EE Quilts – Are Weather Resistant Stripes needed with Water Resistant Down?

Well, it depends. DriDown does NOT mean it will not pick up water. And, we know that DWR finishes always leak. The stripes are also better at abrasion resistance. But, if you are careful with your gear and never let it get wet, what is the difference? However, if you use a small 6×8 tarp through heavy rainstorms, and things get wet from mist and spindrift, well, yes, it makes sense to have as much protection as possible. About even with a choice.

My choice was to use a larger tarp for better coverage, then not use stripes on my quilt nor a bivy. A larger tarp is lighter than a small tarp and a bivy, anyway.

See Hoosier T’s posts here….

https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/quilt-design-help-validation-needed/

No need for them IMO, but not because of the dridown.  If your tarp or weather is such that you get wet on the ends, I would take a bivy.  Leave the bivy home in better weather.  It could help some if your quilt is rubbing the condensation of your tarp or tent, but the DWR is likely sufficient for that.  Dridown may be a little more water resistant but is not water proof.  Then again, neither are the stripes.

10D all-’round IMO.

Gonna get wet anyway from inside and/or out, and 10D dries much quicker. I’ve experienced this with both down (Enigma) and synthetic (Prodigy). I have 2 Prodigy quilts, one with 10D and one with 20D (loaner, until my nephew pays me for it, lol!) and I’m pretty certain of this.

Just one point to add…I recently washed my EE Revelation quilt.  I do NOT have the WR down but DO have the 20D WR stripes.  It took much longer for the down in the 20D stripes area to dry in my drier than the rest of the quilt with the 10D.  I always have an adequate shelter, be it a tarp or tent.  If I were to do it again, regardless of whether I went with DWR down, I would definitely go with the stripes at the head where there is a ton of condensation from my breath and would probably skip the stripes at the foot.

“10D all-’round IMO”

+1 to that.

Unless I were to believe the top and bottom of my quilt will be subjected to much higher levels of wear & tear on a consistent basis, then the the 20d ends might not really be needed.