I think it really does vary per person because I have the same quilt, however, I'm the opposite; a very warm sleeper, and this thing has had me sweating at temps in the upper 30s. I think the lowest I've been with it was around 25. And I was completely fine..I will say I do sleep in warm merino wool socks. I know they make these booties that a lot of people love. If you have cold feet at night you could give those a shot. Also it seems the newer batches of these are veing made with a zipper as opposed to the velcro with total new weight around 24oz. I also love the fact that having a synthetic bag is so much less stressful if it gets wet. They dry much easier and faster than down and can also still provide some warmth if wet whereas down is pretty much useless once it's wet.
Love the additions Brian, couldn't agree more. I have been plagued with being cold all my life - funny because I have the full climashield apex setup from Enlightened Equipment - booties, apex pants, torrid jacket, stronghold mittens etc.. I also have some smartwool alpine socks (pretty certain they are the warmest ones they make) but I can't believe my feet are still ice cubes. Plus they are heavy as hell for just being purposed as a sleeping sock. Now I just use them at home in the winters and love them. That's cool they are doing a zipper now on the Spirit Quilt, I would be fine with either. The only thing that has kept my feet warm on a cold night is my Katabatic Sawatch 15 degree Elite series bag. Can't believe it but I stay toasty (you would be in a sauna, lol). As you mentioned, the big downside is dealing with down when it's wet (which I have yet to do, thank god). Take care, thanks for the comment!
@@willpopemusic I hear you man! And yeah I love finding info ànd sharing info. I appreciate your reviews! That's definitely rough being cold, but sounds like you have the best gear for it. One other tip I learned on an alpine adventure is to put one of those emergency mylar blankets down under your sleeping pad. It definitely helps to up the overall warmth of your entire system ànd most people are always carrying one for emergencies anyway. So on those colder nights, it's definitely something simple to do without adding any extra gear.
@@bawattsyl love it. If I'm ever out in near 0 Temps I'll be sure to bring one of those mylar blankets and try it out - great suggestion. Hope you have many great hikes this year!
@@willpopemusic my pleasure! Look forward to any of your future info as well! One last thing I forgot to mention, I store my quilt in a hyperlite mountain gear pod size small for 70l. It fits perfect, while also keeping it sealed off from any water. Those pods while expensive, really became my standard because it's a great way to keep all your gear organized, weight almost perfectly distributed because of their shape and tbey are virtually waterproof!
@@bawattsyl yes, those pods seem great to organize and balance. I have always wondered how functional they were, glad to hear first hand that they are useful! Getting ready for a 320+ mile bikepacking trip across My home state of Ohio, stick around if you want to check it out. I'll be doing that in the summer!
Haha, waiting is the hardest part for sure. Hope you enjoy your quilt! Check out Jupiter's video on the FKT quilt if you haven't already seen it. Thanks for checking out the video!
Very good review. I am a UL hiker myself and all in on Zpacks, that said I have experienced some extremely wet and humid weather hiking in Vermont this summer so I am thinking about giving synthetics a try. I am also looking for a warmer bag for my dog. How much did the compression bag weigh and can you press it into a normal quilt bag? I have been a down lover for decades, mostly because of weight to warm ratio. My 20 degree quilt is about 20 ounces and packs super small. Since I hike with my dog I carry two sleep systems hers and mine and room is an issue. If you are a cold sleeper I would suggest you just go with a Western Mountaineering sleeping bag and call it a day. They are awesome. When the weather gets cold I don’t use a quilt, I use my WM sleeping bag. It’s what people in the White Mountains of NH use. Take care and again you did a great job.
