Enlightened Equipment Revelation Review: Thru-Hiking Staple

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of the links on this website may link to vendors which are "affiliate links". If you click on a link I may receive a commission.

For most who are looking to travel over 2000 miles on a thru-hike, they will need a better, lighter, and more effective sleep system than the standard heavier versions. Having a sleeping quilt that can take you to ZERO degrees gives you a strong starting advantage over the cold nights.

Spending some solid money on your big three gear items can help you drop significant pounds on your pack and help you better ensure completion as each pound matters over 2000 miles.

Unsure of which quilt and like to take their quiz, click here for Enlightened Equipment’s quiz to choose the perfect quilt for you!

[lasso ref=”ee-revelation-link” id=”962″ link_id=”4882″ rel=”ee-revelation-link”]

Here’s a rundown of what we’ll provide in this Enlightened Equipment Revelation review:

  • First, we’ll share the features and benefits that you’ll find useful
  • Next, we’ll take a look at the drawbacks you might need to know about
  • Then, we’ll tell you a bit about the Enlightened Equipment company
  • And finally, we’ll provide a sampling of the actual customer and Independent reviews to give you better insight into the product.

Sound good? Let’s get started!

Features and Benefits of the Enlightened Equipment Revelation

  • Zippered Foot Box – A 20″ zipper and draw cord allow the foot box to close tightly keeping the heat in but can easily be opened flat or anywhere in the middle to vent when needed.  Snaps 6″ and 12″ above the zipper pull the quilt in tight under the thighs when needed or lets you stretch out when it isn’t.
  • Additional Pad attachment straps– Comes with removable webbing straps that secure the quilt on top of any sleeping pad. (used in place of the elastic straps)
  • Snap and drawcord – Neck closure lets you fine-tune draft control
  • Unique U-shaped continuous baffles keep the down where you need it, all night long
  • 850-fill down is ethically sourced from an RDS certified supplier
  • Ultralight nylon fabric has a DWR finish and has been customized for breathability and comfort
  • Fabric colors may appear different from images shown due to rendering and monitor differences.
  • Stuffed, finished, and inspected in Winona, MN. Shells are imported. For a made in the USA Revelation Quilt, shop our custom Revelation.

Special Features (Pros) of the Enlightened Equipment Revelation

Easy to Move Around – The benefit to the EE Revelation and quilts is your ability to adjust and move around, repositioning and not feeling “constrained” like in a traditional sleeping bag is amazing!

Versatile Use – Ability to open up wide into a blanket when the temperatures are higher than the rating allows for even better draft and temperature monitoring and comfort.

Compacts Well In Backpack – The EE Revelation quilt shrinks down dramatically in the stuff sack to fit in your pack leaving you lots of room for other gear in the same place!

Drawbacks (Cons) for the Enlightened Equipment Revelation

Delicate Fabrics – As many of these lighter fabrics go you need to be careful and not overly abusive as they can rip or tear if caught with very little force being applied.

Video: Enlightened Equipment Revelation


About the Enlightened Equipment Company

Their philosophy is to be smarter and lighter, eliminating useless extra features so you only carry what you need. Enlightened Equipment tirelessly test and update their designs to make them the best and lightest they can be.

Founder Tim Marshall started sewing quilts by himself in his basement in 2007. As demand for Enlightened Equipment products grew, so did the business. Today, Enlightened Equipment has more than 50 employees creating quilts, clothing, accessories, and more in a 50,000 square foot building in Winona, MN.

Unsure of which quilt and like to take their quiz, click here for Enlightened Equipment’s quiz to choose the perfect quilt for you!

Enlightened Equipment Revelation Reviews

Looking at the features and benefits is great, but taking a look at what real-and-actual customers have to say about a product offers a deeper understanding of user insight. Here we’ve curated reviews that reflect the Enlightened Equipment Revelation, providing feedback from product users and reviewers on independent review sites.

Independent Reviews and Recommendations for the Enlightened Equipment Revelation

The flexible design of the Revelation has been a game changer for our backcountry trips, and we love it’s warmth-to-weight ratio. Quilts like the Revelation do tend to be a bit more drafty than sleeping bags, so they’re not a great fit when temps dip below freezing.

Read More

If you are someone who likes to move like a ninja through the wilderness (and enjoys being morally superior to your friends because you have cooler gear), the Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20 quilt is a must have. When it comes to weight, packability, and versatility, you simply can’t beat this quilt.

Read More

These quilts have been gaining in popularity, and for good reason.  They’re mostly manufactured by smaller companies that also make their gear in the States like EE.  The value is excellent, as you are getting a custom made quilt for prices that easily beat bags made by companies that outsourced manufacturing to China.

Read More

Even when enclosed, I find the Revelation to be far more comfortable than any bag I have used in the past. It holds the warmth in wonderfully and I still get to move my legs and arms around. If it gets even colder, you can use the same attachment points on the side of the quilt to snap it into the familiar mummy shape and hold on to as much body heat as you can product.

Read More

[lasso ref=”ee-revelation-link” id=”962″ link_id=”4882″ rel=”ee-revelation-link”]

What Thru-Hikers Have to Say About the Enlightened Equipment Revelation

People have fallen in love with these quilts and they are a highly valued item largely used by people attempting thru-hikes to be comfortable and warm.

After a test night in the backyard and a 3 night backpacking trip, I’ve officially been converted to quilts! I’m 6’2” and about 200 lbs, side/stomach sleeper mostly. The Revelation makes it so easy to move around and adjust your sleeping position. The straps are awesome and keep the quilt in place. It’s also incredibly easy to adjust your warmth by either cinching or loosening.


I took the Revelation quilt to Argentina for a month, and it was all I could ask of it. Light and warm, but especially more comfortable than a sleeping bag. No constrictive footbox, no zipper to get caught on the draft tube, no wasted weight. The blue of this 20º quilt is a great color. The two sleeping pad straps are simple and brilliant. On warmer nights I only used one. I also love that its sewn in Winona! I played Ultimate with some good players from Winona.


So far, used the 20 degree quilt in about 30 degree temps. This was my first backpacking experience, so was a little worried about how the quilt would work out, but I loved it! It kept me very warm wearing only a base layer. I had bought a down puffy just for sleeping in, but wound up not needing it, even though I typically get cold very easily. I was also worried about my feet getting cold, but the zipper and draw string allowed me to completely close up the lower portion and there were no issues with drafts.


[lasso ref=”ee-revelation-link” id=”962″ link_id=”4882″ rel=”ee-revelation-link”]

Final Thoughts on the EE Revelation

We believe highly in EE and recommend checking out the Revelation Quilt if you’re looking to prepare for a thru-hike or upgrade your existing bag. This is an amazingly ultralight, 3-season sleeping bag or quilt.

Unsure of which quilt and like to take their quiz, click here for Enlightened Equipment’s quiz to choose the perfect quilt for you!

I found the Revelation to be amazing at keeping my warmth up when it is cold out and it has shown me that a quilt is no slouch.

Do take care to remember though, at temperature ratings of quilts and sleeping bags are typically quite exaggerated. If you are a man I would suggest nothing higher than a 10°F quilt.

For women this should be lowered due to the fact women tend to sleep cooler and no go above the 0°F quilt.

I will always recommend you choose a size larger than you feel you may need as its nice for that little extra weight to not be cold because you have a draft spot.

Compare to Amazon Quilt Options

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

Leave a Comment