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  1. #1

    enlightened equipment quilts

    I just received 3 of Tim's new quilts and thought I would share my experience with them so far.

    I purchased 2 of his big and tall quilts, one in 40 degree, and one in 20 degree. I had tim do a custom length for me and add two inches as I am 6' 5" tall. I also purchased a regular size 20 degree for my wife. All the quilts were from his nylon/down line (his revalation line).

    Tim was fantastic at communication all through the process. I do have to admit he was the best at keeping me informed and answering my questions all the way from working with me to decide on what quilt I needed (I was considering his cuben line as well) down to working with me to get the quilt to fit just right. He communicated with me as materials arrived as well as when they were ready to ship, and shot me over the finished weights. It took a while longer than originally planed to get the quilt, but it was a new product and he got a ton of orders right off the bat. I never felt like I didnt know what to expect, and that to me made up for it being a bit longer than expected when I placed the order.

    I have gone over each quilt and can find absolutely no stiching problems or fabric abnormalities. The exterior 20d fabric had a nice feel and the weight is dead on. The new baffle system took me a while to figure out, but time walked me through moving down around in the quilt. The baffle boxes are 14" squares with 6" walls on each side so that leaves a space at each corner that you can move down around simply by patting it. You simply lay the quilt out flat, let it loft for a few minutes, then pat a particular baffle to move a bit of down to an adjacent baffle. I have used this to move some down from the side to the middle (as in why put down beneath you, and to move some up from the footbox to the center (as I wear down booties). Its not drastic by any means, as in all the down doesnt just move around, and I have stuffed and unstuffed it several times with no effect of the down really moving around. I notice no down moving just from sleeping in it.

    The footbox is large enough to fit my size 15 foot, and I really like the way there is a zipper and then a variety of snaps and loops along the back to pull the quilt under you if you desire. I found that using all the supplied snaps and using the supplied shock cord and cord locks to pull together the loops (above the snaps) makes for one seriously efficient fit. I can easily go from a flat quilt when its warm to a snug sleeping bag fit when its cold in a just a few minutes. I also like the abilty to get in and out of it when its all done up in sleeping bag mode. I simply stick my legs in half way down and the shock cord will then give enough to get the top over my head. if you really want to cinch up, the top has a drawstring and cord locks to do that as well.

    From what I can see, there is no reason to attach this quilt to a pad, I think with the room in the quilt and the ability to cinch it up to your own spec (how tight you want it) that I am able to lay flat on my back just fine, and toss from one side to the other without rotating the quilt and causing drafts.

    I am going to take these out on the trail this weekend and get some practical use outside my house, but for now, I highly recommend this quilt. I can go so far as to say its radiclly different from my former quilt, but it has nice touches that make it better in my opinion. The abilty to shift down easily but yet still have it hold in place after I decided where I want it, and the multiple options I have for cinching up the quilt into bag mode as opposed to the 2 or so I had on my other quilt. The fit is fabulous and the weight is less than I had before (size to size).

    The last thought I will add is that from a purely visual standpoint and with a bit of feel thrown in for good measure, I would say the quilt is well stuffed with 900 fp down right off the bat. With several of my previous quilts I always felt I had to order additional oz's of down to get the same feel as I was accustomed to with my WM bags. Tims came that way out of the box with no extra down ordered.

  2. #2
    Senior Member NewtonGT's Avatar
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    it looks like great quality but im not a millionaire

  3. #3
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    Get what you pay for.

    Pay now or pay later. Tim's stuff will outlast just about anything out there because of his superior quality. It's also more cost effective in the long run to not have to replace sleeping gear every couple of years.

    BF

  4. #4
    I think if you look at any of the similar quilts such as katabatic or others you will see he is fairly priced. I have now owned most of the major brands going on the backpacking side and would take tims over any of them.

    If you compare him to wm bags he is cheap.

    I think only katabatic is a close second.

    His vbl quilts are for serious and skilled users who want the finest equipment and know how to use it.

    Each to their own however.

  5. #5
    Senior Member NewtonGT's Avatar
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    twas a joke guys. I said it looked like great quality
    Dale Gribble: I'm thinking, "new hammock." For me, laying and swaying in a hammock is like a steady morphine drip without the risk of renal failure.

    Randy : yea but just remember yer roots and where ya come from....you got Hennessy in yer blood son......

  6. #6
    Senior Member G.L.P.'s Avatar
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    don't forget he uses Cuben as well... cuben is not cheap
    and like BF said.. you get what you pay for
    It puts the Underquilt on it's hammock ... It does this whenever it gets cold

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