike such as a thru-hike where the temps are typically dropping into the low 20's and I'm tarping or cowboying one of the most important things for me is to get a restful sleep. Saving 2-3 ozs at the expense of having a fitful sleep is not a trade off I'm currently willing to make. I left some things out but I'm willing to listen and heed some sound quilt advice for temps below about 25*. Anyone have ideas? Anyone regular employ a quilt in temps below about 20-25*?

gunner76
05-12-2013, 00:43
Check Shug's videos as he is an avid cold (down to -18 I believe) weather hanger. http://www.youtube.com/user/shugemery?feature=watch He will use a combination of just a TQ, TQ & Sleeping bag and or a down jacket with his hammock. I believe the record in a hammock right now is -35 degrees using UQs & TQ's . My FL UQ and my RevX which are rated to 0 degrees should allow me to get down to 0 but as it has not gotten that cold here I have not able to test them to the max. IMO UQs and TQs are best used in a hammock. Having the best sleeping bag in the world will not help if you do not have a good insulation system under you.

Dogwood
05-12-2013, 00:54
I'm looking at quilts with a high priority given to saving a few ozs in warmer weather when NOT hanging. I seem to get pointed in the direction of quilts being used in hammock set ups so often but that's not really where I want to go with my questions but thanks Gunner for Shug's link.

Dogwood
05-12-2013, 01:00
The TQ and UQ combo in a hammock is really too heavy AND bulky of a set up in my UL mind for consistent COLD weather long distance hiking. I would have to be hung up with always wanting to hang to do that. Don't get me wrong. I currently have two hammock set ups for different conditions but when the mercury really plummets there are lighter wt and less bulky set ups I opt for.

garlic08
05-12-2013, 08:55
I'm looking at quilts with a high priority given to saving a few ozs in warmer weather when NOT hanging....

I'm new to quilts and this is exactly where I went with mine. I was surprised at how well it worked down to its rating and am now tempted to push it into the cold weather range. I need to replace my Helium in the next year or two and might consider a 10F quilt to do it, to save a few ounces, and dollars too.

Dogwood
05-13-2013, 01:30
In hindsight, that's the way I wish I had progressed. Get it dialed in with quilts in warm weather THEN consider and go to quilts in below 30* conditions. I'm just not feeling the quilt vibe for COLD weather(much below about 25*) for the way I sleep and typically gear up. I'd rather have the highest end UL conventional(1/4 zip though) sleeping bag FOR ME while tarping and/or cowboying in COLD weather. If I was inside a tent I would reconsider the quilt for temps below 25*. I'm flexible in my various approaches though and am willing to hear what others do. I know I'm still somewhere on the middle of the quilt learning curve so I feel I have a lot to yet understand.

memphistiger02
05-13-2013, 10:15
Now I really want the prodigy 30 or 40 quilt.

engine386
05-13-2013, 10:38
I'm really happy with my new prodigy summer quilts. IMO, synthetic is the way to go in summer

Stinkbug
11-18-2013, 16:18
I am considering a quilt for my sleeping gear needs. My hiking will mainly be the late Spring to early Fall. If one used the quilt mostly as a cover blanket, during the warm evenings. what is recommended to put on the sleeping pad? I was at a REI store yesterday, and the fella said you could sleep directly on your pad.... I know REI does not carry quilts, but just checking before I make my decison...

leaftye
11-18-2013, 16:21
You can sleep directly on your pad. Some pads are nicer to sleep directly on than others, but a big part of that for me depends on how much clothing I'm wearing, that is, less clothing is less comfortable when directly on the pad.

Stinkbug
11-18-2013, 16:27
leaftye: that is what I was thinking about.... should I then consider a liner to go with a quilt or is that defeating the purpose?

leaftye
11-18-2013, 17:45
Try it first. You probably won't feel the need for a pad cover. Or try sleeping on your current pad before you buy and see how it suits you. Chances are that you'll be much more forgiving after a long day of hiking.

MuddyWaters
11-18-2013, 20:16
I sleep directly on my pads, always have.
Much easier to roll over than with fabric under you that you get wrapped up in.

garlic08
11-18-2013, 20:52
I take off my hiking clothing and lay it on my pad. My Z-rest isn't too bad to sleep on by itself, but it feels better with a layer of clothing on top of it.

One of the advantages I found after my first season of using a quilt is how clean the quilt stays compared to a bag, because you don't lie on the quilt. A few minutes of UV radiation (sunlight) once in a while and the quilt stays fresh without laundry.

Mumbles_2014
11-18-2013, 22:53
I'm thinking about buying a Revelation 20* but not sure what size. I'm slightly over 6'2, 165 lbs. I'm pretty sure I need the long for the length but not sure about the width. I want enough room that the quilt mostly surrounds me even underneath me, on my pad.

