Help me choose my first quilt

I’d take a look at the REI Magma 30 Quilt for another option. Katabatic is another solid option. Make sure to compare apples to apples.  Not everyone puts the same amount of down in their 30 degree quilt.

thanks, I was looking at the Magma, but they only have a regular left :-(

They’ve got a Long one in the used section.
https://www.rei.com/used/p/rei-co-op-magma-trail-quilt-30/148793?color=Asphalt&size=Long

Tim – I made the switch to quilts only after having spent the previous season using my WM Megalight as one.  I was curious about quilts, and hated being enclosed in a bag (even one as large at the Megalight).  After using the Megalight in quilt mode in temps from 15F to 60F I knew quilts were for me.  Simply using your existing bag as a quilt will tell you a great deal about whether it works for you, what temperature rating you will find adequate and whether your sleeping pad is up to the job.

I have a 30F Revelation and a 10F Enigma and doubt you’d be disappointed in anything from EE. The reviews and features of the Warbonnet Diamondback would have me seriously considering them were I needing to replace something.

I’m a big fan of the Burrow by Hammock Gear. I sleep on my side a lot and don’t like using straps to attach a quilt to my pad so my Burrows are in an extra-wide pattern that they do by request. I think it costs an extra $25.

https://hammockgear.com/premium-burrow-custom/

My $.02 is to go for a sewn footbox. It’s simpler, lighter, lighter and warmer. You can still take a foot or two out of the footbox if you are warm.

If you are going to use it down to 30 degrees, I would go with a 20-degree rated quilt. And I agree with Matthew about the sewn footbox. I never open the footbox of my Revelation.

Only problem with using WM bags as quilts is that you’re not able to take advantage of the weight savings a well-cut quilt provides. Quilts are designed to eliminate the shell and fill weight from the bottom. And of course you’re dealing with a hood on most Western Mountaineering (except MityLite). Clean WM bags bring top resale value on EBay, Gearswap, etc.

WM Extremelite series have 12D outer shells and 10D inners so you could go with 7D or 10D quilt shells and knock off 2 to 3 more ounces. If the 35 degree bag is a Caribou MF you can cut even more. ZPacks is hard to beat because the shells are 7D Ventum (.51 oz/sq yd).  Loco Libre Ghost Pepper is another option where you can choose length, width and 7D or 10D shells with 900 fill. I like their chevron baffles better than EE. https://www.locolibregear.com/gear.html#!/20%C2%B0-Operator-Series-Ghost-Pepper-Topquilt/p/88327053/category=19561052

Also Tim the Enlightened Equipment quilts you linked are 850 duck down. Not in the same league as 900 fill goose down…regardless of what anyone tries to tell you. It’s one of the reasons why EE can offer them at such a reasonable price.

Much more worth the upgrade to goose?

I highly recommend Katabatic. I have the flex 30 and a sawatch closed footbox quilt. Both are great and the 30 I’ve brought well into the 20s with no issues before.

I’m a big fan of the WM Astralite quilt. The first iteration (greenish color) had breathability issues that seem to be resolved in the new model (grey color). I use it in the Sierra and am plenty comfortable into the 20s. I have a Katabatic Flex and like the WM material more …  I find it to be less clammy. The WM is more snugly cut in the footbox, but still plenty comfy.