Enlightened Equipment Revelation APEX 30 Review

A synthetic quilt in an ultralight category? We bent our "only down!" rule to test out the Revelation Apex 30 and we're glad we did. This is a very high-quality quilt that will keep you warm and offers a fantastic set of features. Most impressive is the versatility to transform into a blanket for warm nights and easily transform back into a closed-foot box quilt when temperatures drop. Pad straps on the bottom ensure a good seal between the quilt and a sleeping pad, and snaps by the head make sure drafts can't sneak in from the top. Some other benefits of using the Apex synthetic insulation over down include better performance when it's wet and not worrying about cold spots in your quilt, as the insulation doesn't clump or migrate around.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

The 4oz/yd² Climashield Apex synthetic insulation is at the heart of the Revelation Apex 30, and we were as interested as any other gearhead in seeing how it stacked up to down fill. Our overnight water bottle test resulted in warmth retention just as good, or even slightly better than other 30°F limit-rated ultralight quilts.

Many of the quilt's details work well to ensure that you stay as warm as you're supposed to while in the Apex. We found that the pad straps did an excellent job in creating a good seal between quilt and sleeping pad, as did the snaps at the head of the quilt. The generous cut of the quilt also means you can supplement warmth by wearing an extra layer without feeling claustrophobic. We do suggest grabbing an insulated sleeping cap to make sure your head is as warm as the rest of your body because the Apex 30 only goes up past the shoulders and there's no draft collar.

Weight

Unfortunately, synthetic fill does not have the insulating performance of goose or duck down when you start comparing the weights of each. More synthetic fill is needed to reach the 30°F temp rating of the Apex, and thus, you're left with a comparatively heavy quilt. And even though this is one of the warmer bags, it's also one of the heaviest — many of the 20°F limit-rated down bags we've tested weigh less.

The Apex 30 weighs 24.6 ounces for the quilt and 0.6 ounces for the supplied stuff sack. It uses high-quality, lightweight 10D fabric for its shell and liner, leading us to believe that the heavier weight isn't because of cheaper construction. Along with weight, the synthetic fill takes up much more volume, which doesn't compress as well as down fill. Using the included stuff sack, this bag takes up more space than any down sleeping bag we've tested in this category. We experimented with using a third-party compression bag, which allowed us to pack down the quilt to a smaller volume. Since there's less of a chance of damaging synthetic fill by over-compressing it, we feel this is a reasonable solution if you're struggling to find room in your pack.

Comfort

Talk about a sleeper hit in this category. The Revelation Apex is surprisingly comfy, and perhaps our astonishment just reveals our prejudice against anything that's not down. One advantage of using synthetic materials is that the loft is not as temporarily lost from compression, so the quilt is ready to use and toasty much faster than a down-filled quilt. Another advantage is the lack of baffles, which aren't needed for a synthetic fill. Lack of baffles and down fill means no cold spots where down has migrated away or seams where the shell and liner fabric are either touching or close together and where little down resides.

The Revelation Apex 30 is also generously sized when compared to many other ultralight sleeping bags we've tested. The shoulder/hip/footbox measurements are 54/47/40 inches, respectively. The shoulder measurement alone almost matches some ultralight sleeping bags we've seen, which wrap around the body rather than work as a system with a sleeping pad. The footbox is also generous. If you feel claustrophobic in some sleeping bags, quilts may be a better option, and this quilt, in particular, is very roomy.

Versatility

Being a quilt, we had high hopes that the Revelation Apex 30 would be versatile, but it exceeded our expectations with its well-designed, clever features.

The star is the foot of the quilt, which can be adjusted easily from being flat and blanket-like to a well-formed footbox using a system of cinches, snaps, and a 1/4-length zipper. If the weather is mild, you can use the Apex in blanket mode and simply drape it over yourself.

The head features snaps to allow you to wrap the quilt around your neck, trapping in heat and preventing drafts from infiltrating chilly air into your cocoon.

Features

The features found on the Apex 30 are all about keeping you comfortable, no matter the temperature outside — up until the limit rating of the quilt, of course. These features do an excellent job.

As mentioned above, the Apex can be converted to lay flat or have a more traditional sleeping bag footbox shape. The quilt also snaps around the neck to prevent drafts, and a series of pad straps on the bottom help you mate your quilt and pad together. They're easy to use and are also removable. They can snap off the quilt while staying on your pad to make transitions easier.

Should You Buy the Enlightened Equipment Revelation Apex 30?

There are a few scenarios where a synthetic quilt like the Revelation Apex is the best option. First is if you absolutely want to avoid down fill for any reason: ethical, allergies, etc. The second reason is if you are backpacking in relatively wet climates and are worried about moisture penetrating into the fill of your quilt, affecting the insulating properties. Synthetic is much safer in this situation. A third scenario — to a lesser extent -- is that synthetic is typically quite a bit cheaper than down. In these cases, a synthetic option may be smart, and the Apex 30 is one of the best choices for a synthetic quilt.

What Other Ultralight Sleeping Bags Should You Consider?

If synthetic isn't your preference, the Katabatic Gear Palisade 30 is a much lighter down quilt. It's also simpler, lacking the fancy footbox you'll find on the Apex. The fit is a lot more constricting, too. Enlightened Equipment's own Revelation 20 is a warmer down quilt with many of the same features found in the synthetic version. If you want to move to a sleeping bag and drop a chunk of weight, check out the Therm-a-Rest Vesper 32.