Over the final 5 years, I’ve spent over 500 nights tenting within the backcountry throughout all 4 seasons. But earlier than any of that, Zpacks was one of many first manufacturers I realized about after I started researching ultralight backpacking gear. I carried a Zpacks Arc Haul backpack the primary time I thru-hiked the Appalachian Path in 2018 and since then, I’ve been lucky to get my palms on a fairly large number of backpacking gear.
Most lately, I joined some thru-hiking pals on a few sections of the Appalachian Path to check out the Zpacks 20F Solo Quilt. I’ve used quilts by Enlightened Gear and Katabatic Gear, however this was my first from Zpacks and the primary sewn-in footbox I’ve ever used.
Zpacks 20F Solo Quilt At-a-Look
Tremendous stuffed baffles for plush coziness.
MSRP: $389-$469 ($429 for my medium size/normal width)
Weight: 16.2-20.5 oz (18.3 oz)
Temperature score: 20°F (estimated to correspond with ISO Transition Vary)
Shade Choices: Azure Blue, Orange, Black, Inexperienced
Cloth: 7D, .51 oz/sqyd Ventum Ripstop Nylon
Packed Measurement: 6” x 12”
Fill Energy: 900 Downtek PFC-free water-repellent down
Circumstance of Evaluation
I picked this quilt up within the fall of 2023 to do some backpacking on the southern portion of the Appalachian Path. I used to be out a number of instances initially and finish of October to backpack a number of nights by means of the Grayson Highlands in Southern Virginia, in addition to by means of your complete AT part of the Smokies. Nightly temperatures have been between 35 and 50 levels Fahrenheit (I did my finest to get in some chilly nights, however we have been sadly lucky with pristine backpacking climate this fall within the south).
When testing a quilt, I discover it’s vital to notice the sleeping pad that it’s paired with. I used essentially the most up-to-date model of the Therm-A-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT, an inflatable sleeping pad with an R-value of 4.5 (a pad I reviewed lately as properly). About half of the nights I camped on the bottom in my tent, and the opposite half on wood bunks of AT shelters. I solely encountered one evening of misty rain, throughout which I used to be camped in a Smokies shelter.
As for my profile, I’m 6 toes tall and weigh 205 kilos. I used the medium, normal quilt, and it was an ideal match.
Options
An adjustable stretch twine across the collar permits cinching in heat beneath the neck.
Customizability: The Solo Quilt is available in quite a lot of temperature scores, in increments of 10 levels Fahrenheit from 10 to 30 levels. At every of these temperature scores, there are additionally 3 lengths supplied (quick , medium , and lengthy ) in addition to 3 widths supplied (slim , normal , and broad ).
Sewn-in Footbox: The quilt is an open blanket, apart from the underside 18 inches or so which type a sewn-in footbox. This permits the underside of the quilt to securely lure warmth whereas shaving weight from the remainder of the quilt. It may be hooked up to a sleeping pad or allowed to hold free whereas sleeping.
Sewn-in footbox
900 Fill Energy Premium Goose Down: Responsibly sourced, licensed DownTek PCF-Free waterproof goose down stays dry 90% longer than untreated down.
Vertical Baffles: Positioned on the higher phase of the quilt, these tightly spaced compartments hold down in place and evenly distributed to forestall chilly spots. They’re additionally filled with 30% extra down than mandatory to take care of the specified loft top.
Water Resistance Measures: The identical black material is used as a liner regardless of the colour selection to attenuate dry time when left within the solar. Each the liner and shell materials are additionally handled with “C0” DWR, which is a extra environmentally pleasant model of basic PFC DWR.
Black internal material makes for fast drying.
Strap Attachment: The quilt has a snap button at every of the hips that may connect to both the opposite facet of the quilt or the included strap attachment. The latter secures the quilt to any sleeping pad.
Roll-High Dry Bag: Included with the quilt is a .9 oz roll-top dry bag. This helps pack the quilt down as tightly and effectively as doable, whereas defending it from moisture ingress.
How Heat Is It?
The snap buttons on the quilt can connect to themselves or to the included pad straps to maintain the quilt in place.
Right here it’s, crucial but difficult-to-communicate element of any sleeping bag or quilt evaluation: how heat is it? To provide as a lot useful info as I can on that, I’ll share my experiences with it in two elements: the way it fared for me over the time I used it, and the way I believe that compares to experiences with related quilts.
In a Vacuum
As talked about earlier, the nighttime temperatures after I used this quilt ranged from about 35-50 levels Fahrenheit. Each evening I used it, it was paired with a Therm-A-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT.