Hey my friend, thanks for checking out the video and I appreciate the comment! I just weighed the compression sack from the video and it's 3.9oz (lol) it was from a cheapie Amazon sleeping bag.. first bag I bought before I knew anything about backpacking. I can say that with your experience with high quality down bags/quilts, the pack size and warmth/weight ratio of synthetic will take a little getting used to. You will get that wet weather performance though, which is key. I'll definitely check out that Western Mountaineering company, they sound great and thanks for the recommendation. I'm a Katabatic fanboy now and mainly use their flex 30 year round, but I wouldn't mind adding a mummy bag to the collection for deep winter trips. Ohio/Kentucky doesn't get as crazy in the winter as where you're from. I think the Spirit 28 is a great addition to any collection, but I don't use it too much anymore. That being said, if I was going to do a long section of the AT or visit the PNW in the summer, I'd have a hard time not choosing the Spirit 28. Good luck to you and your dog in your adventures! ✌️
@@willpopemusic Thanks for all the information. This summer in New England has been very humid and relentless rain. I got caught out in a 10 inch rain storm in Vermont, this storm caused massive flooding throughout the state. The trial are all super wet and muddy, take care
Nice review I use the mld fkt quilt 2oz apex on the top and 4 oz on the bottom I'm good down to 36 or so using Patagonia mid bottoms and the nanutac ptc jacked and the Nemo tensor reg wide
Nice setup! Yeah, I considered the FKT quilt but knew beforehand that I would be too cold in it. 36 isn't bad, bet that works nicely for you and I know it packs down even smaller than the 28. The Spirit 28 has now turned into my 3 season quilt and I have a Katabatic Sawatch being crafted as we speak for the colder nights/high altitude/winter! Can't wait to try that out.
Nice one dude, thank you for the video. I am thru-hiking the Pyrenees on June 25th for 32 nights with the Spirit- glad I saw your video to explain those buckles! I was scratching my head :P +1 like +1 sub
Thanks for watching, Paul! Very sorry for missing this comment, I hope your thru hike was able to be done considering all the craziness lately! If you were able to go for it, curious what you thought of the Spirit quilt??
Yes, exactly. I must've said something that came across another way. As a ground sleeper, I use that snap to "seal off the neck area" and keep in warmth. Always great when a piece of gear serves multiple purposes!
Good review Willy!! Hows that Patrol Tarp working out you? I haven't decided which route i'm going yet. Still looking at the Patrol, Cricket, Grace & a few tarps by Yama Mountain Gear. I'm going to trail days to look and i'll probably buy something there!
Hello my friend! Thanks for checking out the new video! Honestly, you're doing the right thing - just take your time and let it sink in. The right one will choose you. Also, no better place than trail days to experience your favorites in person. You'll be prepared for sure.
The patrol is amazing but haven't done any camping since december.. It's killing me! Been busy with work and i it's been a bit too cold out for me to be comfortable in the spirit 28. If it was a spirit -28 then maybe, lol.
Good video, I just want to say that these quilts, like sleeping bag, the temp rating is generally the survival rating which is not the same as a comfort rating
Definitely - great information, thanks for sharing Andrew. Over the years, I've found that companies tend to use the survival rating. The Spirit 28 is right where it needs to be. Side note, I hear their newer versions don't have velcro, which is awesome! Katabatic Gear is one of the few companies I know that go by comfort rating numbers. Take care and thanks for checking out the video!
Sick Ibanez Tube Screamer! What digitech pedal is that on the far left? Also thanks for the review, I'm lurking around the net trying to decide between the EE Apex or this.
Haha thanks! A fellow guitar player, eh? So from left to right on the pedalboard: Boss RV-5 Reverb, Visual Sound H2O Chorus/echo, Ole trusty (tube screamer), Xotic Effects RC Clean Boost, and Wampler Tape Echo. I get pretty much everything I need out of those 5! Yeah, can't speak for the EE Apex since I haven't slept a night in it, but I definitely considered it as well when I was shopping for a quilt! I ended up buying the Spirit 28 at the same time I bought the Patrol/Serenity shelter from MLD (got a video review on my channel). I think those are two great companies with solid support and you'd be happy with either one. Good luck, Thanks for checking out the video!
Good question, I never thought about it but since they both have the same clips, I don't see why it wouldn't work. I think linking two MLD quilts would be pretty cool. A benefit would be the ability to separate them and use them separately, but a downside would be the cold draft getting in since they aren't sewn together. Also check out enlightened equipment. They have a double quilt called the Accomplice and a new HUGE one called the Itasca. Good luck, thanks for watching. Edit: the Itasca is not new. Guess I didn't notice that one before!
