Enlightened Equipment Revelation | Everything you should know and more! (Level 3: Full Review)
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- čas přidán 6. 12. 2017
- After a year of use and abuse, I review the Enlightened Equipment Revelation quilt. This is the quilt that got me through a Canadian winter and many nights on a mountain summit. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them down below.
My thoughts on temperature ratings: bit.ly/2BUrZsX
How I categorize my gear review videos
Level 3 - Hiking Nerd Full Review: long-term field-tested, structured, and thorough
Level 2 - Early Review: field-tested but unstructured thoughts
Level 1 - Early Impressions: show and tell but minimal testing and usage
I wish all reviews were like this. Educational, informative, straight to the point. Thanks Jimmy.
This review is comprehensive and outstanding. Essential for anyone shopping for an Enlightened Equipment quilt.
Thank you for this .. possibly one of the best reviews I've ever came across... clear, informative and no nonsense... I wish everyone was that great at making these !
Thank you for an informative review that was straight to the point and covered every question I had!
Awesome review! Very informative and honest. Thanks Jimmy! My Revelation is on it’s way. I can’t wait!
Thanks for a honest review! You made my decision on this quilt alot easier to make.
I think this a great review. I just found EE and was amazed to learn that such a high quality down sleeping bag manufacturer was 15 minutes from me in a small city. These guys need more recognition and hope they get it.
You are an amazing person and your reviews are crazy articulate
Jimmy, keep these up! I saw a comment asking for more gear reviews and was thinking I should add my voice to the chorus...but this came out before I could say anything. Your reviews are seriously excellent, and we all appreciate that you thoroughly test your equipment well before creating a review video. We also totally appreciate that you read the comments!!
Quality aspects of your review (in no particular order): organization (thorough overview, then likes/dislikes), clear and visually appealing transitional graphics (the variety between different reviews in the graphics is cool), clear narration from a well-prepared script, lots of shots of you actually using the gear, great quality shots of up close, hard to see details (the stays in the Flex Capacitor and the draw string in this quilt, for example. This is something that very few reviewers pull off), funny moments of you being goofy to keep it lighthearted and more entertaining, and a seriously deep level of detail (the ability to shift the down filling is something I hadn't heard of before, and your manufacturer sourced info on the materials in your tent kicked ass).
In short, keep it up!
So agree..to be able to shift the down was a complete unknown to me.
One of the best reviews on the EE Revelation quilt! I like that you mentioned that the quilt is reversible (I didn't know that), and that you can reposition the down from the perimeter to the middle (I've read complaints on poor down distribution).
"A more flamboyant color as a signaling device" 😂😂😂
And I immediately thought "oh yeah like a peacock does, to get a mate...."😂😅
important to note that these bags have revised and that these folks evolve, just ordered a 10 degree with closed foot box. great easy to follow review here.
Nice job on this review. Very helpful. Thanks for posting.
Great stuff as usual. I have an EE Revelation 20 degree quilt that Ive taken down to 16 degrees. And once to 6 degrees but that time I had sewn foot box Costco quilt added on top. But I was toasty warm. If I had to do it all over again I would have gotten the 10 degree for sure.
Outstanding review! Glad I came across this. Been considering the Revelation for a while now, you may have put more over the edge for getting one. Thanks!
Thanks for the heads up about how to redistribute the down around the quilt .... that will be helpful as the temps go down in autumn
Thank you for the helpful review!
Awesome review, man! I've been looking at one but haven't been sure about the sizing. That was really helpful. Liked and subscribed!
Great review. I have this quilt and love it. ✌️
Honest review! Congrats
Great review. This is the one product I have purchased but won’t get a chance to test before my AT thru-hike, and that is a serious shortcoming. Your review will help me maximize what I have and the comments will help me increase my options as I break it in. Subbed, glad I found this channel, thanks again, Scars.
Good luck on the thru-hike, Scars!
I have a 10 degree wide also and absolutely love it. Take Care and Merry Christmas
Thanks, happy holidays to you too!
I ordered last weekend the Revelation 30F reg/wide for my sumer biking tour, doing the ViaRhona this year. Will surely keep me warm during the summer nights. I will also test on hikes in the Alps during the next comng year. So excited, can't wait for it to arive *__*
Very good info thanks for sharing.
