Reader Reviews

Rating: 5 / 5

Just got done with my first test of my new Golite Ultra 20 quilt that I received last week. I was able to use it for two nights this last weekend. I was in northern Wisconsin and was really hoping for some cold temps so that I could really test the limit of this quilt, but do to a warm front I was only able to test it down to 31 degrees. However I did come away with a good feeling of the capabilities of this quilt.

I. Initial impressions.
After I received my ultra, I inspected the stitching. Quality seems to be very good, however only time will really tell how well this quilt is put together. Then I weighed it. The regular came out to 19.75 oz. in the 5.5 by 10.5 stuff sack. Loft measures out to be around the 3.5" mark, give or take a half inch or so.
2. Testing conditions
a. Night 1 low temp=31.3 degrees, humidity around 80%. Wind 10 mph. Night 2 low temp= 33.5 degrees, humidity 100%, Wind very light. I slept in a three seasons tent on packed snow using a gossamer gear night light pad in conjunction with a gg 1/4 foam pad. I was wearing a light balaclava, a long sleeve patagonia capilene 2, top and bottoms, and smart wool socks.
3. Results
a. Stayed extremely warm and toasty all night long.
4. Conclusion
This is a great light weight quilt, it packs extremely small, seems to be made very well and I have no doubt that it will live up to its 20 degree rating. I am 5'8" so I purchased the regular size. The ultra is definitely roomy enough, and plenty long. In fact I probably could have gotten away with the small(which is 1.5oz lighter). I have to say this is my first piece of ultra light sleeping gear. I can't believe how LIGHT and WARM this thing is! Initially I was very skeptical that this thing would keep me warm below 40 degrees. Well those fears have been abated. I am more than happy with this purchase so far. I also should say that this is my first quilt, and I am definitely a convert. It is very liberating not being locked into a mummy bag. The quilt may be a little more drafty, but also more versatile. Side and stomach sleeping are absolutely no problem.
I also slept under the quilt inside my parents house. The temperature was about 64 degrees. I got a little warm, but if I just slid the quilt down a little I was comfy. This tells me I will be able to use this thing during the summer, with no problem. So far I have slept with the quilt for 5 nights and have only noticed the loss of 1 down feather.
5. Caveats
a. Snap on collar could have a pull tab.
b. Draw cord in collar could be elastic, to reduce stress on snap.
c. Pad straps shouldn't have to be double backed in order to be buckled.

In response to John's questions.
1. I am a side and stomach sleeper, however I slept primarily on my side these two nights.
2. I am definitely not a bump on a log, I tend to move around quit a bit at night.
3. I did wrap the edges of the quilt under me. It just takes a quick tuck and really keeps the warmth in.
4. The straps did not make it hard for me to rollover when I was sleeping on my side. There was plenty of room under the quilt, it is certainly not as restrictive as a sleeping bag. For instance if you need water or light, you just stick your arm under the quilt and grab your water bottle, or your headlamp.
5. I didn't notice any breeze inside the tent. However I'm sure the breeze kept the inside of the tent a few degrees colder than it otherwise would have been.

If you are skeptical about going to a quilt, I can assure you that you will not be disappointed. The positives far out way the negatives. You can get a feeling for what a quilt might be like if you don't zip your sleeping bag.

Edited by Joshjknapp on 01/11/2008 21:53:59 MST.

Rating: 5 / 5

I should preface that I am no quilt connoisseur. The only other quilts I've tried were a Jacks R' Better and an MLD quilt. (Both great products, just not what I was looking for).

My size "long" weighs 21.2 oz. When I first pulled it out I thought what some other people thought... "That's it on the loft?" After leaving it out for half an hour or so it lofted pretty well. Without using a vernier caliper I've never found a good way to measure loft accurately, but my guess would be a bit closer to 2" than 2.5" - sorry I can't get any more accurate than that. The size long is pretty long; I am 6'2" and I can pull the entire bag over my head. There has been a small amount of leakage - nothing too serious yet - time will tell if this is going to be a problem or not.

