Massdrop private label 20degree quilt

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-down-quilt?mode=guest_open&referer=6LHP2W&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=%5BSpecial%5D%20UL%20Quilt&utm_term=4-27-2016%20UL%20Down%20Quilt

Available after the summer hiking season (shipping August 15)

Hey guys – Danny from Massdrop actually sent me one of these to have a look at.  No, I don’t get to keep it…he just wanted me to have a look at it so I could share some opinions about it since this is the first time they’re doing this.

First of all – I am under NO obligation to say anything nice or mean about it – as I said, I don’t get one unless I get in line and buy one just like you guys.  So with that in mind…

This quilt is sweet for the price.  The nylon is a decently soft hand and the quality of the build is really, really good.  It’s from Tim at EE and it is quite a bit nicer than his original RevX models.   this one has a sewn footbox but with a drawstring closure; I initially thought they messed up, but then Danny mentioned that no, it’s on purpose and it’s a) for venting, b) to keep the weight less than the full revelation model (which opens all the way) and c) no zipper to lie on.  Consider it a cross between an enigma and a revelation.

To be honest, I’m not really sure how or where you would ever find a 20* quilt this nice for this price – I hope this is the start of something really good from Massdrop (hint, hint Danny…).

If you guys have any questions just ask.  I have to send the quilt back soon, so let me know if there’s anything you want a close up picture of, or any specific questions.

@matthewkphx – the last shipment will be mailed by August 15, but the majority of quilts will ship before that. These are being made in small batches (maybe 50-60 at a time), and they will ship out every month or so as they get completed. So the first members to join will likely be receiving their quilts sometime in June. It’s certainly an incentive to join the drop early. (Note: We anticipate it’ll sell out in the first day.)

A few BPL members have early samples of these quilts. @jenmitol @caseyandgina

I’m happy to answer any more questions about this. [Disclosure: I work for Massdrop]

Danny/Jennifer,

Do you know if the fabric is the same as the currently offered 10D stuff?  I’m looking for a quilt that has softer fabric more like he HG Argon.

It’s apparently 15D – and while not as soft as the 10d that Tim uses in the Enigma now, it feels pretty much the same to me as the Argon stuff I made my own synthetic quilts out of.  It’s a decently soft hand, and there’s enough down in there that it’s got a nice pillow-y feel to it.  It’s not at all plasticky, and I’m SUPER sensitive to that (I HATE plasticky feeling nylon).

If I didn’t already have 2 quilts, I would buy this.  2 of them, actually.

David I actually feel the same way – I’m bummed it’s a 20 deg since that’s pretty much what I already have.

I cozied up in bed with this last night to see how the venting works on the bottom (I live in Austin and it was 88 here yesterday)…i have to say at first I thought the hand was a TEENY bit more plasticky than the enigma I have – but after lying in it for a few hours last night I have to say it’s not.  It feels quite nice actually. And the venting option at the bottom is a WONDERFUL idea.

Hey guys – Danny from Massdrop actually sent me one of these to have a look at.  No, I don’t get to keep it…he just wanted me to have a look at it so I could share some opinions about it since this is the first time they’re doing this.

First of all – I am under NO obligation to say anything nice or mean about it – as I said, I don’t get one unless I get in line and buy one just like you guys.  So with that in mind…

Me too!  Sorry for getting into this thread a bit late, but I’m also happy to share my opinion and answer any questions about the quilt.

This quilt is sweet for the price.  The nylon is a decently soft hand and the quality of the build is really, really good.  It’s from Tim at EE and it is quite a bit nicer than his original RevX models.   this one has a sewn footbox but with a drawstring closure; I initially thought they messed up, but then Danny mentioned that no, it’s on purpose and it’s a) for venting, b) to keep the weight less than the full revelation model (which opens all the way) and c) no zipper to lie on.  Consider it a cross between an enigma and a revelation.

To be honest, I’m not really sure how or where you would ever find a 20* quilt this nice for this price – I hope this is the start of something really good from Massdrop (hint, hint Danny…).

I am not as familiar as Jennifer with EE’s products, but I will agree foremost with her assessment that for a 20″ quilt this is VERY nice for the price.  There are a couple things I might choose to do differently, but I think that Massdrop & EE did a great job building a product suited for a wide audience.  It is always exciting to see Massdrop offer something custom-made and I think they did a great job putting this offering together.

I tried it out all weekend on a long wide Exped Downmat UL7, and the width of this quilt allows it to pair perfectly with a wide pad such as this, which I appreciated.  The combination was very warm (I was only in temperatures down to the 40’s) while still spacious feeling.  The material feels soft and comfortable, while adequately strong.