Excellent review my friend
I have the 20 degree enigma, love it.
Great review!
I have the same quilt in orange and black - I love it
Great informative video!
Great video!!! I actually learned something I didn't already know!
Success!
I agree that the buckles are a little difficult but they are very light. Also my wife had a good idea last year, I pull a tee shirt over the pillow and the sleep pad to keep it in place.
I use my Buff as a pillow case over my Sea2Summit inflatable. Makes it so much nicer and more comfortable!
@@chrisrioux Now there's a great idea I never heard before or thought of! Thanks!
Very nice overview!
Great review.
Thanks for the review Jimmy! Just so you know the new EE Revelation does come with more down at each temperature rating, so even though the prices have increased you are getting more down for your money! Love the comprehensive review!
Hi Richard, yes it looks like they've added roughly an extra oz of down at the same temperature rating compared to last year (but not so much to the 40F and 50F quilts). A 2018 model quilt in my specs would weigh 24.2oz vs my 23.1oz. I'm always down to carry a bit more insulation weight because it makes me a much happy camper, though I find that my quilt is on the cusp of being "too warm". As long as I bring the right clothing that keeps me warm while I'm cooking my dinner, I've never had a cold night.
Try an Exped Winterlite Pad. This will improve the temp rating and is very comfortable to sleep on.
Useful video, Thanks.
great review.
Good review Mr. Nerd
Really good review! Thanks for including the negative comments as well. I read your blog post and I have to agree that most manufacturers have not found a way to adequately rate their bags so customers can make a reasonably good choice. Most sales clerks in stores don't have a clue either. That leaves people like me in the unfortunate position of looking to other users for their recommendations.
I've been camping all my life, over 70 years. About 20 years ago my son got a new down bag and abandoned his mummy bag which was still in very good condition - I don't know what brand it was but it used a synthetic insulation similar to Polartec. I tried it but didn't really like it because I was very uncomfortable zipped up in a tight fitting mummy bag although it was indeed plenty warm enough. After using it a bit though, one night in frustration, I unzipped the bag and slept with it that way. Wow what a difference! I slept great! I've continued using that same bag ever since but just leaving it unzipped, even on nights where the temperature dropped well below freezing.
A couple of years ago, I started looking for a new bag, something lighter and more compact. Visiting the outdoor stores, I found nothing that really appealed to me but when I started searching online I discovered quilts. Well, now wasn't that exactly how I was already using that old mummy bag? The Enlightened Equipment quilts come highly recommended and there are competing ones most notably from Thermarest. You can even make your own using synthetic insulation; check out this one at www.rayjardine.com/ray-way/OrderForm.php#Quilt%20Kit. Ray Jardine was one of the early PCT & AT thru hikers and has published a lot of advice. I am currently considering ordering one of his kits.
But wait. Isn't that a synthetic bag, not down. Well, for me synthetic may be a better choice because I am primarily canoe tripping and that involves a lot of water. And in a climate where heavy rain can be expected. That means stuff gets wet. Synthetic is a better choice here because it retains it's insulating properties when it's wet and it dries out faster.
Sorry for being so long-winded but I wanted to give some context to my observations because they may help others.
Sounds like you've gone through a nice process to determine what you like and need. Since you're looking for synthetic quilts, I thought I'd mention a few companies that make them in case you haven't already found them through your research (in no particular order): Enlightened Equipment, Nunatak, Loco Libre, Mountain Laurel Designs, Arrowhead Equipment, Elemental Hammock.
This is the best review of any product I have ever seen. Straight to the point. Subscribed, my friend. However would have loved to see what temp ranges you have used this, and with what kind of sleep system.
i just got one of these. i was disappointed with the length of it in the supplied stuff sack, didn't consider a compression sack though thanks for the heads up. this was a solid video, thanks for taking the time to make it!
Good job on your POV on this item
very good review.
Great review. I haven't read all the comments but I'm surprised no one has commented on the amount of light at 6:06 I'm looking to buy one this weekend but that gives me pause given the price of these things.