What I like:

1) The quilt has quite a generous cut. When I cinch the straps all the way down, it covers me completely. (I am very skinny though). I have slept with an Alpine Light down jacket on and was still able to get decent coverage without compressing the loft of the jacket.

2) It packs down small!

3) It's cheap! (compared to the alternatives)

4) The Pertex Endurance on the top and bottom of the bag are a big plus for me. I tend to zip all the way up in my bivy to cut out all wind and get by with less headwear. Because of this my breath is obviously steaming the place up, and I often am breathing right onto the bag. When I wake up in the morning their is moisture all on the top end of the bag (right near my mouth and nose) but it just shakes off.

What I don't like:

1) The neck snap on the back is hard to get undone once you've snapped it closed. I never use it though, although I might if it was easier. Not a big deal.

2) I don't like the way the drawcord on top works - it seems awkward to me - maybe I'M just awkward though. Not a big deal.

3) I know ratings are fairly useless, but for what it's worth, I consider myself a fairly warm sleeper, and I would rate this bag closer to 32 F. I would plan on sleeping very chilled at 20F if I didn't sleep in an insulating top and some very warm booties.

My experiences so far with this bag have all been right around 29F to 34F, sleeping in Cloudveil Inertia Peak pants, a synthetic zip top baselayer, Smartwool Adrenaline socks, and a fleece balaclava, all inside a bivy and under a tarp or under the stars. I had plenty of R-value under me. The footbox was not warm enough AT ALL without insulation for my toes*** (see EDIT below). I made some fleece rip-offs of Bill F's toe cozies and slept better. Other than the foot area, I was fine... but not toasty. There is no way I could sleep with this bag at 20F. However, since at those temps I'm bringing an insulating jacket, it's no biggie.

If the price wasn't so awesome, I would give it a 4 for it's overly optomistic temperature rating (in my opinion... YMMV). But because I don't have to wait for months to get it, it is such a reasonable price, and I usually bring an insulating top in cold weather anyways, I give it a 5.

*** EDIT: I realized later that I was probably compressing the footbox with by bivy sack without realizing it.

Edited by splproductions on 03/24/2008 10:58:19 MDT.

Rating: 5 / 5

Ok, I got this in a sale so perhaps wouldnt have bought it otherwise...

However, now I have been using it for 6months I have come to love it. It isnt the lightest bag(quilt) I have but the weight for warmth ratio is huge.

I have used this out in temperatures around 2-4 Celicius so far and not even a chill. i am looking forward to trying it out in sub zero C conditions (sorry 20's Farenheit)

The outer is water resistant and breathable and I havent had any dampness problems.

The inner is really soft and comfy. I just love the fact that you can adjust it to suit your mat/body/conditions. Who needs a zip when you have this fella. The adjustable straps ensure that this bag is very versatile.

Downside (ouch....sorry), the straps are the weakest point in regards to the construction. You can put a lot ofstrain on the attachment points on the quilt/bag walls if you arent careful. One strap attachment came away but was easily repairable

Overall this is my most frequently used bag and I look forward to using it in winter

Rating: 4 / 5

A great quilt within its limitations.

I pair it with my montbell 90 Pad, use the straps to tuck it in and never have to worry about drafts. I love the feel of the material, the DWR of the pertex shell hasn't failed me either. The price is also class leading for the quality

However.... the amount of down is clearly on the low side, at least in my sample of the bag. I think Golite revealed it is about 9 oz of down which is not enough even in a quilt design to keep you warm down to 20 degree unless you sleep warm. Even shuffling the down around, some areas are clearly underfilled. I froze my a** off when the temperature dropped below freezing and decided it was time to put it away till next spring.

I imagine one could extend it further with a hefty down parka, pants & booties but even then I would be concerned about loft compression at the foot... I'm 6 foot and the footbox is too stretched for cold weather wear in a size regular.

In short, a great bag for summer or early fall/late spring, just don't expect miracles.

