The key purchasing differences between the Feathered Friends and Enlightened Equipment sleeping bag ranges
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Todd kept feeding his outdoor habit after relocating to the UK from his home state of Colorado. He gained a love for the slightly damper, but no less beautiful British countryside while he was at it.
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Feathered Friends and Enlightened Equipment are dedicated to making high-quality, versatile, and ultralight gear. Packing light is a spec that many backpackers, hikers, and outdoor lovers fancy. An ultralight bag is a must-have in my sleeping bag collection.
Enlightened Equipment is a cottage industry brand specializing in manufacturing backpacking quilts and sleeping bags. They stand out for making ultralight sleeping bags and quilts on the market. The company started in 2007 and has become famous for producing high-quality down quilts.
Feathered Friends on the other hand is an ICON in the sleeping bag industry. Since 1972, they've made a good name for themselves in the outdoor industry. They use ethically sourced premium goose down to give you high-quality, durable sleeping bags.
Sleeping Bags: Feathered Friends vs. Enlightened Equipment
Feathered Friends has majored in making mummy sleeping bags, while Enlightened Equipment dwells on making backpacking quilts. Using quilts or sleeping bags is a personal choice and depends on the efficiency of each one of the two.
Enlightened Equipment quilts and bags have an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio. They will keep you warm on the coldest nights and on snowy camping sites.
Feathered Friends work to ensure you get significant warmth on all four season adventures. They also make ultralight sleeping bags to ensure you enjoy your camping adventures without having to worry about your sleeping bag's weight.
Main Differences Between Feathered Friends and Enlightened Equipment Sleeping Bags
Choosing between Enlightened Equipment and Feathered Friends bags can be quite challenging. This is mainly because both companies use high-quality construction materials to make durable and versatile bags for their users.
When selecting between the two brands, factors such as budget, warmth, preferences, packability, and comfortability are essential. Each brand has its specs that make them stand out from the others.
Let's look at the key differences:
Which is Best For Cold Weather Camping?
Cold weather camping is fun because of the few people around. But without a suitable sleeping bag or quilt, your adventure may end with you falling sick. To have given you a successful winter camping, Feathered Friends and Enlightened Equipment came up with an ideal sleep system. Let's look at their best creations that will serve you best during cold weather:
Enlightened Equipment Conundrum Sleeping Bag
The Enlightened Equipment Conundrum is a traditional hybrid sleeping bag best for cold weather in this brand. It is an ultralight sleeping bag that will save weight on your pack. It weighs less than most sleeping bags on the market and has a simple design. Below are its key features:
- Fill Type: 850fp down
- Materials: Ultralight nylon fabric
Features
This sleeping bag is constructed with 850+ fill power down that is ethically sourced and certified with a temperature range rating of -10, 0, and 10,20,30,40,50 degrees Celcius.
The outer fabric is constructed with a 10 denier ultralight nylon that needs careful handling. The fabrics are available in yellow and charcoal.
The Enlightened Equipment Conundrum has an enclosed foot box with a 3/4 length zipper right above the foot box. This feature makes it the warmest sleeping bag in this brand. It is excellent for cold sleepers with cold feet as it retains heat around the feet.
Another interesting feature about this sleeping bag is that it has a pad attachment system with clips and elastic straps. This pad attachment system is used to secure the sleeping bag on a sleeping pad and prevent drafts during cold nights.
- It is super warm
- It is a high-quality product
- It is a versatile bag
- It is an ultralight sleeping bag
- It compresses perfectly
- It is a hoodless sleeping bag
- The zipper snags a lot
Feathered Friends Snowy Owl EX 60 Sleeping Bag
The Feathered Friends Snowy Owl Expedition 60 sleeping bag is designed to keep you warm in cold weather season. Here is why this specific bag will be best during cold weather.
- Materials
- Shell: Pertex® Shield EX (Waterproof and breathable)
- Lining: Pertex® 30 Denier Nylon Taffeta
- Fill Power: 900+ Goose Down
- Temperature Rating: -60ºF / -51.1ºC
Features
This bag has a 900+ fill power down and is one of the few mummy-style sleeping bags that give you enough room to move around and maintain its warmth.