I just bought a 950 0 degree I’m so excited
Great idea about a bright color for signaling in case of emergency
Nice review Sir. I also have a 10 degree Revelation. I added a second quilt, the EE 30 degree Enigma for more of my So. Cal hikes (or for hike temps above freezing). The Enigma design definitely overcomes the foot box draft issue and also cut some weight (over 10 oz. from my 10 degree bag). I also upgraded to the EE wide straps for both bags. EE's wide straps really fit my NeoAir Xlite Regular much better than the standard size loop strap. On my XTherrm Large, you almost have to get the wide straps. I tend to under inflate my sleeping pads as a side sleeper. So, having more give on the straps keeps the pads nice and flattened out to their respective 20" and 25". Between the two bags (Revelation 10 and Enigma 30) I'm all set for year round hiking options. I'm a huge EE fan. :-)
Thanks Jimmy!
i just got this exact quilt and size in purple and black for my wife. i have the same color in the 20 degree version. i also got the hoodlum and booties. i love everything ive gotten from EE..my next purchase will be the new jacket they make
Good review. I hope to finally get a EE quilt before fall. I've been rocking a Golite ultra 20 for about 10 years now. Almost time for something new.
check out massdrop right now it's on sale
This is a great review. I slept in my EE Revelation quilt for 17 straight days this summer and was as comfortable on the last night as the first night. Even missed it when I put it away and slept in my bed at home. I was surprised by Jimmy's comment about being clammy on the material. This is the first sleeping bag or quilt where I have been 100% comfortable with the material on bare skin. No clamminess at all for me and that used to be my biggest complaint about past sleeping bags. I agree with Jimmy's concern about drafts in the footbox, it is difficult to seal out drafts but I have managed to do that. I see also you can now order this quilt with a draft baffle this year.
They have a little video at their site that shows how to completely close the footbox.
OMG I actually chose orange in case I needed to potentially signal for help. LOL glad somebody else thinks like me
a note about durability of sleeping bags and other things with these materials- the very first practice stitch I ever did I could not tear apart with all my strength. Even though they feel thin and fragile, and can be torn with sharp objects, they can withstand an incredible amount of force before breaking.
Nice review
good review!
Thanks this really helps~
Thanks dude!
I like mine, I will say though. Whatever size you think you need, go one size warmer, and one size wider. I typically put my footbox inside of a shirt, or if I'm really stretching the ratings inside a down jacket. (with layering and the down jacket trick I have gotten my 2017 30F bag, comfortably down to 15-20 degree temps)
good stuff, thanks
Great review. What are your thoughts on the Revelation vs the Enigma with the pre closed foot box? Do you feel that such a sleeping bag style of foot box would give up on versatility that the Revelation have?
Thanks for the thorough review. I am likely going to purchase an EE quilt soon, and I have a question that I am hoping you can help answer. I see they have recently started offering a lighter 7D fabric option. They say it is more "breathable". But does that mean it will let warm air escape while allowing cold air seep through?? And thus making the comfort temperature rating even more off?? What are your thoughts? I realize the thinner fabric will not be as durable, and I think I could manage that. However, the real concern for me would be whether or not it is anywhere close to true to the temperature rating. Please share your thoughts on this matter.
I’m getting one
I'm so glad the hype about ee quilts is wearing off and people are realizing that they are lacking in warmth. When I ordered a quilt and asked for extra down they scoffed at me and said it's all calculated and extra down is a waste. Sure enough they now boast that they have added 5% more down. Pretending its a positive attribute instead of what it is, covering up their under filled bags and "mistake" in calculations. They should add 5% down to every bag they've sold for free. I had a 20 degree quilt with an ounce of overfill, tried all the tricks over 3 nights in my yard with temps between 30 and 40. Super cold and returned the quilt the following day. Imagine how sad I was after waiting 12 weeks!
G Haver I realize they are the rage because of weight but I still have trouble believing they will stay on you if you move around much. If I had the money I would buy western mountaineering.
I too found the hole in the foot box annoying. I going to try the midatlantic mountain works down plug designed to seal the foot box on quilt systems. it weighs .3 ounces and costs only 10 dollars.
Jimmy, thanks for the great review!
You mentioned that this quilt fabric feels clammy against the skin. I've had the same problem with my sleeping bags. Have you found any bags or quilts that use a better material? Does any company have consistently "nicer feeling" fabrics? Have you noticed if the fabric weight (e.g. 10D, 20D) has much of an effect on how it feels?
