Enlightened Equipment Revelation Review – Packs Up Tiny| Average Hiker

Enlightened Equipment Overview Review

Enlightened Equipment has been around since 2007, and I tried one of their quilts when they first began making them. I was not impressed.

But everyone evolves and grows, and so has Enlightened Equipment.

On a recent hike of the Benton Mackaye Trail, I decided it was time to give Enlightened Equipment another try, and I was pleasantly surprised. I’m using a Revelation 20 “Stock” Quilt in this review.

The EE Revelation 20 is lightweight, warm, and stays dry, even on wet hikes. The quilt is well-made and packs tighter and smaller than most of my other quilts and sleeping bags.

Enlightened Equipment’s current quilts are far better than the quilt I used years ago.

Competitors

The five quilts below are my top five picks for ultralight quilts. Quilts are becoming popular, and more and more manufacturers are producing them, so we will begin to see prices decrease.

Vendor	Price	Weight	Material
Katabatic Flex 22	$420	22.8 oz	Pertex Quantum Eco Ripstop
Feathered Friends Flicker	$459	14.7 oz	Pertex Endurance
UGQ Bandit 20	$319.95	27.3 oz	MRS20
Zpacks 20F Solo Quilt	$359	17.5 oz	.51 oz/sqyd Ventum Ripstop Nylon
Nunatak Arc UL	$435	21.5 oz	10D

My Quilt Requirements

I sleep cold and don’t like to sleep in layers, so I always carry a heavier quilt or sleeping bag. I’ve been told my sleep system bar is too high, but sleep is essential to me on a long-distance hike.

• Light Weight – Being lightweight is important on long-distance hikes. The days are long, so to combat fatigue, I keep my backpack light and keep my quilt or bag at 2 pounds or less.
• Compress-ability – My backpack keeps getting smaller, so I need my sleeping bag to pack down small.
• Fill – Because of the cold issues, I usually order the highest fill power Goose Down, which is usually around 900 or higher.
• Shell – The shell has to have some weather-resistant coating like DWR.
• Foot Box – I need to be able to close the foot box completely.
• Draft Collar – The quilt has to have a Draft collar.
• Custom Option – I usually add 2-3 ounces of Down to my quilts and sometimes my bags.
• Straps – Most quilts come with straps. These are a must-have for my quilts.
• Long Quilt – I like long quilts and sleeping bags. This allows me to store temperature-sensitive electronics in the foot. I can also pull damp clothes into the bag to dry and keep my shoes from freezing by putting them in the foot of the quilt if needed.

Enlightened Equipment Quilt Review – Quick Specifications

Price

• Price: $280.00

Weight/Volume

• Quilt Weight: 20.88 ounces
• Fill Weight: 14.41 ounces

Dimensions

• Length: 6′
• Shoulder Width: 54″
• Foot Width: 40″
• Packed Size: 8″ x 13.5″

Materials

• Down: Ethically sourced from an RDS-certified supplier
• Fill: 950 Fill Goose Down
• Exterior Shell: Denier Nylon – 10D – 0.65oz per yard²
• Interior Fabric: Denier Nylon – 10D – 0.65oz per yard²

Revelation 20 Quilt Review – First Glance

Like my other quilts, the Revelation 20 compresses well, possibly better than most since the .65oz nylon is thinner than most of the shells on my other quilts.

EE uses a DWR finish, which is pretty standard on bags and quilts, but theirs worked better than I expected. Over the seven days I used the quilt, there was rain (sometimes heavy). However, the quilt stayed dry and dried out fairly quickly when I laid it in the sun.

Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20 – Components

Revelation 20 Neck Opening

The Revelation does not come with a draft collar, but if you choose the custom option, you can add one for $20. Since you have to select the custom option (+$20), this takes your $280 quilt up to $320.

One thing to note is that if you choose the draft collar option, you get TWO draft collars, one for the neck and one for the foot.

There is a cinch cord to draw the opening of the quilt around your neck, along with a small snap. The snap is securely attached but small, so you must be conscious of it and not too aggressive, or this could be a point of failure.

I’m tough on snaps. I’ve had to replace them on ultralight quilts and sleeping bags, and the EE snap is smaller than most (weight savings).

Revelation 20 Foot Box

The foot box has a twenty-inch zipper with a small snap at the top, combined with a drawstring and snap. Like the head of the bag, there is no sleeve or draft collar to cover the cinch hole, but as mentioned earlier, you get one for the top and bottom of the quilt if you choose the draft collar option.

It would be nice to have the snap to accompany the draft collar option, but this is not available. I am the equivalent of the “Princess and the Pea” when it comes to sleeping.

Revelation 20 Baffles

The Revelation has what EE refers to as long “U-shaped” baffles. These long vertical baffles have a curve down near the foot box.