First of all, very sorry for the late reply. I would only recommend washing when absolutely necessary - part of hiking is being stinky! When you absolutely need to wash your quilt, I would use warm water in a tub, then tumble dry, no heat or just hang it outside and let it dry naturally. Thanks for checking out the video!
I wish I loved the Nemo Tensor. Myself, along with 3 others all had leaks within a week of our PCT thru hike. We all also had some variation of a Zpacks DCF tent..don’t know how they sprung leaks but man I wish they didn’t. $200 gone!
Damn, what a bummer that is! Were you hiking nobo?? I wonder if it's just that prickly southern CA desert that wreaks havoc on inflatable pads?? I still haven't had a leak with the Tensor and I've had it for years now! It's much thicker than my uberlite and even that one doesn't have a leak.. Nowadays, I do use a torso length Nemo Switchback CCF pad.. love that thing. You can fling it right out for lunch or a nap and no need to inflate or worry about popping.. so proud of you for getting out there to thru hike!! Did you make it to Canada??
@@willpopemusic yeah we were headed nobo, I left it in a hiker box in Idyllwild at Nomadventures. I’m sure somebody who wasn’t too lazy to find the leak got it patched up and working lol. I switched to a CCF as well and made it to Canada with it!
@@willpopemusic if you cut a diagonal slice out of each buckle you can slide them on and off the webbing without having to cut the webbing. Similar to how allot of chest straps are attached on UL packs
I think it really does vary per person because I have the same quilt, however, I'm the opposite; a very warm sleeper, and this thing has had me sweating at temps in the upper 30s. I think the lowest I've been with it was around 25. And I was completely fine..I will say I do sleep in warm merino wool socks. I know they make these booties that a lot of people love. If you have cold feet at night you could give those a shot. Also it seems the newer batches of these are veing made with a zipper as opposed to the velcro with total new weight around 24oz. I also love the fact that having a synthetic bag is so much less stressful if it gets wet. They dry much easier and faster than down and can also still provide some warmth if wet whereas down is pretty much useless once it's wet.
Love the additions Brian, couldn't agree more. I have been plagued with being cold all my life - funny because I have the full climashield apex setup from Enlightened Equipment - booties, apex pants, torrid jacket, stronghold mittens etc.. I also have some smartwool alpine socks (pretty certain they are the warmest ones they make) but I can't believe my feet are still ice cubes. Plus they are heavy as hell for just being purposed as a sleeping sock. Now I just use them at home in the winters and love them. That's cool they are doing a zipper now on the Spirit Quilt, I would be fine with either. The only thing that has kept my feet warm on a cold night is my Katabatic Sawatch 15 degree Elite series bag. Can't believe it but I stay toasty (you would be in a sauna, lol). As you mentioned, the big downside is dealing with down when it's wet (which I have yet to do, thank god). Take care, thanks for the comment!
@@willpopemusic I hear you man! And yeah I love finding info ànd sharing info. I appreciate your reviews! That's definitely rough being cold, but sounds like you have the best gear for it. One other tip I learned on an alpine adventure is to put one of those emergency mylar blankets down under your sleeping pad. It definitely helps to up the overall warmth of your entire system ànd most people are always carrying one for emergencies anyway. So on those colder nights, it's definitely something simple to do without adding any extra gear.
@@bawattsyl love it. If I'm ever out in near 0 Temps I'll be sure to bring one of those mylar blankets and try it out - great suggestion. Hope you have many great hikes this year!
@@willpopemusic my pleasure! Look forward to any of your future info as well! One last thing I forgot to mention, I store my quilt in a hyperlite mountain gear pod size small for 70l. It fits perfect, while also keeping it sealed off from any water. Those pods while expensive, really became my standard because it's a great way to keep all your gear organized, weight almost perfectly distributed because of their shape and tbey are virtually waterproof!
@@bawattsyl yes, those pods seem great to organize and balance. I have always wondered how functional they were, glad to hear first hand that they are useful! Getting ready for a 320+ mile bikepacking trip across My home state of Ohio, stick around if you want to check it out. I'll be doing that in the summer!
Awesome review. I just bought the MLD FKT Quilt, waiting anxiously for it to arrive!