Keep the videos coming!
I was surprised by this comment from Jimmy because like you I had the same problem with other sleeping bags and materials but not with my Revelation quilt. I love how it feels against my bare skin. It is the first sleeping bag or quilt where I am 100% not clammy when I sleep in it. This past summer I slept in it for two weeks straight and as comfortable the last night as it was the first night. I love it!
Hey could you review the naturhike taga??
If you're concern is in the cinched toe box, have you considered the EE Enigma?
Thanks for the review.
Im really getting hung up on the small space that allows the down to migrate between baffles.
Its great to be able to shift the down within each individual baffle...But I can't seem to be able to come up with a good reason for the potential of more down in one baffle as opposed to another?(assuming each baffle is filled evenly to begin with.)
Down that's in the outermost baffle will get compressed if you tuck it under you, so it's more efficient to move that down somewhere else where it can remain fully lofted. Also, some people prefer more insulation in the foot area instead of in the torso area.
I three-season camp from my motorcycle so pack size is very important to me. I currently use a Marmot 650 Down "Never winter" bag. This quilt packs down much larger than my bag, looks much less easy to use and costs more. I'm glad you like it but I am not convinced of the benefits of a quilt.
Thank you that was very informative. I use a marmot down mommy bag zipped almost all the way down and flipped upside down for my quilt. Is there any difference except for maybe mines a little heavier?
There might be some differences:
-A quilt can lay perfectly flat like a comforter, which is helpful for comfort and temperature regulation
-A quilt can be more easily draped when you're hanging out around camp
-A quilt won't have a hood; your mummy bag might (and that's unnecessary if you're flipping it upside down)
The differences aren't huge and I would say most people switch to quilts for the weight savings.
Best review of this quilt I've seen and has convinced me to buy one.. if only your measurements were in metric so the rest of the world didn't have to have a converter open in another tab! (1 deg = freezing 100 = boiling.. that sort of stuff!)
LongStraightLines I thought 0C was freezing :) Just giving you a hard time! Thanks for the feedback, I’ve incorporated metric units in my newer reviews so look forward to more of that.
@@HikingNerd oops.. must have been late here in Australia when I commented! Yes, 0 = freezing! Keep up the great work 😎
Hey I have a question for you, I see the 10 Degree on it. but does it have a thing for what the fill power? 850 or 950? so that way I know whats the fill. Looking at a getting a used one
I have one and love mine. Slept down to upper teens and was warm, and that was with just underwear on and no additional garments.
What degree rating bag?
@@jeffbrazill764 I think it is 20 degree with some overfill. I recently washed mine gentile and dryed it in dryer with almost no heat and it is better than new.
Hey whtup hiking nerd..cool video review on this top quilt...I see u also are wearing their down hood? If so please do a review on this piece? Thanks & keep making more videos
Hi Jimmy, Thanks very much for your detailed review...Much appreciated. Very helpful in answering some of my questions before considering a purchase. Perhaps like some others, I'm unsure about the proper length. You are 5'9" and the Regular seems just right...I am 6'-1/2" and am wondering if the Regular might a tad too short when the foot box is closed, or if the Long might be a tad too long. I like to pull a blanket up. Any suggestions? Cheers, Steve
Do you sleep fully stretched out or with legs bent? In the winter, I might keep some items in my foot box and there’s enough room if I don’t stretch out completely, which means a regular could work for you if you sleep with somewhat bent legs. Otherwise, go with the long to be safe.
Thank you for showing this in the stuff sack, you're probably the ONLY reviewer to do so. Do you use a compression sack?
Thanks Peter. I don’t use a compression sack and sometimes I don’t use the stuff sack either which means I can better fill in weird spaces in the pack.
Im curious, does this quilt only work for that sleeping pad? I've never seen anyone use a klymit pad or somthing else..
Can it be packed small enough to go backpacking with it???
Do you still like that you got it in wide? we are very similar dimensions. I just got in mine in wide and it feels HUGE! do you usually sleep with the edges of the quilt tucked under you?
Thanks for the review Jimmy. Do you know why it doesn't come with a zipper to fully zip around the body?
lu wang The EE Convert does just that, which makes it more like a sleeping bag. This is not meant to fully wrap the back of the body.
