Your experience with Jacks R Better vs. Enlightened Equipment quilts

[Kevin Monagle]

I’ve been an EE devotee for a while, but I’ve become more enamored of multi-use gear lately and I love the idea of JRB stealth quilts that can be worn as insulation. I have a Montbell down jacket that annoys me at 12oz or so…especially since it’s not always needed.

Any thoughts on how practical the stealth really is as a wearable? Overall thoughts on the stealth vs the EE revelation? Thanks!

[Thomas Willard]

I have the JRB 40 degree Sierra Sniveler with the cut-out to wear as a wrap. It’s a novel idea but doesn’t feel as practical in the field. The quilt was too long and I felt like I had to be super aware of thorns and logs to prevent rips. I much prefer a dedicated puffy jacket.

[Paul S.]

There’s a guy on the MassDrop quilt discussion who is wearing a quilt like a dress, with the tops folded over his shoulders like a massive shirt collar.

[Tony Wong]

Kevin,

I had/still have the Sierra Sniveler and it was my first quilt.

I think that it is a very good “value cost” quilt, but falls short in a number of areas.

Jack R Better is primarily a hammock quilt company and as a result, the Sniveler is pretty basic in its design….the upside is that it could be flexible to use as a blanket or a quilt with a foot box.

I found it drafty at the shoulders and not able to secure it around my neck with a snap/button like some of the other quilt makers have.

Wearing it as a bit of camp clothing is also limited….it is a long garment and worked well while standing, but I was not able to sit down for fear of the excess material getting under me or snagged on whatever I was sitting on….like a rock or stump.

I ended up going with the pricey Katabatic Gear 30F quilt, which is wonderful and addressed all of the issues that I had with the Jacks R Better quilt.

I still have my Jacks R Better quilt, and I use it in the winter time on my bed at home.

I would think that the Enlighted Equipment quilt would be a better choice for you simply because their product was designed to be solely a quilt where the Jacks R Better is really a hammock under quilt that has been cleverly modified for ground sleepers.

Those are my thoughts, but note that my experience is with a 2009-2010 Jacks R Better quilt.

Tony

[Matthew / BPL]

My son has a Sniveler. It’s an ok quilt but relatively heavy for its temp rating. He never wears it in camp because it’s too long.

The MLD Apex quilt makes more sense as a multi-use item to me than a down quilt because it seems less prone to damage with the synthetic batting insulation. Actually I’m having Cave Creek Hanmock make something similar right now for warmer trips.

[Russ W]

I have a JTB Sierra Sniveler and ditto Matthew’s comments above.  For a 30 degree quilt it sems about 20% heavier than a 20 degree EE.  Good first quilt but you can do better.

[Bob Shuff]

JRB are having a sale now.  If you want to see it modeled, check out Shug’s latest video.  It’s not just about his airplane hobby.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qKVfBAdhuI.

 

[Cole B]

There’s a guy on the MassDrop quilt discussion who is wearing a quilt like a dress, with the tops folded over his shoulders like a massive shirt collar.

I’ve done that with my EE Revelation, just to see if it would work. It does, sorta.

In addition to sleeping, I think of my quilt as a hypothermia lifeboat. Here in NC, on spring/summer trips from May to October, I don’t need a puffy, but in an emergency, I like knowing I could use my quilt to get warm.  A head slot would make that easier.  I left a question on the EE website asking if they could add a head slot as a custom option on an Apex quilt, but they said they could not offer that.  I really like EE, and feel like they have the best bang for the buck, but I’ll probably buy a MLD Spirit with head slot for rainy summer trips.

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