Enlightened Equipment Revelation 40° Review
Summary
Users who are new to quilts may take pause at the price point in comparison with the conventional sleeping bag, but the Enlightened Equipment Revelation is one of the best values on the market in terms of warmth, weight, price, and quality.
The Enlightened Equipment Revelation Top Quilt is one of the lightest quilts on the market and has long been a top choice for quilts amongst backpackers. It comes in a wide range of temperature ratings – 0°, 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, and 50° – allowing users to have the lightest possible quilt for specific trips or a flexible, one-size-fits-all model. The stock models are available with a suitable range of sizes and colors. If desired, users can also fully customize their quilts to meet their specific needs. Such customizations include additional sizing options, fabric options, and color options.
From my experience with the Revelation, I would not hesitate to recommend this product to anyone looking for a comfortable, lightweight, versatile quilt for their overnight sleep system. The quality of the build, the weight for the price, and the company behind the product are all phenomenal. It’s an excellent option for both the highly experienced backpacker and the first time quilt user looking to lighten their backpack.
The Build
When you order this quilt, it will arrive with a few extras in the box. Those include a stuff sack, soft cotton storage bag, and two elastic straps for securing your quilt to your sleeping pad.
Let’s take a look at the full spec sheet:
EE Revelation 40° Specs (Stock)
- Temperature Rating: 40° F
- Insulation: 850 fill power duck down (RDS certified)
- Size: Regular/Regular
- Dimensions:
- Length: 78”
- Shoulder Width: 54”
- Foot Width: 40”
- Weight: 15.81oz
- Footbox Closure: 20” zipper and adjustable shockcord
- Fabric: 10D ripstop nylon with DWR finish
For complete details and specs, visit EE Revelation product page
Insulation
Users can choose from 850 fill power duck down or 950 fill power goose down. Fill power describes the compression of the insulation, or how much space 1oz of feathers takes up. One ounce of 850 fill power down will occupy 850 cubic inches, and 950 fill power down will occupy 950 cubic inches. That means: the higher the fill power, the less down that’s need to loft your quilt, which translates to lighter weight.
Unlike many other quilt manufacturers, Enlightened Equipment does NOT use hydrophobic-treated down. They justify this, writing “ While both down types have their pros and cons, ultimately the situations where treated down excels are infrequent. Treated down does perform well when submerged or exposed to extreme wetness, but in the most common encounters with wetness (condensation, damp footbox, wet spots, etc…), we’ve found that treated and untreated down quilts perform similarly. After lots of testing and experimentation, we’ve also noted increased loft, durability, and comfort from our untreated down quilts, and feel untreated down provides a more premium product for our customers. While treated down is quality down, we feel its beneficial elements are infrequently encountered, potentially overstated, and overshadowed by some of the aforementioned benefits provided by untreated down.”
Elliot's Thoughts on Insulation
For my 40° quilt, I chose 850 fill power and it came in at 15.81oz. Even though I realllllllllly wanted to have the lighter option with the 950 fill power goose down, I couldn’t justify the increased cost for just a bonus quilt in my arsenal. Even still, the 850 fill power is highly compressable and takes up very little space in my pack. I don’t use any sort of stuff sack for my quilts and always stuff them in the bottom of the pack before adding anything else. My main bag, an overstuffed 20° quilt from Loco Libre Gear, takes up a significant amount of room; even though it’s still very lightweight, it’s large and lofty. With the lightly insulated 40° Revelation from EE, I sometimes forget that there’s a quilt in my pack at all.
By comparison, the 950fp version weighs 14.83oz, a full ounce difference. You might be thinking, One ounce is nothing! Why would you pay more money to save just an ounce? And that’s an incredibly fair and rational thought to have. In my mind, however, if I can save an ounce on 16 different things in my pack, I’ve just shaved a full pound off my back. Remember, friends, “grams are ounces, ounces are pounds, and pounds are pain.”
Stock quilts, much like stock sleeping bags, are generally rated for survival rather than comfort. Enlightened Equipment claims to rate their bags on the conservative side, meaning closer to comfort, but most reviews and anecdotes of the Revelation reveal they still lean more towards survival. This is somewhat less crucial with the warm weather models (40° and 50°), but can be problematic if you need a bag that can get you down below freezing. The general rule I follow with quilts is to order a temperature rating 10° lower than the lowest temperature in which I anticipate sleeping.
Comfort
The main feature of the Revelation, compared to other models in the Enlightened Equipment lineup, is the open foot box design: the quilt can lay flat like a blanket or be zippered and cinched to enclose the legs. As temperatures fluctuate, the user can open or close the quilt’s footbox to mitigate heat and cold. Additionally, the top end of the quilt has an adjustable drawstring and snaps to manage draft control.
More on Comfort
I usually sleep pretty warm relative to the outside temperature. So having the option to open the quilt up is key for not overheating and sweating at night. When it does get cold, the cinch cord and zipper closure help keep out most of the drafty air from entering the quilt. However, a small opening still exists when fully closed and I’ve felt colder air coming in at my feet. I usually shove my rain jacket into the opening and cinch the shock cord around it to plug that hole.
With the footbox closed and the neck closure snapped and cinched, I can have the quilt fully wrapped around my body throughout the night. I toss and turn when I sleep, so using the pad attachment straps helps to keep the quit in place as I move. As with all weight-cutting measures, there is a sacrifice; and every now and then I’ll wake up to a draft coming in through the side where I’ve pulled the quilt away from the pad. All in all, the design of the Revelation allows me to get warm and stay warm.
Sizing
- The Regular/Regular size quilt lists that users size 5’6” to 6’0” with a girth of 48-56”. They offer Short/Regular/Long lengths and Slim/Regular/Wide widths to cover most any sized human there is. Selecting the right size is crucial to ensuring full coverage and loft, while also not carrying more weight than needed.
- When it comes to quilt sizing, more is generally better, especially for the colder weather bags. If a user finds themselves in a chilly night and wants to wrap it around/under the body to seal off all draft entry, more of the quilt is being used than if it were to lay flat across the body. If it’s pulled tight to fit around the body, the down is being compressed as the fabric is stretched. When down is compressed, it no longer insulates properly and results in a colder sleeping experience. Since down is only as warm as its loft, it’s vital to order the correct sizing to account for any situation you might be in.
How it fits Elliot
I’m 5’10” with broad shoulders, and a rotisserie chicken-style sleeper. I toss and turn all over the place, and love to fully cocoon myself inside the quilt when it’s cold, so having extra fabric to work with is key for staying warm at night, thus I normally order Long/Wide sizes. Since I got this quilt for warmer temperatures and wanted as light of a piece as possible, I wasn’t overly concerned with total and unrelenting coverage and went with Regular/Regular sizing. So far, it’s been plenty roomy and I haven’t wanted/needed more.
Recommendation
Users who are new to quilts may take pause at the price point in comparison with the conventional sleeping bag, but the Enlightened Equipment Revelation is one of the best values on the market in terms of warmth, weight, price, and quality. There are certainly higher quality and more highly regarded quilts out there, but those options come with higher prices, longer wait times for custom ordering, and more fragile materials. Treated properly, the Revelation is a piece of gear that can last you a decade without losing function. In order to have a happy relationship with your new quilt, it’s important to choose the correct size and temperature rating. When done correctly, the Revelation can instantly take multiple pounds off your back (depending on the type of sleeping bag you previously had) without sacrificing comfort and safety.