The Feathered Friends Snowy Owl Expedition 60 sleeping bag also has a double zipper system to prevent cold drafts. It also acts as a backup in case the main zipper snaps or gets ruined.
The Snowy Owl is constructed with a lightweight Pertex R Shield fabric with 15 deniers and a 40 denier ripstop reinforcement. This fabric helps keep its weight to a minimum. The outer shell has a DWR coating to resist water and moisture.
- High-quality construction
- It has a spacious design
- The fabric is breathable
- It is a high budget bag
- It is heavy
Which Is Best On a Budget?
Getting versatile sleeping bags and quilts is a plus for me. You don't need to break a bank to enjoy the functions of a good sleeping bag or quilt. Feathered Friends and Enlightened Equipment have ensured that all customer needs are satisfied at a reasonable budget. Below are their top selections on a budget:
Enlightened Equipment Enigma Quilt
The Enlightened Equipment Enigma is the best budget backpacking quilt in this brand. It's currently going for around $235 and gives good value for its price point. It works the same as the Revelation quilt except for a few specs. Below are the key specs of the quilt:
- Fill Type: 850fp of 950fp down
- Materials: Ultralight nylon fabric
Features
You can customize the Enigma quilt bag to one of its six different temperature ratings (50,40,30,20,10,0 degrees). When choosing your temperature levels, it is essential to know your comfort level, whether you are a cold sleeper or a warm sleeper.
The length size of this quilt ranges from short to extra-long, while the width ranges from slim to extra wide.
The fabric can be customized between 7 deniers, 1o deniers, and 20deniers. The ultralight nylon fabric is treated with a Durable Water Repellent. 20 denier is more durable and has great water-resistant properties but is heavier. 7denier is lighter, less expensive, and more breathable.
The Enlightened Equipment Enigma is made with unique U-shaped continuous baffle stitches to help seal in all the heat required to keep you warm.
It has a deep-sewn foot box to keep your feet warm and comfortable. It has clips that you can close to form a sleeping bag and straps attached to a sleeping pad to get extra warmth.
- High-quality material construction
- It has accurate temperature ratings
- It is a low budget
- It has many customizing options
- It has an excellent warmth to weight ratio
- It has a foul odor at first
- It is a hoodless sleeping bag
Feathered Friends Swallow Ul 20
The Feathered Friends Swallow Ul 20 is the best budget bag in this brand with exceptional features. It is a wonderful three-season bag to add to your bucket list.
- Materials
- Shell: Pertex® Endurance® UL
- Lining: Flite 15 denier ripstop nylon
- Fill Power: 950+ Goose Down
- Shell: Pertex® Endurance® UL
- Temperature Rating: 20ºF
Features
It has a passive collar to prevent warm air from escaping and cold air from getting in the bag. It has a trapezoidal foot box to give you extra room for the comfort of your feet and maintain warmth.
The Feathered Friends Swallow Ul 20 has continuous baffles that allow you to control your sleeping bag insulation. It has a 3D contoured hood with a drawstring that you can close down during cold nights or leave open during warm nights.
The sleeping bag has a 5YKK two-way separating zipper. It has a draft tube around the zipper to prevent cold air from entering through the zipper.
- It is significantly warm and fluffy
- It is lightweight
- It is super comfortable
- It is a high-quality construction
- It does not compress easily without a compression sack
Who Makes The Most Comfortable Sleeping Bag?
Nothing beats a comfortable night's sleep and a late night of gazing at the stars surrounded by a fresh breath from pine trees. A comfortable sleeping bag has great temperature ratings, an excellent warmth to weight ratio, and is versatile.
Enlightened Equipment Convert Hybrid Quilt
The Enlightened Equipment Convert Hybrid gives you the chance to use it as a sleeping bag or quilt. I found this to be the most comfortable sleeping bag. Let's have a look at what makes this specific bag the most comfortable in its brand.
