Katabatic Gear - Flex 30 Ultralight Quilt

EE hasn’t fixed the issues at all. Not sure where you heard they did, but here are the top 5 complaints you’ll see in the community: 1. Drafts sneak in around shoulders, sides, and neck—EE’s pad straps often fail to seal fully for side sleepers or restless movers, creating cold spots. 2. Temperature ratings feel optimistic—a 20°F quilt frequently performs closer to 25–30°F comfort in real conditions due to drafts and shifting down. 3. Down migration and clumping—U-shaped baffles let down shift over time, leading to uneven loft and cold spots that require frequent fluffing. 4. Fragile fabrics—lightweight 7D/10D shells snag, tear, or leak feathers more easily with heavy use compared to premium competitors. 5. Poor moisture handling—down loses loft quickly if damp from condensation or sweat, with no strong hydrophobic treatment standard. I agree, WM is probably overkill for the AT once warm weather hits. But, so is an EE 20F revelation. However, if the only place you’re shopping is REI, and you’re doing a thru hike starting March to mid-April, a 30F WM is going to be better than a 20F EE on all the metrics above. If you’re able to shop somewhere else besides REI, for the same money, a Katabatic Flex 30 is going to outperform an EE 20F revelation in every key metric. All the brands I listed will outperform EE for the same or less money. When you buy EE, you’re paying a premium for the brand name without accompanying performance. The only time I would consider EE for a quilt is if I needed a synthetic quilt in the 40-50F range for summer fast packing. But, that’s not an AT thru hike thing. And the synthetic climashield apex insulation solves all the issues EE has with down. This is because apex is one continuous sheet of insulation that cannot migrate like down to create cold spots. That said, I would still be wary of their temp rating even for a synthetic quilt.

I can’t recall any reviews for a thru hike, but I can’t recall any negative review that wasn’t user error. Email the guy on Etsy. Ask him what he thinks. If you want more peace of mind, the hammock gear burrow is the budget choice with a more proven track record. Spend an hour reading about quilts in r/ultralight. Watch some YouTubers who actually have 10K miles of thru hiking under their belts and see what they say about quilts. Don’t just take it from me that EE underperforms. I’ve tried their quilts and others, and I have only put in about 1200 miles and 100+ nights on trail. But, I’ll tell you that I’m taking a Katabatic flex 30 on my thru hike this year when the weather warms up. I hate being cold, and that EE Rev 20 sucked compared to the Katabatic.

I mentioned EE because OP had one originally and they were having a 20% sale. As for my recommendation (I live and hike near the southern section of the AT) I am most familiar with Katabatic as our family has 4 Katabatic quilts, 1 HMG 40 quilt, 2 MYOG Synthetic quilts (both APEX and Primaloft Gold, as well as a couple of MYOG Down. As for recommendations for a 1 quilt AT solution I would chose a Katabatic Flex 30. A little bulky and slightly heavy but I have found it very versatile for a much wider temperature range than the closed footbox Katabatic Elite quilts. I was out the other week near Wayah Bald and the night time temps were in the 40s-50s (I run a thermometer) and I was sweltering in the 22F Katabatic Alsek even though I was on a low insulation Uberlight pad. An APEX quilt that was comfortable into the 20f would be very bulky (Mine is 17 oz and around 45f) but cost less. I replaced my synthetic quilts this year with the HMG 40f quilt primarily for stuffed size but also lighter with a lower potential comfortable temperature margin for fall trips. The HMG on sale was about the same price as the Katabatic Flex 40 but is much more compact and lighter. For the record people love to hate on the HMG stuff but this quilt is exceptionally well made with a great material feel. My daughter is a professional seamstress (Broadway, Met Opera, etc) and that is her evaluation compared to her Katabatic Sawatch we got her for Christmas (which is also very well made).

I have a Flex 30. I can’t comment on the 5, and I’m obviously not using it in conditions where a 5 degree quilt would be needed. But I can say that 1. Katabatic’s quality is among the best on the market; 2. Their pad attachment system is amazing at sealing out drafts; 3. The Flex is very snug when fully cinched and zipped, and; 4. If you’re expecting a range of temperatures, the Flex, by nature of its design, might be a good choice. That said, i don’t know what the warmest temps on your trek will be. Even laid out in blanket mode, a 5 degree Flex could be very uncomfortable in warmer conditions.

I tried a half dozen different mummy bags before immediately returning them. I'm 6'3" 235lbs, pretty tight fit. Perfect solution for me was a Katabatic down quilt. Really good quality and versatile. Paired it with a Big Agnes Rapide pad. Most comfortable pad I've ever used.

I got the wide 6'6" 30F for $379. I motocamp, and prefer not to ride in Temps below 35-40F so I chose the 30F. But it LUXURIOUS! Love it. Well made.

Man I wish I could figure that out. My 30 katabatic bad is oppressively hot over 40 degrees. And trying to keep some of it venting or the footbox open from 40-50 just results in my feet freezing or waking up at night to one spot of my back getting it a draft. I gave up. I got a 40 degree down quilt and a 50deg synthetic bag a little bit bigger and layer however it seems like it’ll be that night. Bonus is EE put a hole in the 50deg bag so it’s my camp poncho and I don’t bring a puffy. The two bags are heavier than a 20deg bag but lighter than a 20 degree plus a 10oz puffy.

Katabatic 30 is the daddy quilt.

I love my Katabatic Flex. It's worth the $$. Thanks for the update and I love that you're enjoying the trail.

Katabatic Flex FTW! I've slept comfortable from 50f down to 7f with the same quilt

I love my Katabatic quilt. Extremely light, can open up and breath in warmer hunts and definitely warm enough sub-freezing when buttoned up. Been using it for 5 years on Colorado hunts, all kinds of conditions.

There isn’t really an absolute best, but I like Katabatic for a quilt and western mountaineering or feathered friends for a bag. I prefer quilts down to around the low 20s, bags below that. Having a pocket in your quilt for a sleeping pad seems silly to me.