quilt comparison — katabatic sawatch vs enlightened equipment reveleation x 0 deg

Totally different, in terms of design and quality of materials.

Katabatic uses the very best materials. 900FP down and Pertex Quantum. The Revelation X uses 1.1 nylon seconds and 850 fill down. Not much difference with the down, but the fabrics are quite different.

Katabatic's design simulates a mummy bag, and has an ingenious strap mechanism. Enlightened uses a more standard pattern, modestly tapered, and Karo-Step baffles. Two very different goals coming from Aaron and Tim, and both are successful at what they aim for.

I have a Katabatic Palisade as my workhouse bag; it's luxurious in every way. I have a Revelation X 0º with overfill as my winter quilt, is incredibly light for its warmth, and it's truly versatile.

Since you know how much down it has and the fill power, you could take a look at the dimensions and figure out the density & loft of each bag.

I believe Pertex is less permeable, so that could give the Katabatic quilt an edge when it's windy.

Since they have the same amount of down, I would guess that they are about the same warmth despite the difference in their stated temperature ratings. The primary difference between those two quilts is the price and shape, not the warmth. If you want a less expensive quilt, go with the EE. If you want the nicer Pertex fabric and the pad attachment system of the Katabatic, then it might be worth the extra money.

I have a Katabatic Alsek 22F quilt which I have found is conservatively rated compared to other manufacturers. I have had it down to 20F several times and was comfortably warm in it at those temps. The Alsek is pretty much the quilt version of a Western Mountaineering Ultralite. I would expect to be comfortable, not slightly cold, in the Sawatch at 15F. The Alsek is the nicest piece of gear I own in terms of quality of craftmanship and materials and the pad attachment system is great. If you have the extra money, you would not be disappointed.

Andrew

Hi,

Thanks everyone for the responses. For reference, I have a wide Katabatic Palisade which has been fine for warmer conditions.

Stephan–when you say that the two bags have different goals, what do you mean by that? I toss and turn quite a bit. For that reason, I opted for a wide Palisade. Irrespective, it is very important for me to make sure that drafts will not be an issue with either quilt. Do you use the attachment system of your Palisade? How does it compare with the EE in terms of drafts? I also know that the Katabatic has a thick draft collar which the EE does not seem to have. Not sure if this is a very important factor. Obviously, I'd like to save money, but most importantly, I'd like something that would keep me warm and comfortable.

Thanks again

rhz

I have several Katabatic quilts. Chisos, Chisos Wide, and Sawatch. Both Chisos bags have 2oz overfill and the wide is my go to bag down to freezing and slightly below. I have used the Sawatch down to near zero and was comfortably warm in long med weight base layers and my down vest (FF Hyperion) draped over me under the quilt. I was sleeping atop a 24" wide Kookabay R6 down pad.

The down collar has made a big difference in warmth for me as it eliminates warm air from escaping. This quilt is the regular width and on a wide pad I have been able to control drafts on the wide pad but on a narrower pad it required a bit more attention. The materials and workmanship are first rate. I have not felt the need to use the strap system but I do use shock cord on the back of the quilt to help keep things together. I am a tossing and turning flip flopper that is 5'9" and 175lbs with a 51" shoulder girth and the fit is about perfect.

If I could do it again I would go wide but it wasn't available at the time and I was too impatient to wait. A wide with overfill would be a luxurious cold weather bag.

Just look at the shape for what I mean.

Katabatic is a mummy quilt. Closed footbox, radical shape.

Enlightened is more of a box cut. Full or half taper, still basically a rectangle. Zip-up footbox. You could use this as a blanket or an underquilt.

At the end of the day, they both keep me warm. I fall asleep, and don't think about them. They're both incredibly light for the warmth and features.

I wouldn't consider the ratings very much, neither are EN tested, so just a guess on the owners part.

What is the relative surface area of each? since they have almost the same amount of down, they will be equally warm if the they are sized the same and the other features are the same.

I'd imagine a draft collar really helps. Especially if you move around at night. It helps prevent both drafts and compression of the down around your shoulder by over tightening the neck. I've loved one on the mummy bags I've used in winter.

The footbox is warmer on the Katabathic as well. Mummy style trapezoid design means no dead air, no drafts and no compression. In contrast, the fully opening bottom of the RevX is very versatile for warmer weather, but creates a minuscule gap, as well as a significant area with low loft. Also, depending on the width, it is very wide in the foot area, increasing dead airspace. This is less of an issue if you are using very warm down slippers.

Finally the Katabathic has a differential cut, helping to prevent cold spots from compression.

In short I think the Katabathic will be quite a bit warmer and easier to use in very cold weather, especially if you don't use a bivy, while the RevelationX will be more versatile for use in higher temps.

Als, if you want lighter, and don't mind paying for it, you can of course get the regular Revelation (non X) and save some weight.