I discover that temperature scores on quilts, whereas evaluated as pretty as doable, nonetheless make for a sizeable vary for varied customers. I usually discover them to be correct for me, and primarily based on my utilization, that appeared to be the case with the Solo Quilt. Even on nights within the mid-30s, I used to be comfortably heat by means of the evening. On one of many coldest nights, I crawled into mattress fairly chilly and damp, and it took me some time to heat up. As soon as I did, nonetheless, I stayed toasty till I obtained up the following morning.
On the opposite finish of the spectrum, I discovered myself borderline too heat when it didn’t get as chilly. I cowboy camped one evening after I don’t suppose it dropped beneath 50 and I ended up having to take my arms out of the quilt to chill down a bit.
The snap button on the collar may be fastened into place to lock in heat on chilly nights.
In comparison with Others
The opposite two quilts I’ve spent essentially the most nights in are the Enlightened Gear 20 Diploma Revelation, and the Katabatic Gear Flex 30, every of which I’ve slept in near 200 nights. All three are comparable, although neither of the opposite two have a sewn-in footbox.
Whereas it’s tough to match quilts with such shut temperature ranges, particularly when utilizing them with completely different sleeping pads, I believed the 30-degree Katabatic quilt was actually near the 20-degree Enlightened Gear quilt. That stated, I primarily used an insulated pad with the Katabatic quilt, so possibly the scores are literally completely 10 levels aside.
Relative to these, I believed the Zpacks quilt was just about proper the place it needs to be. With an insulated pad, I’d anticipate to be fully heat all the best way right down to the 20-degree mark. With a regular inflatable pad (learn: non-insulated) with a below-average R-value, I wouldn’t need to take a look at it too far beneath freezing.
The One Flaw
Ounce for ounce, it is a lighter quilt than both the EE or Katabatic, which is a large plus and the principle cause I wished to do this one out. Nevertheless, in simply six nights of use with it, I did handle to develop a gap. It’s small and very simple to patch up, so alone it isn’t a very important defect. Nevertheless, I believe it’s price noting that regardless that this was a small, easy-to-fix gap, it’s the greatest gap I’ve ever gotten in one among my quilts. I’ve lots of of nights on the others and solely six on the Zpacks.
Might it have been a bizarre coincidence and consumer error that I obtained a little bit gap in any respect? Completely. And, once more, it’s a fairly small gap that any outdated gear tape will shut proper up, no drawback. However, possibly this quilt isn’t fairly as sturdy as a few of its rivals. That will simply be the worth of such a light-weight quilt. And for that to be the one downside for such an superior product appears completely affordable.
Zpacks 20F Solo Quilt Execs
Ultralight: The Solo is as light-weight as something comparable that I’ve ever come throughout. That is merely as light-weight as you may get contemplating the temperature score.
True to Temp Score: In a world the place subjective testing is used to find out temperature scores, I discovered that the 20-degree score is as true to type as any I’ve used earlier than.
Extremely Customizable: It’s grow to be considerably of a regular in quilts, however it ought to nonetheless be acknowledged how customizable this quilt is, in all the things from coloration to measurement and temperature score.
Zpacks 20F Solo Quilt Cons
Considerably Fragile: I’ve put a whole lot of miles on a whole lot of quilts and I’ve by no means broken one as rapidly as I put a gap within the Solo. There’s an opportunity that it was consumer error, however as somebody who is often fairly delicate with my gear, I believe this injury is notable.
Costly: With a view to get one of the best in the marketplace, you gotta pay one of the best in the marketplace. This price ticket is actually up there.
Remaining Ideas
This is a superb, high-quality quilt. It runs a little bit expensive, however as a core piece of a backpacker’s arsenal, it’s a bit of substances the place it’s price contemplating investing closely. Selecting up a quilt like it is a nice option to shave some weight whereas nonetheless staying comfy and protected within the backcountry.
That is nearly as ultralight as quilts get, and with that comes the downside of being a bit much less sturdy. On the finish of the day although, that is an elite piece of substances for long-distance ounce-conscious hikers.
Store the Zpacks 20F Solo Quilt
Related Ultralight Quilts
Enlightened Gear Enigma 20 Diploma Quilt
MSRP: $430
Weight: 18.4 ounce
Cloth: 7D ripstop
Learn our evaluation of the EE Enigma right here.
Katabatic Gear Alsek 22°F Quilt
MSRP: $430
Weight: 22.2 ounces
Cloth: 10D ripstop shell, 20D taffeta liner
Learn our evaluation of the Katabatic Gear Alsek 22 right here.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear 20 Diploma Quilt
MSRP: $499
Weight: 20.1 oz
Cloth: 7D ripstop
Disclaimer: This product was donated for the aim of evaluation.
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