I live in Kauai, and do overnighters into some remote canyons where it doesn't get down to much below 55-60 at night.
I need the lightest quilt/bag and pad available, as the hiking is super technical, rock hopping, going thru water, scaling hillsides, etc. what do you recommend? my hiking buddy really likes enlightened products, your review waas super helpful, but it just isn't that cold here, i'm leaning toward EE since their warranty is superior. THANKS! Rick Kauai
At those temperatures, it won’t matter much what you pick. A full quilt might not even be necessary if you already have insulated clothing. In theory I could go with a NeoAir UberLite and a 1lb Costco quilt knowing that I could shed more ounces with higher down fill power but this would be the baseline for cost efficiency. In practice, I would use my UberLite, Montbell Mirage down jacket, and find some light down pants. No quilt needed and I have a setup that’s more functional because I can wear it.
Hello! Im 182cm, can i go for regular or do i need a long bag?
1:36 so relatable
Not a quilt guy, always love your reviews though ...
Good review. Do you have problems staying warm in the wide version when not wearing lots of clothes (more space between you and quilt)? I have the wide myself, I'm 6,2 and 75 kgs. It's hard to stay warm in my EE 20 degrees quilt. Especially on the upper body.
I think it's nice having the extra width because it gives you options. If you use a strap or two, you can certainly adjust it so it's the same circumference as the regular-width quilt. Try moving that down around to areas where you need it -- sometimes it can shift when you pack and unpack it so it's helpful to occasionally reallocate before you tuck in for the night.
When there's a significant cool breeze, I can definitely feel it inside the quilt. When it's calm and you've warmed up the quilt so it's fully lofted, it performs as it should. They've added a bit more down fill to the newer versions of the quilt for the same temperature rating, but again I wouldn't trust that temperature rating verbatim. Check out my post on that: bit.ly/2BUrZsX
The draft collar fixes the cold
Hey I know this is an old video so I'm not expecting you to reply. But I was wondering how you migrate the down from the outer baffles to the center torso baffles. You mention that there should be a center channel from the bottom of the quilt to the middle. I have the Enigma version that I bought last month and I'm wondering if there's a technique to it as I'm struggling to move the down through the channel as there seems to be some mesh in the way
If it feels like there’s something in the way, it may be the case. I could feel when the clump of down moved through that channel because I would push it through. Can’t tell from the Enigma pics on the website if that’s still the case.
Excuse me , Excuse me I interested Revelation.I need to know. What length for Regular size. Inch ?
Hi, would you recommend adding the draft collars? Would this stop the draft you get when the foot box is cinched?
They weren’t available as an option back when I got my quilt. Wish I had em.
Hi Jimmy,
Thanks for a great review. I'm wondering how long is your quilt?I'm trying to figure out which length to buy. The EE website said that the regular size has a length of 78" (6.5ft) which will be great for me (5'9") since I prefer for the quilt to be able to cover my face when I sleep. However, in your video, I only see that the quilt only reach to your neck. I'm wondering if they change the sizing. Thank you
Hi Hizkia - my quilt is 78" in length so the shot at 0:51 should be a good reference since we're the same height. There's enough space for me to further down on the quilt so that it comes up to my nose, but it's not quite long enough to cinch over my head. Put another way, if I cinch it around my neck, there's still a good 6" of extra length in the footbox for me to throw some items into. Hope that's helpful.
@@HikingNerd Thanks for the quick reply man! That's very helpful. I might just get the long version then since I can use the extra 6" to cover my head when I'm sleeping
This quilt is good to about 32Deg. I bought a 20Deg and it was lacking in fill. I returned the quilt and EE added 3 oz,(costing 12 dollars an oz), to drop the quilt to 0deg. I just used the quilt yesterday and the temp dropped to 25deg. I was COLD. I like the weight, I like the stuffablity. I am buying a different sleep system since my on the trail experience tells me to dump this quilt. I've live months on trail and from the start this quilt is not that great a buy. Thumbs up on your video, btw.
It's funny how things work huh? Maybe not so funny for you since you're trying to improve your sleep system. I just wrote a post about temperature ratings which may or may not be of interest to you: bit.ly/2BUrZsX.
