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Enlightened Equipment Revelation APEX 30 Review

A synthetic, versatile quilt that's worth its weight in your ultralight pack
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Enlightened Equipment Revelation APEX 30 Review
Credit: Justin Simoni
Price:  $200 List
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Manufacturer:   Enlightened Equipment
By Justin Simoni ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Feb 28, 2024
63
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#14 of 17
  • Warmth - 30% 5.5
  • Weight - 25% 5.3
  • Comfort - 20% 7.0
  • Versatility - 15% 8.0
  • Features - 10% 7.0

Our Verdict

If you're shopping around for a lightweight synthetic quilt, you've found it in the Enlightened Equipment Revelation Apex 30. In our research, the high-quality materials and well-designed features match or rival any other high-quality down-filled quilt you'll find. On top of that, synthetic retains its insulating properties better than down when damp, so this is a great choice for wet climates. On the flip side, if you go synthetic, you will lose out on a few important attributes of an ultralight quilt. The first is a big one: the Apex 30 weighs more than other quilts in its limit rating. The second is that it doesn't compress as compactly as a down-filled quilt. But if those aren't dealbreakers to you, take a close look at the Apex 30. The performance it gives for its price may exceed your expectations, too.
REASONS TO BUY
Synthetic insulation great in wet conditions
Wide in the shoulders/hips/footbox
Excellent value
REASONS TO AVOID
Bulky
Heavier than most

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards Top Pick Award
Best Synthetic
Editors' Choice Award
Best Ultralight Hooded Mummy Bag
  Best Buy Award
Best for a Tight Budget
Price $200 List$550 List
$469.95 at Backcountry
$409 List$365 List$270 List
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Star Rating
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Bottom Line Your best bet for an ultralight quilt if down fill just doesn't work for youStay warm and comfy in this excellently executed bagWith an enclosed foot box and ¾ length zipper, this warm hoodless mummy can also be used quilt styleA tight-fitting quilt with a versatile and transformable footbox and a time-saving pad attachment systemA functional, versatile, and well-featured quilt well worth the low price
Rating Categories Enlightened Equipme... Therm-a-Rest Hyperi... ZPacks Classic Katabatic Gear Flex... Hammock Gear Econom...
Warmth (30%)
5.5
9.0
8.5
8.7
6.7
Weight (25%)
5.3
6.5
6.9
5.6
4.8
Comfort (20%)
7.0
8.0
6.0
6.0
7.0
Versatility (15%)
8.0
6.0
9.0
8.0
8.0
Features (10%)
7.0
8.0
5.0
8.0
8.0
Specs Enlightened Equipme... Therm-a-Rest Hyperi... ZPacks Classic Katabatic Gear Flex... Hammock Gear Econom...
Manufacturer Stated Temperature Rating 30°F 20°F 20°F 22°F 20°F
Measured Weight (bag only) 24.6 oz 21.4 oz 20.3 oz 23.6 oz 25.8 oz
Stuff Sack Weight 0.6 oz 1.6 oz 0.9 oz 0.6 oz 0.6 oz
Stuffed Size 8" x 17.5" 6" x 8" 6" x 12" 7" x 12" 6" x 10"
Manufacturer Claimed Weight 23.8 oz 20.0 oz 19.8 oz 23.9 oz 22.2 oz
Fill Weight 20.4 oz 12.5 oz 13.1 oz 15.4 oz 13.2 oz
Shell Material 10d Ultralight nylon fabric, DWR finish 10D Nylon RipStop w/DWR Ventum ripstop nylon w/DWR Pertex Quantum Eco ripstop (.85 oz/yd) 20D nylon taffeta
Fill Power 4oz/yd² Climashield Apex synthetic insulation 900 fill RDS Nikwax hydrophobic goose down RDS 900 fill RDS DownTek PCF-FREE water-resistant goose down 850 Exped duck down 850 fill duck down
Style Quilt Hooded mummy Hoodless mummy Quilt, unzip footbox for blanket Quilt
Construction Baffle-less, no sewn-through seams Horizontal box baffle consruction Vertical upper baffles and horizontal lower baffles, box baffle construction Continuous Horizontal Baffles Box baffle consruction
Shoulder Girth 54" 57" 61" 54" 55"
Hip Girth 47" 49.5" 61" 46" 50"
Foot Girth 40" 43" 35" 40" 45"
Zipper Length 1/4-length at footbox 1/2-length side zip at top 3/4-length 1/4-length at footbox 1/3-length at bottom
Sizes Short, regular, regular wide, long wide Small, regular, long Slim, standard, and broad (girth) short, medium, long, x-long and xx-long (length) Small, regular, long, small wide, regular wide, long wide Short, standard, long, short wide, standard wide, long wide
Temp Options (degrees Fahrenheit) 20, 30, 40, 50°F 20, 32°F 10, 20, 30, 40°F 15, 22, 30, 40°F 0, 10, 20, 30, 40°F

Our Analysis and Test Results

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


enlightened equipment revelation apex 30 - the warmth of the apex 30 won't hang you out to dry.
The warmth of the APEX 30 won't hang you out to dry.
Credit: Justin Simoni

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.

enlightened equipment revelation apex 30 - dual snaps on the head of the quilt help to trap air around your...
Dual snaps on the head of the quilt help to trap air around your neck and to prevent drafts.
Credit: Justin Simoni

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.

Of all the bags, this by far has the largest volume in its included...
Of all the bags, this by far has the largest volume in its included stuff sack.
You can aggressively try to compress this quilt to pack smaller...
You can aggressively try to compress this quilt to pack smaller using a third party stuff sack. (compare with included stuff sack)
On the left is the quilt in its vendor-supplied stuff sack. On the right, we've aggressively compressed it using a third-party compression sack to get a more adequate pack volume.

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.

enlightened equipment revelation apex 30 - the footbox features a cinch, snaps, and a 1/4-length zipper...
The footbox features a cinch, snaps, and a 1/4-length zipper allowing this quilt to turn into a flat blanket on warm nights. The synthetic fill seems to loft higher than many of the down-filled bags we've seen.
Credit: Justin Simoni

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.

Transforming the footbox to lay flat by unsnapping, unzipping, and un-cinching the various accoutrements found at the foot of the quilt.
Credit: Justin Simoni

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.

Snapping up the head of the quilt may take a little practice, but really helps in keeping out drafts from the top.
Credit: Justin Simoni

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.

Using the pad attachments to pair the Apex with our sleeping pad.
Credit: Justin Simoni

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.

enlightened equipment revelation apex 30 - simple pad straps are located on the bottom of the apex 30 to attach...
Simple pad straps are located on the bottom of the APEX 30 to attach to your pad .
Credit: Justin Simoni

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.

enlightened equipment revelation apex 30 - the apex 30 can open up to a blanket! a trick not many sleeping bags...
The APEX 30 can open up to a blanket! A trick not many sleeping bags - nor some quilts - can do.
Credit: Justin Simoni

Justin Simoni