Dr. Professor
11-18-2013, 23:11
I'm thinking about buying a Revelation 20* but not sure what size. I'm slightly over 6'2, 165 lbs. I'm pretty sure I need the long for the length but not sure about the width. I want enough room that the quilt mostly surrounds me even underneath me, on my pad.

I'm slightly over 6', hovering between 170 & 175 lbs. I have the Revelation 20* long, wide. I love it. I sleep on my side, and I toss a lot in my sleep when I'm not in my hammock; my wide feels as comfortable and roomy as a comforter.

The price difference is minimal, and to me the nighttime comfort justifies the weight. Personal preference.

Stinkbug
11-20-2013, 12:43
Thanks to all regarding the comments on use of quilt and sleeping pad arrangements. I guess I just need to try it out and see what works best! I am definately leaning towards an EE quilt.... for the Summer choice. Thanks again....

Odd Man Out
11-20-2013, 13:54
I'm slightly over 6', hovering between 170 & 175 lbs. I have the Revelation 20* long, wide. I love it. I sleep on my side, and I toss a lot in my sleep when I'm not in my hammock; my wide feels as comfortable and roomy as a comforter.

The price difference is minimal, and to me the nighttime comfort justifies the weight. Personal preference.

I am right at 6'. With a little more girth than you I will get the wide. Not sure about length. 6' seems to be the cut off. At 6' tall should I get the long or regular?

mudsocks
11-20-2013, 23:35
I recently picked up an EE RevX 10* wide and it's AMAZING. I've used it on the ground with a pad and in a hammock as a top quilt. I bought the wide because the price difference was only $10 more and figured it would give me better coverage as an under quilt. Yes, you can also use it as an underquilt. I can't say enough about Tim's customer service.

Dr. Professor
11-20-2013, 23:59
I am right at 6'. With a little more girth than you I will get the wide. Not sure about length. 6' seems to be the cut off. At 6' tall should I get the long or regular?

To be specific, I'm about a third of an inch over 6'.

I could get away with the regular length just as I could get away with the regular width. Both make the quilt feel more roomy, just in different directions. I sleep better when I don't feel constrained, so I opted for this larger quilt. I would probably opt for shorter before opting for narrower. To answer your question: I think you'll be fine with the shorter quilt, but I personally like the slightly longer one.

I find this quilt very comfortable over a wide range of temperatures. Synched down tight, wearing a smartwool baselayer, and wearing my Arc'teryx balaclava, I've been *very* toasty in the low twenties (could definitely have gone colder).

One tip: I find it is important to fluff the quilt once every day or two of hiking by holding the side edges and foot and shaking to allow down to migrate to the center of the quilt; otherwise, insulation redistributes to the periphery over time.

garlic08
11-21-2013, 09:59
...One tip: I find it is important to fluff the quilt once every day or two of hiking by holding the side edges and foot and shaking to allow down to migrate to the center of the quilt; otherwise, insulation redistributes to the periphery over time.

This is my experience as well. I like the baffling system because it allows moving the down in two directions, but it also needs daily "maintenance", I've found. I wouldn't change a thing about the quilt.

None yet
11-21-2013, 14:58
Appreciate all the input. I have a Marmot Helium for the AT next March, but have been looking for a quilt for kayak camping. Definitely going to check out the EE.

jrabbott
12-14-2013, 21:39
Question......I have looked at the RevX 20 - I assume that you can use it as you would a sleeping bag - both over and under you - basicall zipping up in it or in warmer climates you could just use it on top....Correct???

Rocket Jones
12-14-2013, 21:48
No zipper on a quilt. You can pull it around you if it's large enough.

jrabbott
12-14-2013, 22:01
Ahhh...Looks closed or zippered on the pictures from EE.........still looks warm!!! I am about to pull the trigger!! Onder how tight you can get it around you? My Neo Air is soft.

Rocket Jones
12-14-2013, 22:35
I was partly wrong, there is a zipper to close up the foot box, about two feet long. There are loops along the open edges that you can use with included straps to hold it close around you. I've never needed to use them. Another option is something that's used on the Ray Jardine quilt are non-insulated "wings" about 6" wide sewn along the open edges. You use these "draft stoppers" to pull the quilt tight around you. They work well.

Dogwood
12-14-2013, 23:44
And, just when you thought Enlightened Equipment had it going on Tim comes up with the Enigma in Down Tek 850 AND somehow manages to shave off more wt!

UberPest
12-15-2013, 10:31
I'm looking at the ProdigyX 20 short and wide for my shoulder season setup. I don't get out much in the summer any more. I ground sleep with a tarp since I have the dogs. I think I can get the female to hammock with me, but my male doesn't like the movement, nor does he enjoy sleeping with no cover (maybe if I extend the tarp to the ground?) in any case my boyfriend likes my HH and I'm fine on the ground (he isn't).