Haha, waiting is the hardest part for sure. Hope you enjoy your quilt! Check out Jupiter's video on the FKT quilt if you haven't already seen it. Thanks for checking out the video!
U will love it man that's the quilt I use
Very good review. I am a UL hiker myself and all in on Zpacks, that said I have experienced some extremely wet and humid weather hiking in Vermont this summer so I am thinking about giving synthetics a try. I am also looking for a warmer bag for my dog. How much did the compression bag weigh and can you press it into a normal quilt bag? I have been a down lover for decades, mostly because of weight to warm ratio. My 20 degree quilt is about 20 ounces and packs super small. Since I hike with my dog I carry two sleep systems hers and mine and room is an issue. If you are a cold sleeper I would suggest you just go with a Western Mountaineering sleeping bag and call it a day. They are awesome. When the weather gets cold I don’t use a quilt, I use my WM sleeping bag. It’s what people in the White Mountains of NH use. Take care and again you did a great job.
Hey my friend, thanks for checking out the video and I appreciate the comment! I just weighed the compression sack from the video and it's 3.9oz (lol) it was from a cheapie Amazon sleeping bag.. first bag I bought before I knew anything about backpacking. I can say that with your experience with high quality down bags/quilts, the pack size and warmth/weight ratio of synthetic will take a little getting used to. You will get that wet weather performance though, which is key. I'll definitely check out that Western Mountaineering company, they sound great and thanks for the recommendation. I'm a Katabatic fanboy now and mainly use their flex 30 year round, but I wouldn't mind adding a mummy bag to the collection for deep winter trips. Ohio/Kentucky doesn't get as crazy in the winter as where you're from. I think the Spirit 28 is a great addition to any collection, but I don't use it too much anymore. That being said, if I was going to do a long section of the AT or visit the PNW in the summer, I'd have a hard time not choosing the Spirit 28. Good luck to you and your dog in your adventures! ✌️
@@willpopemusic Thanks for all the information. This summer in New England has been very humid and relentless rain. I got caught out in a 10 inch rain storm in Vermont, this storm caused massive flooding throughout the state. The trial are all super wet and muddy, take care
thanks for the thorough review!
Nice review I use the mld fkt quilt 2oz apex on the top and 4 oz on the bottom I'm good down to 36 or so using Patagonia mid bottoms and the nanutac ptc jacked and the Nemo tensor reg wide
Nice setup! Yeah, I considered the FKT quilt but knew beforehand that I would be too cold in it. 36 isn't bad, bet that works nicely for you and I know it packs down even smaller than the 28. The Spirit 28 has now turned into my 3 season quilt and I have a Katabatic Sawatch being crafted as we speak for the colder nights/high altitude/winter! Can't wait to try that out.
@@willpopemusic nice man can't wait to see how that works out for you
Nice one dude, thank you for the video. I am thru-hiking the Pyrenees on June 25th for 32 nights with the Spirit- glad I saw your video to explain those buckles! I was scratching my head :P
+1 like
+1 sub
Thanks for watching, Paul! Very sorry for missing this comment, I hope your thru hike was able to be done considering all the craziness lately! If you were able to go for it, curious what you thought of the Spirit quilt??
fyi the snap and cinch at the head end are to seal the quilt around your neck to block airflow. that isn't hammock specific
Yes, exactly. I must've said something that came across another way. As a ground sleeper, I use that snap to "seal off the neck area" and keep in warmth. Always great when a piece of gear serves multiple purposes!
Good review Willy!! Hows that Patrol Tarp working out you? I haven't decided which route i'm going yet. Still looking at the Patrol, Cricket, Grace & a few tarps by Yama Mountain Gear. I'm going to trail days to look and i'll probably buy something there!
Hello my friend! Thanks for checking out the new video! Honestly, you're doing the right thing - just take your time and let it sink in. The right one will choose you. Also, no better place than trail days to experience your favorites in person. You'll be prepared for sure.
The patrol is amazing but haven't done any camping since december.. It's killing me! Been busy with work and i it's been a bit too cold out for me to be comfortable in the spirit 28. If it was a spirit -28 then maybe, lol.
