Experience with Enlightened Equipment Accomplice?

Given how new the Accomplice is, I haven't heard any user reports yet.

I can comment about EE, the company, though.

I own two quilts from them and their service matches the construction, design, and materials – all excellent. I have referred several friends to them, one of which just bought his first quilt.

On this forum, you'll find more EE users than FF (gotta love acronyms). The weight, which you point out, is a factor, as is price. There's another factor that has endeared EE to many: Tim, the owner, frequents this site to provide input, details and even help to DIY'ers to make their own quilts!!!! Oware and MLD owners do this as well, btw.

I don't know how good the FF model is, but 1.5 lbs and $230 could be directed towards other cool gear!

Either way, report back so we know how your choice works for you.

I work for Enlightened, so I won't comment on the Accomplice itself, but I will point out that the FF groundsheet seems only takes up to 20" wide pads, so if you prefer a wider pad it probably won't work quite right. We designed the straps on the Accomplice for a pair of 25" wide pads with no trouble, for whatever that's worth.

Won't find much chatter/reviews on the accomplice since its so new….but, I recently just bought one…dying to try it out! Just need to wait for EE to make it for me….patience, patience….

I know, you're right! This forum has turned me into a bit too much of an information junkie, and now I don't know how to make a decision all by myself!

I think Todd is write, "I don't know how good the FF model is, but 1.5 lbs and $230 could be directed towards other cool gear!"

I'm still a little afraid a quilt won't be right for me, but at the very least, I'd kick myself if I didn't try it. Accomplice, here I come!

Unsurprisingly, if you've ever used an EE product. I don't think there's a better system for backpacking couples on the market at the moment.

I've used zipped-together syn TNF Cat's Meows in my pre UL days; don't need to tell you guys the weight, rating and compression issues, not to mention issues with hoods, drafts down the neck area, and the inability to vent one side if your sleeping companion is the temperature of the surface of the sun, as mine is.

Moved to a 750 Downtek 40° Nemo Muse Duvet. Nice face fabric, a bit short of its rating, quite heavy (44oz) for a 40° quilt, and only available at the one temperature.

Finally, the Accomplice. Mine is a 20° 750 duck down with the 20D face fabric; dead on spec. Used it for two nights this past week in Emigrant for the Perseids meteor shower. Kept my notoriously cold-sleeping GF happy at a windy 40°; let me stick a leg out to vent. Above and beyond the usual EE quality are two innovations: the in-between-head baffle and the pad attachment system.

The headspace baffle works. Both users can have the neck snaps attached without the system feeling like a noose. When laid flat, it very effectively stops drafts. One person can use it as a pillow in a pinch. Flips up and out of the way for venting.

The pad attachment system is simple and effective; it stretches to fit my two Exped Synmat MWs (25" each) without a problem, and is VASTLY easier to attach and more comfortable than the velcro Exped pad coupler straps I was using previously.

I keep mine in the Schnozzel pumpbag for my pads (40L); I imagine you could get the 20° model into a 13L drysack with some room left for compression.

One caveat is that the 750 duck down smells a little. Not enormously, but noticeably. Easily solved by getting the 800 or 900 fill goose down. :)

"One caveat is that the 750 duck down smells a little. Not enormously, but noticeably. Easily solved by getting the 800 or 900 fill goose down. :)"

Does it smell bad? Strong odor?

Thanks,
Kevin

I have multiple bags in 750 DD and while I wouldn't say it smells bad, it has its own odor. It is pretty faint though.

I really wanted to like FF as they're a Seattle based company but after checking out a few of their bags in their store, I felt like I was in a coffin. Also, don't care for their zipper as it kept snagging on me in the store. I don't have this problem with my MBULSS#3. I'm a big guy so there's that. If you haven't already, I'd try one out before buying. Many people seem to like their FF bags so take all this with a grain of salt.

I haven't purchased an EE quilt yet so can't speak to that.

I have the 20* 750 duck down Accomplice. I couldn't pass up the phenomenal pricing, service, and quality that EE offers. I ordered the accomplice on 7/8 and received it less than 3 weeks later.

My wife and I used it for 2 nights in the sierras. The nights were a low of 50. It was fantastic. I'm eager to test its limitations. Wife approval factor is very high. My only concern is the straps that hold the pads together. There is risk of the pads spreading apart.

The Accomplice footbox is stiched. I wish it was like the rev.

IMO, EE is the best bang for my buck.

I highly recommend a double quilt for couples. Bedtime is much more, um, enjoyable now. :)

Oh. I noticed absolutely no smell to mine. Also, we used a Static V and NeoAir with it.

Awesome, thanks for the feedback. What's the problem you're having with the stitched footbox? Would it be worth it to ask for something like this instead: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=94645.

Ok…so I actually asked Will about the footbox he had. I ordered an accomplice about 2.5 weeks ago so I was thinking of doing a quick call to EE before they sewed mine to get the rev style footbox.

Will informed me, and now makes sense, that with such a large opening when you cinch it down tight, it dramatically decreases the width of the foot area, so both of your feet are touching. Which, isn't what you want….the accomplice has a straight taper just for that reason. Will bought it like that b/c if closed tight it could be used by one person…but, I'll let Will comment about that (i'll even delete this info if he wants me to).

Anyway, so I called EE and asked if I could instead have a zipper along the complete bottom of the footbox, and then the vertical zipper like you have it on the revelation right now. Tim got back to me and said he gave it a lot of thought, and thought it could be done. However….you would then have to add a draft tube or you'll have a cold spot at the zipper.

Which…got me to thinking that it might add too many ounces to get the mod done….and in the end, it didn't matter anyway b/c I was informed my accomplice was already sewn up.

However…..after thinking about it, I'll probably want the sewn footbox anyway since its a straight taper footbox so should be plenty roomy. If it gets too warm, I'll just take my feet out and have the quilt footbox lay on top like a blanket. True, I wouldn't be able to lay the quilt completely flat like a queen size blanket, but I would probably use the quilt outside of backpacking about 1% of the time…so would rather have the weight savings.

Though……..if the zippered footbox only added 1.5 oz or something…I probably would do it regardless…

Awesome, John, that's really helpful. The ability to use the blanket for just one person is definitely something that's interesting to me. I think I'll probably go still go zipperless though–I think I'll be just fine without being able to lay it completely flat.

Thanks for the feedback, and hope you get your accomplice soon!