The drawstring at the foot end is a good feature – my wife especially likes to have her feet exposed when it’s not too cold, so this accommodates that well.  There is a snap there which I don’t understand the purpose of, as it doesn’t seem to do anything, and another criticism is that the cordlock does not hold tight enough to stop the drawcord from pulling open if you press against the bottom with your feet, but this is really a minor concern as that is not something you’re likely to do.  I do worry that in colder temperatures, the point where the drawstring cinches up would be a cold spot since there is nothing in the way of a baffle to cover the (albeit very small) opening and area of thinner insulation.  In the higher temperatures I used it in (40-50’s), I did not notice any problem, however.

The footbox has adequate space, but since it is sewn closed at the bottom it’s not adjustable, and it feels less spacious than the rest of the quilt.  Not a big problem as long as you like your feet close together.  It’s also easy to lift one foot out of the footbox.  It reminded me of my mummy bag days though, which I don’t miss.

The drawstring at the top end is great for sealing out drafts, however the drawstring is in the center, so it’s right over your neck and gets into your face, etc.  I think it would be better located to one side or the other.  It would also be (marginally, but we are talking about a UL product here) lighter weight to locate to one side and have a single piece of drawcord coming through a cordlock, rather than two as this design has.

On the subject of weight, using 850-900+ fillpower down might be preferable to some, but the 750 is lower cost and I think is a bit more tolerant of humidity.  The down is NOT DWR-treated – which I like but others may not.

The quilt is very light and packs up small.  It was great not having any zippers to worry about and just use such a simple quilt.  The design is overall very good.

If I were still using a mummy bag (the last I bought had only 650 fillpower down and cost well over $200), I’d ditch it in an instant for this quilt which provides a lot nicer sleeping experience.  I do like a little more foot room, would personally opt to spend more on better down, and moreover need a sleeping system that can accommodate more than one person, but this is a great option for solo use that I’d wholeheartedly recommend.  The craftsmanship of EE is certainly good and I’ll have to give them serious consideration when selecting a warmer-weather quilt to compliment our winter-worthy quilt!

The snap by the footbox can be snapped over the cord to eliminate the hole at the bottom when closed and it also helps keep the cord lick from slipping.

-Tim

Thanks for the feedback Tim – I will explore it more tonight! :)  I figured it must have some purpose.

<span class=”Apple-style-span”>On the subject of weight, using 850-900+ fillpower down might be preferable to some, but the 750 is lower cost and I think is a bit more tolerant of humidity.  The down is NOT DWR-treated – which I like but others may not.</span>

my older 750 fill revelation is just fine … it actually dries pretty well if it gets a bit damp (not wet) with the proper techniques

;)

Oh good, Tim is here. Ok, two things ->

The snap by the footbox can be snapped over the cord to eliminate the hole at the bottom when closed and it also helps keep the cord lick from slipping.

Ok, has this been redesigned then? I wouldn’t mind something like the katabatic flex footbox closing system (though I’m not sure exactly how that’s designed. I have 5 pre 2016 EE quilts that I have been modifying to add the new EE 2016 quilt features (like male/female strap system)…and I’m wondering if this is a new one? Here is a pic of the old system ->

Is it now where there is a snap button on each side of the hole instead of snaps on each side of the zipper? Like this ->

And…case said ->

The drawstring at the top end is great for sealing out drafts, however the drawstring is in the center, so it’s right over your neck and gets into your face, etc.

I know, right? I talk about it in this recent post ->

https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/incessantly-annoying-quilt-drawstring-in-face-problem-possible-solution/

I was hoping Tim would see that thread. Anyway….I modified a synthetic quilt that I have (nearly exactly like a EE)…and added a simple loop for about 0g weight penalty ->

I’m trying to analyze if this is still the best solution or not…and I think I will need to move the loop further down…or….add a second loop…b/c if the loop is too close there is still a chance that it falls down towards the face. Again, this is generally only a problem if you stick your face a bit into the quilt…if the quilt is below your chin its not a problem b/c you can tuck it under the quilt.

John – it looks like the picture you have with the zipper, only there’s no zipper, so it doesn’t seem to hold the hole closed, at least in any way that I’ve figured out how to use it.  I’m also not sure how to make it keep the drawstring from pulling…but I’m all ears!

Tim makes great stuff. I think it is a branding and marketing mistake to go private label. Why build Mass Drops brand with EE’s great product? I hope their is something more in it for EE then a short term bump in volume.

Tim – I looked at the quilt good and hard last night…could not figure out any way to usefully use the snap.  It could neither hold the hole closed, nor keep the drawstring from being pulled out.  Can you explain how it should be used?