Hey I don't do the "hard" winter stuff any more! In TN. we've had a mild winter but it's been raining constantly!!
Yeah it's been lingering around 20 degrees at night here in Ohio, really unpredictable though
Good video, I just want to say that these quilts, like sleeping bag, the temp rating is generally the survival rating which is not the same as a comfort rating
Definitely - great information, thanks for sharing Andrew. Over the years, I've found that companies tend to use the survival rating. The Spirit 28 is right where it needs to be. Side note, I hear their newer versions don't have velcro, which is awesome! Katabatic Gear is one of the few companies I know that go by comfort rating numbers. Take care and thanks for checking out the video!
Sick Ibanez Tube Screamer! What digitech pedal is that on the far left? Also thanks for the review, I'm lurking around the net trying to decide between the EE Apex or this.
Haha thanks! A fellow guitar player, eh? So from left to right on the pedalboard: Boss RV-5 Reverb, Visual Sound H2O Chorus/echo, Ole trusty (tube screamer), Xotic Effects RC Clean Boost, and Wampler Tape Echo. I get pretty much everything I need out of those 5! Yeah, can't speak for the EE Apex since I haven't slept a night in it, but I definitely considered it as well when I was shopping for a quilt! I ended up buying the Spirit 28 at the same time I bought the Patrol/Serenity shelter from MLD (got a video review on my channel). I think those are two great companies with solid support and you'd be happy with either one. Good luck, Thanks for checking out the video!
Can 2 quilts easily connect for a 2 person situation?
Good question, I never thought about it but since they both have the same clips, I don't see why it wouldn't work. I think linking two MLD quilts would be pretty cool. A benefit would be the ability to separate them and use them separately, but a downside would be the cold draft getting in since they aren't sewn together. Also check out enlightened equipment. They have a double quilt called the Accomplice and a new HUGE one called the Itasca. Good luck, thanks for watching.
Edit: the Itasca is not new. Guess I didn't notice that one before!
EE makes a quilt that connects to other quilts. I think it might be called the convert?
hi - is there any special procedure for washing the quilt?
First of all, very sorry for the late reply. I would only recommend washing when absolutely necessary - part of hiking is being stinky! When you absolutely need to wash your quilt, I would use warm water in a tub, then tumble dry, no heat or just hang it outside and let it dry naturally. Thanks for checking out the video!
Thanks - sounds less complicated than washing down sleeping bag :)
@@camperwheeler5183 haha yes, true that! Totally agree there
I wish I loved the Nemo Tensor. Myself, along with 3 others all had leaks within a week of our PCT thru hike. We all also had some variation of a Zpacks DCF tent..don’t know how they sprung leaks but man I wish they didn’t. $200 gone!
Damn, what a bummer that is! Were you hiking nobo?? I wonder if it's just that prickly southern CA desert that wreaks havoc on inflatable pads?? I still haven't had a leak with the Tensor and I've had it for years now! It's much thicker than my uberlite and even that one doesn't have a leak.. Nowadays, I do use a torso length Nemo Switchback CCF pad.. love that thing. You can fling it right out for lunch or a nap and no need to inflate or worry about popping.. so proud of you for getting out there to thru hike!! Did you make it to Canada??
@@willpopemusic yeah we were headed nobo, I left it in a hiker box in Idyllwild at Nomadventures. I’m sure somebody who wasn’t too lazy to find the leak got it patched up and working lol. I switched to a CCF as well and made it to Canada with it!
Nice overview! You can get the mini buckles from ripstopbytheroll.
You should share this on the MLD facebook page too. ATB, Dave
Thanks for watching. Very cool, I didn't know RBTR sold those, I will definitely check it out!
@@willpopemusic ripstopbytheroll.com/collections/plastic-buckles/products/low-profile-center-push-buckle
I guess I already have the necessary buckles on the quilt in this situation though - just need to switch one pair and it will work!
@@willpopemusic if you cut a diagonal slice out of each buckle you can slide them on and off the webbing without having to cut the webbing. Similar to how allot of chest straps are attached on UL packs
Yes, great advice thank you. I definitely wouldn't want to cut the webbing.