I'm going with short/wide because I'm 5'3", move in my sleep, and the male dog burrows under my covers at night anyway. Waking up to a dog stuck head first in your bag with his head at your knees and his butt in your face is not recommended.

I use an Exped Synmat despite the weight because it's very comfortable and warm for me. I didn't sleep cold when I was younger, but I do now. The dog's help me a bit with heat, too.

I have a good 45F summer bag that lies mostly flat, so I'm not sure it's worth getting a second quilt for summer given how little I get to go out then.

UberPest
12-15-2013, 10:36
Addendum: I emailed Tim a while back and he agrees that the synthetic is the way to go given the tarp and the dogs. I'm going to pick up the 20* quilt if I end up doing my Sheltowee Trace trip later in the year instead of the summer.

juma
01-03-2014, 15:56
In hindsight, that's the way I wish I had progressed. Get it dialed in with quilts in warm weather THEN consider and go to quilts in below 30* conditions. I'm just not feeling the quilt vibe for COLD weather(much below about 25*) for the way I sleep and typically gear up. I'd rather have the highest end UL conventional(1/4 zip though) sleeping bag FOR ME while tarping and/or cowboying in COLD weather. If I was inside a tent I would reconsider the quilt for temps below 25*. I'm flexible in my various approaches though and am willing to hear what others do. I know I'm still somewhere on the middle of the quilt learning curve so I feel I have a lot to yet understand.

I've been using quilts for 3 years and my take is if its really gonna get cold below 25*, I break out WM versalite. I sleep cold. I usually get a long quilt (JRB) and pull it around my head like a hood as the temps get lower than 30*. After 25* the little drafts get to me.

8

Nooga
01-05-2014, 12:00
I noticed that EE now offers a bottom zipper option on the Engima wide and extra wide versions.

Hill Ape
01-05-2014, 12:34
in only the past few days, EE has changed their website, doesn't look like they offer the X at all, and have a smaller selection of colors

leaftye
01-05-2014, 19:51
I should have purchased a quilt earlier. Karo baffles are gone, and there's only duck down or water resistant goose down for a couple hundred dollars more. I suppose duck down is okay as long as the fill power is still high, but I would have preferred karo baffles.

Mumbles_2014
01-05-2014, 23:58
I'm thinking about buying a Revelation 20* but not sure what size. I'm slightly over 6'2, 165 lbs. I'm pretty sure I need the long for the length but not sure about the width. I want enough room that the quilt mostly surrounds me even underneath me, on my pad.

So I got the RevelationX 20* long/wide with 2oz of down overstuff for Christmas and was able to test it out at around 23*F and was warm even when only wearing a long sleeve shirt, shorts, and a beanie. This thing is is large enough to completely surround me and put allow me to put my head inside if it gets cold enough. Awesome buy and pretty good price ($230) considering its competitors.

Odd Man Out
01-06-2014, 00:59
I see this has changed a lot now. The Revelation and Enigma quilts are now about the same (same price, options, baffles, fabrics). The only real difference seems to be in the description of the foot box and the Enigma quilts are a few oz lighter. Puzzled.

Odd Man Out
01-06-2014, 11:15
I see this has changed a lot now. The Revelation and Enigma quilts are now about the same (same price, options, baffles, fabrics). The only real difference seems to be in the description of the foot box and the Enigma quilts are a few oz lighter. Puzzled.

Contacted the company and got this (immediate) reply to my question about what is the difference between the Revelation and Enigma?


Yes it's the footbox. The Revelation footbox is more versatile. The Enigma footbox lets the quilt be 6" shorter so lighter. If you want to use it open in blanket mode or as a hammock underquilt, pick the Revelation. If you will always have the footbox closed, go with the Enigma and save the weight.

MommaDuck
01-06-2014, 21:01
thank you for answering my question. was getting ready to order a rev x and noticed all had changed.

mefisher
02-09-2014, 14:12
Y'all convinced me! Transitioned to a TQ & EE was the way to go! Ordered it last week & Tim responded quickly & awesomely. I hope to see it soon! :-D Looking forward to experiencing all the goodness of the EE quilt!

denefi
09-08-2014, 21:46
Just ordered my 20 degree Revelation. Can't wait to get it! This is the last thing I need before I can start doing practice overnights. I'll post what I think once it comes in. Ordering was easy.

BrianOH72
12-04-2014, 23:16
I must admit that the customer service has been top notch with EE. I need some help in determining what temp rating to go with. I'm torn between a 40 and 50. I tend to sleep on the warm side and I'll be using the EE quilt to Northbound section hike the AT during the summer months. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!