I prefer baffles that go around a quilt or sleeping bag. Although I can’t usually shift the Down much, I can still shift it enough to make a temperature difference. I try to shift it to the top of the quilt if it is cold. I can’t do this with vertical baffles, although it is nice not to have the Down shift around the quilt.

Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20 Quilt Review – Pad Attachment System

The Enlightened Equipment quilt uses a nylon strap system with small flat clips. There is one loop strap and one straight strap.

Some people pull the edges of their quilt under their pads and clip it, but I prefer clipping my quilt to the strap on the top edges of the pad.

I found this strap system a little drafty. My loop strap was attached at the top, and the straight strap at the bottom. This left too much distance between the top of the quilt and the bottom, and I had some drafty gaps.

I had more drafts when I tried the loop strap at the bottom because I tossed and turned a lot with no attachment to my sleeping pad at the top.

Let me note that I’m a side sleeper that is also a major turner and tosser.

The straps were comfortable, and the clips did not pinch or cause any pressure.

I used my Neoair X-Lite inflatable mattress with the Revelation 20 quilt as a point of reference, and it worked well.

Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20 Quilt Review – Materials

Exterior & Interior Shell Fabric

Enlightened Equipment uses 10D – 0.65oz per yard² nylon fabric for the interior and exterior of their Stock Revelation 20 quilt. In addition, the outside is coated with a DWR finish for weather resistance.

My last hike was wet and a little cool, so the Revelation was put through its paces. I was pleasantly surprised at how dry the quilt stayed, even with heavy condensation in the air and on the interior of the Aeon-Li tarp tent.

There was one instance where the toe-box did become a little wet in some especially hard downpours, and it took longer to dry out than my Katabatic Flex 22 quilt. This may have resulted from Katabatic having treated Down and the Revelation not using treated Down.

Down Fill

The Revelation quilt (Stock version) uses 850fp duck Down, and Enlightened Equipment states there is no performance difference.

The difference between Duck and Goose Down is a point of debate. Technology has advanced the performance of Duck Down, but I’m in the Goose Down camp. I have used both Fill materials and found a Goose Down warmer.

More and more equipment makers are reviewing their supply chain materials, and Duck Down is much less expensive and more easily sourced than Goose Down. However, if you want Goose Down in a EE quilt, you must choose the custom option.

Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20 Quilt Review – Pricing

Quilts are still expensive, so before you order one, check the pricing closely. Enlightened Equipment vs. Katabatic is a good example.

Goose Down – Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20 vs. Katabatic Flex 22

EE has its Revelation 20 (Stock) listed at $280.

Katabatic has its Flex 22 listed at $390.

You are not getting the same quilt, so let’s level the playing field.

1. You will need to switch to the EE custom option for $20 = EE Price now $300
2. Katabatic uses 900fp Goose Down, so let’s choose the Goose Down option for the Revelation, which is 950fp for $85 – EE Price now $385
3. Katabatic has two draft collars s, so let’s choose this option for the Revelation for $20 = $405 for the Revelation 20.

EE Revelation = $405 vs Katabatic Flex 22 = $390

Duck Down – Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20 vs. Katabatic Flex 22

EE has its Revelation 20 (Stock) listed at $280.

Katabatic has its Flex 22 listed at $325.

1. You will need to switch to the EE custom option for $20 = EE Price now $300
2. Katabatic has an 850 Duck Down option (moisture treated Down aka Hyperdry), so we will stay with the same for the Revelation (not treated) – EE Price is still $300
3. Katabatic has two draft collars, so let’s choose this option for the Revelation for $20 = $320 for the Revelation 20.

EE Revelation = $320 vs Katabatic Flex 22 = $325

As you can see, there is not much of a price difference if you want options like Goose Down or Draft Collars.

Katabatic Flex 22 Quilt Review – Final Thoughts

The Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20 is their flagship quilt, and for a good reason. It does what it is supposed to – packs down tiny and light while keeping you warm!

Over the years, Enlightened Equipment has improved in quality, and you see that in the Revelations’ workmanship and warmth-to-weight ratio. So if you are a side sleeper and a thrasher, a quilt may be what you need.

I will make one comment on quilts – they are quilts. When it falls below freezing, I cinch my Feathered Friends Lark 10-Degree sleeping bag so you can only see my nose.

I can’t do this with my quilt. When temperatures are consistently below freezing, I burrow in my quilt, and my breath causes my quilt collar to get damp and lose its loft. I also get a cold neck. I’ve tried the hoods but don’t find them comfortable, and I still have cold spots around my face and neck.

My quilts are awesome from late Spring through early Fall, but when it falls below freezing, you will probably still find me in my sleeping bag.