REI Magma Trail Quilt 30 Review

[Ryan Jordan]

Companion forum thread to: REI Magma Trail Quilt 30 Review

This REI Magma Trail Quilt 30 review features a high quality, well-insulated quilt that uses water-resistant down and includes an insulated draft collar.

[Rex Sanders]

Thanks Ryan for both a great review and many tips on using quilts. I’m really liking your combination of written review and video review – both have strengths, and they don’t completely overlap in content.

Questions:

– Hard to believe that a sewn-thru quilt works well at 30 F, compared to baffles. Why do you think that works in this design?

– You discovered the insulated draft collar is essential for comfort, if not extra warmth. That’s a common feature on sleeping bags, wonder why quilt makers haven’t used that before?

– In the video you show the adjustable pad attachment slider right in the middle of the pad. I would certainly end up hating that after lying on it for maybe 10 seconds. Can that chunk-of-plastic-plus-knot go underneath the pad, or on the side?

– If the standard REI pad attachment “shoelace” picks up too much water, would that be easy to swap out with something less water absorbent?

— Rex

[Ryan Jordan]

Rex – Because the baffles are pretty wide, and filled well. Reminds me of the Feathered Friends Helios jacket – sewn-thru baffles, but wide and stuffed pretty good.

Collars aren’t common (yet) on “ultralight” quilts because so many of these guys play the tenths of an ounce game in order to look like they have better products (“The lightest 30F quilt!”). Most consumers probably don’t look too far beyond the temp rating and weight when it comes to looking closely at the specs.

Yes, the toggle/slider in the very middle can be put underneath the pad. I left it on top for illustration. Also, I have to admit, I left it on top throughout the night, and never noticed it. I can see the potential for jamming a hip into it, though, especially when lightly clothed and sleeping on a foam pad.

The shoelace would be easy to swap out. I’ve tried a few different cords now, it does affect the tension on the toggles. I’ll probably leave the shoelace there for now, I like the tension.

[Ryan Jordan]

Rex – Because the baffles are pretty wide, and filled well. Reminds me of the Feathered Friends Helios jacket – sewn-thru baffles, but wide and stuffed pretty good.

Collars aren’t common (yet) on “ultralight” quilts because so many of these guys play the tenths of an ounce game in order to look like they have better products (“The lightest 30F quilt!”). Most consumers probably don’t look too far beyond the temp rating and weight when it comes to looking closely at the specs.

Yes, the toggle/slider in the very middle can be put underneath the pad. I left it on top for illustration. Also, I have to admit, I left it on top throughout the night, and never noticed it. I can see the potential for jamming a hip into it, though, especially when lightly clothed and sleeping on a foam pad.

The shoelace would be easy to swap out. I’ve tried a few different cords now, it does affect the tension on the toggles. I’ll probably leave the shoelace there for now, I like the tension.

[Jenny A]

Ryan:  What a great review, thanks!  I have spent a few nights in mine in a hammock in the back yard in temperatures down to 36 degrees with a 20-degree under quilt.   It was quite comfortable.  And thank you for explaining the toggle system and cords – I did not understand or was too impatient to figure it out, now I will try it when sleeping on the ground.

I would ask your thoughts on a couple of things:  how common is the sewn-through stitching design in the quilt world, and do you think one might feel some chilliness under a tarp or in a hammock as opposed to being in a tent if there were a breeze?  Clearly your test in the WY blizzard was a good one, but you had the tent to block wind.  Logic tells me that yes, you would feel some draftiness without the extra protection of the tent, but I was curious if you noticed anything.  Thanks again for that good review.

[Dena Kelley]

REI Magma quilt is on a pretty nice sale from REI right now $181.29

[Zachary T]

One of the answered questions on the REI site states that it does not have sewn through baffles. Seems like you can feel a baffle in there and the baffle stitch color on top (black) does not show through on the inside (orange)?

 

Am i missing something?

[Jenny A]

Zachary, you appear to be correct.  As I look at my quilt more carefully, the baffles are not thick but they do appear to be there, i.e. NOT sewn-through.  I think I jumped to conclusions when I saw light through them and then didn’t bother to check, but there were definitely no drafts.  Thanks for that clarification.  Really do like the quilt!

Would be curious to know what Ryan was seeing that led him to state that they were sewn-through.

[Rod Wolfy]

Ryan, great review!

However, REI is really lame when it comes to actually getting one of these to the consumer!

I ordered 2 of them during the REI sale (May 17th), which showed they were on Backorder. I went through with the purchase, anticipating a month or so to get more out of their production line.

A month later, I get notified that my order was still on Backorder and had since been cancelled. A few days later, I got another email that said that my order was not cancelled, just awaiting Backorder.

Another week goes by with no response. I called them up and asked about my order. They said that they had them in stock. I asked if I could purchase another two . They told me sure & shipped out the new order the next Monday.

I called Wednesday and asked about my old order. They said that they were out of stock. I asked them when they would be available. They said that they did not have any more quilts and would not have them until next winter and they were cancelling my initial order. I was furious.

They filled an order that was called in on the spot, but never filled the initial order (at the sale price) made over a month before, instead choosing to cancel it.

The product was very nice (especially compared to my 3 GoLite 40* quilts); however, REI can’t follow through on getting any of this product out to consumers.

[Dena Kelley]

Rod, that’s odd. I, too, ordered the quilt during the Anniversary sale and it was on backorder. I got an email from REI informing me that they would try to ship by 6/18 but that if they didn’t they would automatically cancel my order UNLESS I contacted them. I did contact them, via the chat feature, and requested that my backorder be kept until the order was filled, no matter how late it was. It shipped 6/20. I’m happy I chose to wait, I really like the quilt and am looking forward to trying it out with my (also new) NeoAir XTherm to see how the two pair up for an Alaskan summer night.

I would actually file a complaint with REI on that one, because it almost looks like a bait-and-switch on you. You might get something cool for the complaint- perhaps a refund of the difference.

 

[H W]

In Seattle last weekend and visited the flagship REI store to check out the Magma quilt. No can do. Not even a display item. Sales rep said they can’t keep them in stock. They come in and they’re gone. Bummer.

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