Actually the Minimus down jacket is now not far off the price of the Alpkit Filo, the Minimus has dropped in price whilst the Filo has gone up. I got my Filo for £80 about 4 years ago so things have gone up quite a bit.
Better weight than wisdom, a traveller cannot carry
Are the sale items different from the full price items? I looked at one product where the sale version has 900FP down and different fabric compared with the full price product of the same name (950FP down and lighter fabric).
It's the quilt I'm thinking about buying! I'm wondering if it's worth paying the extra for the full price version, or if the sale version is decent enough. I sleep cold, so sometimes I'd use it to supplement a down sleeping bag. The other option would be a filler bag, but the quilt is an interesting option which I think could see more use.
macinblack wrote:How do their quilts compare to Cumulus? I'm on the cusp of buying one?
They're completely different in construction.
The PhD quilts are like your duvet at home, whereas the Cumulus quilts are more like a sleeping bag without the hood or upper back
I have a PhD winter bag (last years sale) and it's a great bit of kit. However I'm not convinced on the flat quilts. Others report issues with drafts and cold spots.
I'm a fan of Phd in general but the quilts are fairly non technical. Great for camping/campervan/deluxe home use but for bivy situations I think a cumulus or (even better) enlightened is better due to foot box and closures underneath
I've a foot in both bags, err I mean, camps. I've a PHD Minim 2-season bag and a Cumulus 150 quilt. Both are effectively two season, I'll use one and my wife the other in summer, but in cooler temps I use the quilt as an outer to the bag and am comfortable to -5C (at least). I don't have any experience of the Enlightened kit but keep looking longingly at the site. Currency fluctuations have meant that the Cumulus kit is more expensive but the Enlightened kit about the same due to both pound and dollar falling.
whitestone wrote:I've a foot in both bags, err I mean, camps. I've a PHD Minim 2-season bag and a Cumulus 150 quilt. Both are effectively two season, I'll use one and my wife the other in summer, but in cooler temps I use the quilt as an outer to the bag and am comfortable to -5C (at least). I don't have any experience of the Enlightened kit but keep looking longingly at the site. Currency fluctuations have meant that the Cumulus kit is more expensive but the Enlightened kit about the same due to both pound and dollar falling.
I have a PhD bag too. The bags are without doubt the some of the best you can buy. The quilts less so for technical use
benp1 wrote:The enlightened quilt has a clever foot box so you can open it up to a full open quilt a la PHD, though it's not rectangular, more like a trapezium
I'd get a PHD bag over a PHD quilt
The enlightened quilt footbox to flat is very clever and extremely pleasing. It makes it very versatile. I also like the hydrophobic down option. I could probably carry a light option in high summer but the option I have is shockingly warm when it needs to be and can be opened out for venting. It does only weigh 430g. And is 100g lighter than the really very lovely PHD custom bag it replaced
Agreed, the PHD quilts look something of a disappointment compared to the rest of their range. I suspect Ben, Ian and others would be looking at and enthusing about PHD rather than Enlightened for quilts if they were more "technical".
For a quality budget quilt I'd go with Cumulus, if you want to spoil yourself then Enlightened. Just be aware that currency fluctuations and import duties might/will have an effect on the prices you pay.
Better weight than wisdom, a traveller cannot carry
Agreed, the PHD quilts look something of a disappointment compared to the rest of their range. I suspect Ben, Ian and others would be looking at and enthusing about PHD rather than Enlightened for quilts if they were more "technical".
For a quality budget quilt I'd go with Cumulus, if you want to spoil yourself then Enlightened. Just be aware that currency fluctuations and import duties might/will have an effect on the prices you pay.
My enlightened quilt was ordered in the middle of Brexit night. Once I realised it was going to happen I figured I best order it now or never be able to face paying the extra due to a tanking pound!
Nothing wrong with Cumulus though. I had a 450 which is now with John. It was crazy warm
Agreed, the PHD quilts look something of a disappointment compared to the rest of their range. I suspect Ben, Ian and others would be looking at and enthusing about PHD rather than Enlightened for quilts if they were more "technical".
For a quality budget quilt I'd go with Cumulus, if you want to spoil yourself then Enlightened. Just be aware that currency fluctuations and import duties might/will have an effect on the prices you pay.
My enlightened quilt was ordered in the middle of Brexit night. Once I realised it was going to happen I figured I best order it now or never be able to face paying the extra due to a tanking pound!
Nothing wrong with Cumulus though. I had a 450 which is now with John. It was crazy warm
whitestone wrote:For a quality budget quilt I'd go with Cumulus, if you want to spoil yourself then Enlightened. Just be aware that currency fluctuations and import duties might/will have an effect on the prices you pay.
My enlightened quilt was ordered in the middle of Brexit night. Once I realised it was going to happen I figured I best order it now or never be able to face paying the extra due to a tanking pound!
Nothing wrong with Cumulus though. I had a 450 which is now with John. It was crazy warm
Agreed. I don't see any reason to swap out my Cumulus quilt other than ones to boost my ego or pander to purchasing desires, in fact the Enlightened equivalent Revelation is slightly heavier and significantly more expensive. But comparing the Cumulus 450 with the closest Enlightened Revelation configuration the price is much more comparable and the EE is significantly lighter.
One thing to note in all this is that quilts don't work well with sleeping mats like the Klymit X-frame
Better weight than wisdom, a traveller cannot carry
Had my first night out using my Enlighten Revelate quilt 950 fill -1 rating in wide, all be it on the decking in the garden this week.
It was used with a Decathalon mat and a bivi bag.
It was a fairly chilly 3 degrees, a slight breeze and some dew come morning.
I loved the roomy feel to the set up and enjoyed a comfortable night, actually getting quite warm but not hot.
Even managed to oversleep.
Bloody love it!! Pretty much the only bit of kit I have bought new but I am happy, I see it not so much as a pricey purchase but a great value investment in future adventures.
Currency fluctuations have meant that the Cumulus kit is more expensive but the Enlightened kit about the same due to both pound and dollar falling.