Edited by prav66 on 11/11/2008 18:29:03 MST.

Rating: 4 / 5

Mine kept me warm in the upper 20s, so I'm happy. I'm not completely sure it would reach 20, and keep you warm for 8 hours. But it's a great product for a great price.

Rating: 4 / 5

At 19 oz this thing is light but the 20*F rating is off by 5-10 degrees. The Ultra 20 only keeps you slightly cool to warm at 25*F with softshell pants, TNF Impulse Hoodie (hood on), wool socks and beanie on. Compared to my Golite Feather 20* bag with the same clothes minus the hood on the hoodie and minus the beanie and I can go to 13*F and be toasty warm. I was using a montbell ul 90, GG 3/8" CCF pad and my pinnacle pack under the legs in both cases. This quilt is more a 30* rated quilt. The plastic loops look and feel very fragile as well. The shape and size are great for great coverage that keeps drafts at bay. The loft is just lacking for the 20*F rating. Loft measured at 2"+.

3-10-10
Returned the first one after my disappointment with its performance. Saw one built from a latter production run and purchased it because the loft was higher than my first one. Gone are the plastic clips for the straps and the down seems more evenly distributed over the chest area. The loft is now 2.75" and looks very good. Have yet to test it to see its low end temp. capability but based on loft alone, this should hit closer to the advertised temp. Still as light as the first run quilt. This has replaced 2 sleeping bags and simplified my gear quiver.

Edited by lightingboy on 03/10/2010 08:35:39 MST.

Rating: 5 / 5

I've used this quilt for the past 10 months, including adverse weather.

I'm a tarp camper so I feel the weather more then someone in a tent. In May, I didn't bring a bivy sack along and got caught by a surprise storm that brought a mixture of rain and snow. The more waterproof material at the footbox was welcomed and seem to do the job.

Back in November, I was on an exposed Saddle at 10,500ft (San Gorgonio Wilderness) and was suprised by snow. The wind was varriable and gusted up to 50mph blowing the snow horizontally at times (3 inches by morning). Sometime during the night I looked at my watch sitting outside my quilt and it showed 20F and with the strong wind (who knows what the wind chill was). I was comfortable. I was wearing silkweight Marmot thermals, my Long Hiking Pants, synthetic socks, and a MH Powerstretch Balaclava. I was inside my TiG DWP bivy with the net over my head and with my tarp down low, staked down flat (actually used large rocks to hold the sides) on the 3 sides the wind came from. I was using a GG Torso Pad and a 1/8" full length thinlight pad.

Now my upper thigh (I sleep sideways) did get cold, but after I threw my rain jacket over my thigh area, I was fine. In fact, I had to roll up my balaclava after awhile as my head was too warm. When I got up an hour past sunrise, it had only warmed to 24F.

In reserve, I still had my Golite Whim pants, Montbell UL inner down jacket, my long sleeve hiking shirt, and my rain jacket that I could have worn for additional warmth. Plus I could have stuck my lower half into my backpack. So I'm confident I could have gone down even lower then 20F.

Though I have to admit, there were 2 factors that helped keep me warm. One was the bivy sack as it certainly made me warmer then being in a tent. The 2nd was how well I had eaten for lunch and dinner. I had carried 2 Del Taco's Macho Combo Burritos and ate them cold (and they were still better then a mountain house dinner) since I was going stoveless on this overnighter. So I think my furnance had plenty of fuel.

Overall, I'm satisfied with this quilt as it worked well in temepratures between 54F and 20F this past summer with the clothing/gear I normally carry. This has replaced 3 different sleeping bags that I would normally use for this temperature range.

Edited by Miner on 12/13/2008 13:17:58 MST.

Rating: 4 / 5

Limited testing so far. Hope to add.

I got it 2nd hand (but unused). Even at full price it is reasonable. Good materials, design, and build. Full baffle construction going *both ways* means that down stays on top.

I am 5'8" but have the long version. I can pull it over my face which I find comfortable.

