TreeLineBackpacker

Staying warm no longer corelates with carrying a lot of weight. The StormLoft from Outdoor vitals is an ultra-light, ultra-cozy quilt that weighs just 1 lb. 4 ounces. My Review:

The StormLoft differs from a traditional sleeping bag in that it has no under-side. It is instead completely open on the bottom, like a quilt. There is no fabric or insulation beneath the sleeper. The driving idea being that insulation that is being flattened by the human body (down, feathers or synthetics) can no longer trap air, thus they cannot insulate, and thus is wasted weight. Instead, quilts rely on the sleeping pad for insulation, which doesn’t flatten out when slept on.

The StormLoft by Outdoor Vitals then, is a quilt. It builds on the idea of shedding unnecessary materials, and doubling down on what provides a benefit. The result is a wide, fluffy quilt with extended wings and a sewn pattern that allows it to naturally curve around the human body. They also added fluffy baffles around the neck to create a better seal, deepened the footbox to keep the feet toasty, and integrated optional clips and pad straps to prevent air leaks around the sleeping pad. It includes a neck cinch, a breathable storage sack, and a water resistant compression sack. Reviewed today is the $287, 1 lb. 4 oz. 30 degree F version, but they also offer 15 and 0 degree options.

What I liked

I’m probably going to use the word “cozy” way too many times in this review, but that is the first word that comes to mind every time I use this quilt. Slipping inside is instantly inviting, warm, and just all around snuggly. The footbox is relatively narrow but provides enough room to shift and turn, while the hips of the quilt open up and wrap inward, creating this hugging like shape that naturally slips around the body. The baffles are big, thick and lofty, which forms this cloud like blanket. The down fill is extremely high quality 800+ fill power, treated with a DWR coating to fight off moisture. This means the insulation traps more heat, while actually weighing less. The materials are smooth, silky and don’t get clammy in high humidity environments. The “wings” of the quilt are wide and can be pulled inward with the arms to tuck in the sleeper, or it can be turned down or laid open for ventilation. It’s just overall a very alluring environment to be in that makes passing time inside very enjoyable as it doesn’t free restrictive or claustrophobic like some other options.

This is certainly the warmest 30 degree F quilt I’ve ever tested. The combination of thicky, fluffy battles, tons of high power down fill, and the ability to strap it down tight to a sleeping pad/body pays dividends here. The relatively narrow footbox makes for efficient heat retention, but is also completely sealed all the way up to the back of my knees, which is far higher up than I normally see. The wings of the quilt are wide, which allows them to wrap inward and even be tucked underneath when needed. This combined with the neck sinch and thick neck baffles completely prevented leaks or drafts in my testing. It realistically seals up more like a mummy bag than a quilt. I haven’t tested it to its lower limits yet, but when paired with the right high R value sleeping pad (which is absolutely important for any sleep system), staying warm at 30 degrees is no problem, even without sleeping in layers.

Getting in and out of the StormLoft is generally quite easy. When used in an open position, without clips, it’s just a matter of slipping the feet inside and covering up. This leaves plenty of room to toss, turn, splay out like pile of fun noodles or curl up into a ball. It can then be clipped around the neck and shoulders if preferred to seal in more heat. Once it is connected to a sleeping pad, it is a little less convenient as you have to sort of slide the entire body in from the top, but it is perfectly doable. When connected to a pad it is somewhat less convenient than a sleeping bag with a full length zipper, however it is still easy enough to work with in this configuration.

It’s extremally roomy inside, easily accommodating all of my sleep positions (I’m 5’8″ and 170 lbs). Tossing and turning was friction free, with plenty of shoulder room to adjust and squirm as needed. It rolled with me when I wanted, or it would stay in place when I was just shifting or turning over. I never had it twist up or wrap around me.

Weight and packability are both excellent. At barely over a pound for the 30 degree F version, It weighs significantly less than a traditional, or even high quality sleeping bag. It also packs down to about the size of a cantaloupe using the included stuff sack, and even a bit smaller with a compression sack, although I don’t really think that is needed.

Construction as a whole is fantastic. The fabrics are silky smooth, consistent, and I couldn’t find any flaws in texture, color, threads or sewing. The seams were sturdy and the fabrics hold up well. They are ultra-light fabrics, 10 denier ripstop nylon with the outer being treated with DWR, so care should be taken to keep sharp objects away. However, with normal use it is holding up rather well.

No zippers means no snags. Ever. Can’t not love that. It also improves the reliability as there is really nothing to fail.

What I didn’t like

As mentioned above, once it is attached to a sleeping pad via the clips, it is less convenient to get inside than a traditional sleeping bag. You have two options which are either connect the clips and shuffle in, or hop in and then try to connect the clips afterwards. I didn’t find either method particularly challenging, but still less than idea. This is more problematic in a small tent, especially with two people. Luckily, I never found a real need to connect it within the rated temperatures as I stayed mighty warm without the extra seal. In lower temperatures, however, this will come in handy as it is certainly the warmer configuration.

Overall

The StormLoft Down quilt has quickly become my new favorite quilt, finally replacing my previous favorite after 8 years of use. It’s light, toasty, and absolutely cozy to be inside thanks to the silky fabrics and ease of use. I loved the thick, fluffy baffled neck, the wide wings, and the ability to toss and turn inside without creating any drafts or breezes. Being able to strap it down to the pad, or just clip it around my body greatly increased the usable temperature range, although I never felt the need to within the temperature rating. It packs down tiny, holds up well with use, and is treated for water resistance. It’s hard to complain when a product gets so many things right.

The Highest of Recommendations

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I want to extend a huge thanks to Outdoor Vitals for providing this product for review. We couldn’t do it without their help.

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