There's definitely a learning curve and some experimentation needed when it comes to quilts. I find that ultralight quilts such as the EE Revelation are susceptible to wind and extreme cold but are so much lighter than some sleeping bag counterparts. Have you tried pushing down out of the perimeter baffle and into the central baffles? And a high R-value sleeping pad really helps as well.
Thanks for the link and thanks for the advice on moving down to the center. I am giving that a try. Plus I am getting a Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm MAX so that might fix the problem on heat loss.
Follow up comment; an excellent article on R-values and the NE standards at your site, thanks again. hikingnerd.wordpress.com/2017/12/07/some-thoughts-on-temperature-ratings/
Try an Exped winterlite down pad. I have an EE and use Exped Winterlite Down and it has improved my comfort level.
Sell you Revelation and get a Katabatic Flex quilt. You won't be disappointed!
I see that you tested out the cold end of things. But can you use this quilt all year round comfortably? Or is it too warm in the summer?
My summer nights are never warmer than 50F, thus I’m more concerned about the lower end of the temperature spectrum. If your summers are consistently higher than that, I think you might want to consider a quilt with less down fill than I have. I would expect a 10F or 20F quilt to be too warm at 60F no matter how I vent it, unless you’ve got a consistent breeze or sleep really cold. This comes from my overheating while filming this video indoors.
I do wish it was a little wider, needs about 1 more foot on each side in my opinion.
Did you go with the 850 fill duck down quilt or drop the coin on the 950 fill premium goose down
850 fill power for me. I can usually save that weight elsewhere for much less.
Great review. Enlightened Equipment makes a great product, customer service, not so much.
May I inquire please?
Around 4:50, during the portion about Temperature Rating, you demonstrate clipping the quilt behind your back. Can I do this with the regular width EE Revelation quilt? Or do I need to specify wide or extra wide when purchasing a custom width to be able to do what you are doing in that portion of your video?
Thanks so much!!
It depends how skinny you are and how much extra wiggle room you would like :) they all have that functionality regardless of width
@@HikingNerd thank you very much for replying!
Did you get a duck down or a goose down?
Nice review Jimmy, thank you. I'm thinking of buying Revelation quilt too. I'm just a bit taller than you (6'1''), do you think Regular length will be enough? Long version seems too long. Do you think you could get away with just a Regular width instead of a Wide version?
Hard to say, you should check out what other (taller) people are saying about the fit of their Revelation quilt. For me, the Wide helps when I'm using it in the winter and wearing more layers underneath (also, I am a very active sleeper). You could probably get away with the Regular length but you wouldn't have much excess. I will sometimes shove a sit pad or clothing down into the footbox so the extra room is appreciated.
Hiking Nerd interesting, what is the goal for shoving stuff into a footbox? With long/wide I’m mostly concerned about having extra space/air to keep warm. It’s my first quilt/bag, so don’t have much personal experience yet.
The footbox can get drafty and cold so it helps to have more insulation there - plugging the hole with a stuff sack or even a sock doesn't seem to be sufficient for me (I tend to push the boundaries of quilt use when other people switch over to sleeping bags to avoid drafts). The good thing about a Wide quilt is that you can always cinch it tighter around your back using the straps to eliminate excess space (and this has the added advance of sealing off your sides from drafts too). I can actually use the clips on the back of my quilt to cinch it up like a sleeping bag - something I wouldn't be able to do with the Regular width. But I find that having a quilt that's not wide enough will mean any twist or turn can expose me to the cold air.
There's definitely a learning curve with a quilt to figure out how to make it work for you and it's not for everyone or every situation - but the versatility and weight make it suitable for many 3 season applications.
got it! Thank you so much for your answers!
Got my EE Revelation - Regular/Wide. Tested it only at home but it seems like Regular length is def enough for 6'1'' person. With closed footbox I have enough length to pull the quilt up to forehead and can easily tighten the top around my neck with plenty of lengths to spare. Wide width seems to be the right choice too. Thank you again for your advice!
Did you ever hook up with PHARRAOH? He hikes the San Gabriels ever week? Super nice guy.
Looks good quality material outer, but i wish that the designers of the down quilts sewed channel stitching that goes across the channel to stop the migration of the down along the channels its so easy to do and makes all the difference of heat keeping ability of the quilt.
I have a 0% quilt,been down to 14, I was fine