Campsite Leisure to Alpine Adventure- One quilt to do it all

The Revelation from Enlightened Equipment

There is the distinct crunch of ice as I awaken at 2,650 m above sea level. Twisting in my sleeping bag, I open my eyes to glacial till and a great granite pillar 300 m beyond.

This August, I put my Enlightened Equipment quilt ‘The Revelation’ to the test on its month-long maiden voyage to France. I moved briefly from Fontainebleau in the north to my ultimate destination, Chamonix, the dirtbag Mecca in the French Alps.

As a keen outdoors aficionado with a talent for sleeplessness, I needed a sleeping system that best resembled my cosy double bed back in Old Blighty. The Revelation’s ergonomic comfort proved the ticket, enabling the best version of myself on trail and rock.

For my first stop in Fontainebleau, with scorching a 32 °C in the daytime, I was a little concerned that I had over-egged it with the quilt’s −6 °C limit. Yet merciful night time temperatures of 15 °C and the heat-regulating triumph that is high-quality down allowed me to snooze peacefully.

Upon reaching Chamonix, the cool alpine nights reignited my original concerns about unwanted draughts. The adjustable elastic straps on the upper and lower portions of the quilt created a close fit against the body whilst preventing my mat from migrating as I slept. What I appreciated most, and why I opted for a quilt, was the ability to adopt a more natural sleeping position than a traditional bag allows. All these clever features kept out the cold and speaks volumes of the tried-and-tested ingenuity of Enlightened Equipment.

In my third week, alpine adventure called me across the French border to Switzerland. Newly made German friends gave me the coordinates for our two-night bivouac spot. I audibly gasped when the map informed me I was to be just 200 m from Glacier d’Orny and at close to 3,000 m elevation. Weather forecasts still failed to reassure me, reporting that night-time temperatures would drop to −3 °C. Once again, the brilliance of this quilt’s design gave me the confidence to say yes.

That night, I transformed the quilt into a plush sleeping bag, cinching in heat over my head and feet with well-placed drawstrings. A seamless join of popper buttons and elastic straps completed the final sleeping-bag form. With only a merino top and a basic down jacket as core layers, I watched a meteor shower as glacial winds whipped around me -almost too warm.

Other standout successes of this quilt include its lightweight design and small pack-down size despite a generous fit. Its packed size of 7–8 L gives me the option for spontaneity on overnight trips and versatility on longer excursions—all with zero compromise on warmth. As a near six-foot athletic type, I was pleasantly surprised to need only a regular fit. But with a good range of sizes and widths on offer, it’s easy to find your optimal fit.

The quilt is entirely customisable, with the possibility of increasing the standard 850 FP (fill power) to 950 FP or, better yet, adding a draught collar for anticipated colder conditions.

The Revelation has plainly given me quiet confidence and immense product satisfaction. Despite the rest of my sleeping system (air mat and trailhead bivouac bag) costing only a combined total of £120, I feel that I have perfected it within my budget. The Revelation has fuelled my taste for adventure through home-like snugness. Now, my friends can rest assured that they will have my best, most refreshed self, whatever hand the mountain deals us.