The attachment for the straps has been criticized. I haven't tried using them and I don't intend to.

I tried raising my knees so my feet are flat on the ground. This causes a draft. This will only limit me if the foot of my shelter were to leak.

Edited by tippymcstagger on 01/14/2009 04:55:46 MST.

Rating: 4 / 5

I like this quilt but give it a 4 because the temperature rating is optimistic. I've used it once below freezing, and while I was fine, I had to layer up substantially. I used it on a mid-September 5-day trip along the PCT and was glad I brought it instead of a heavier sleeping bag. A big upside of this quilt is the price. One small gripe is the stitching on one of the straps came partially undone when I stuffed it in the sack, but I take some of the blame for that for not being careful. Overall, I'm happy with it and plan to use it extensively this coming spring through fall.

Edited by Pendrey on 01/31/2009 14:22:20 MST.

Rating: 5 / 5

I got this quilt about 8 or 9 months ago and was skeptical at first because it was my first quilt. I've been mostly using this quilt for winter camping in the Adirondacks and Vermont, combined with a Golite Down Parka (hooded) and Mountain Hardwear Compressor Pants, and most of the time I was in a double wall mountaineering tent. Sometimes, I'll also use vapor barrier pants and jacket from RBH Designs. I love both of the products from Golite for their warmth and versatility.

As for the quilt, if I were going to recommend a bag/quilt for someone new to backpacking, it would be the Ultra 20 if, for no other reason, than its versatility. It can easily be used in winter with the right clothing, but is light enough to use in summer, and is relatively affordable.

The only problem I had was that condensation from my breath would often wet out the quilt around my chest, making my torso cold. This isn't really a problem with the quilt, though, as much as it is with its user. On a good note, though, the 800-fill down dries out really quickly. Can't say enough good things about this product.

Rating: 4 / 5

I have used this bag almost exclusively for the past year. After receiving it last March I found it held it's own during the South East's hot and humid spring and summer months. With just the bare essentials as a base layer the bag was only too warm during the peak of the summer months (late July/August). But having the choice of just throwing back the quilt or just using it as a “featherbed” made it much more comfortable then a standard mummy bag.

The fall season was probably the most comfortable season I experienced with this quilt. Wearing a mid-base layer I was never too hot nor too chilly.

During the winter months I found the bag well equipped to handle the conditions I encountered as long as the temperatures didn't dip below the mid 20's. For anything below this temperature I coupled it with a 32 degree mummy bag (which was a bit overkill) and usually woke up sweating in temperatures around the mid teens. This year I plan to use a Montbell down jacket to extend the quilt's range, and I have no apprehensions that the quilt will perform well in these conditions.

My only quip with the construction of the quilt would have to be the pad straps. After my first outing with the quilt I found that the upper strap had separated from the bag. After closer inspection of the strap I discovered that the plastic loop that the webbing is threaded through only has four stitches that attaches it to the bag. This seems a bit delicate for an attachment that constantly stresses the seams that it is attached to. After removing the upper strap and repairing the seam, I removed the bottom strap not wanting to risk another malfunction in the field.

Overall the quilt fabric breaths well and the Pertex material does a good job of releasing any vapor that my feet or breath released in the colder environments. My only other suggestion would be to couple this quilt with a Event or other stuff sack as the material can shed a bit of condensation but anything more and it would be drenched.

Edited by lgiusto on 05/08/2009 18:52:40 MDT.

Rating: 5 / 5

Observed Weight: 544g or 19.21oz
Measured Loft: 2.75"



Great quilt. If you read my other gear reviews you'll see I don't hand out 5 stars often. This quilt is light, well made, affordable and a nice girth for easily blocking any drafts. I love it.

Edited by dandydan on 10/15/2010 22:13:25 MDT.

Rating: 5 / 5

I WANT THIS QUILT!! If anyone knows ANYWHERE to purchase one of these (even used), let a brotha know cause i wanna join the ultra 20 club!!