- Fill Type: 850fp down
- Materials: Ultralight nylon fabric
Features
It has a full-length zipper and drawstring foot box that allows you to close it entirely to a hoodless sleeping bag and get maximum warmth.
You can open it completely to a quilt when the temperature is favorable. It is excellent for side sleepers because of lacking a hood. The foot box keeps your feet warm and comfortable.
The Enlightened Equipment Convert Hybrid has clips and straps on the sides to attach it to a sleeping pad to get additional warmth.
The outer shell is made with 10 denier nylon with DWR coating, while the inner lining is made with 10denier nylon.
- It packs down small
- It is versatile
- It has an excellent warmth to weight ratio
- It is spacious when used as a quilt
- It is very light
- It lacks a hood
- When used as a quilt, it attracts more cold air
Feathered Friends Egret YF Sleeping Bag
The Feathered Friends Egret YF is a luxuriously comfortable sleeping bag that will keep you warm when temperatures drop. Even though it is primarily a women's sleeping bag, it provides comfort for anyone looking for extra space around the knees and elbows.
- Materials: Pertex® YFuse®, Pertex® 20 denier nylon taffeta
- Temperature Rating: 20°F (-6.67°C)
Features
It has a mummy bag design with a 5YKK two-way zipper that you close to retain warm air inside the bag and prevent cold air from getting inside.
The Feathered Friends Egret YF sleeping bag has been made of premium 900+ fill power Goose Down. The outer fabric is a lightweight 100% nylon Pertex Quantum shell with excellent water-resistant properties.
It has a collar with a higher fill power, providing an extra cushion under your neck and trapping significant heat.
It has a trapezoidal foot box to keep your feet comfortable and warm. This mummy-style sleeping bag has continuous baffles that enable you to position the down insulation where necessary.
Feathered Friends Egret has a 3D contoured hood that you can open wide on warm nights. On cold nights you can clinch it tight to retain warm air inside.
- It has a high fill power that makes it lofty and cozy
- It is warm and luxurious
- It is an ultralight sleeping bag
- It is a high budget bag
- It has a small hood
Who Has The Most Ultralight Sleeping Bag?
One of the key specs that backpackers are keen on nowadays is weight savings. The trend nowadays is to go for ultralight bags. Feathered Friends has the best ultralight sleeping bags on the market. Enlightened Equipment has backpacking quilts that weigh less than one pound. Exciting but very important.
Enlightened Equipment Revelation Quilt
One of the key specs that backpackers are keen on nowadays is weight savings. The trend nowadays is to go for ultralight bags. Feathered Friends has the best ultralight sleeping bags on the market. Enlightened Equipment has backpacking quilts that weigh less than one pound. Exciting but very important.
- Fill Type: 850fp or 950fp down
- Temperature Rating: 30F
Features
Like most backpacking quilts, it doesn't have a full-length zipper or a built-in hood. This feature is meant to save weight and space in your backpacking gear.
The Enlightened Equipment Revelation ranges from 850 fill power to 950 fill power down. These ratings ensure that you enjoy warmer nights during your adventures.
The outer fabric and inner lining are made of a 10 denier. The fabric has a DWR finish to prevent dampening the quilt. The outer fabric is either forest, burnt, or orange in color, while the inner lining has a charcoal finish.
It has a foot box with a 20-inch zipper and a shock cord that you can close to keep your feet warm and comfortable. When the temperature is too warm, you can leave it open.
The quilt includes a pad attachment system with elastic straps and clips on the sides. This feature lets you secure the quilt on a sleeping pad to provide insulation during colder nights.
Temperature ratings for this quilt range between 50, 40,30,20, 10, and 0 degrees F.
- It is an ultralight backpacking quilt
- It packs down small
- It has high-quality construction
- It has an excellent warmth to weight ratio
- It is versatile
- It is a low budget backpacking quilt
- It is hoodless
- Down insulation shifts over time
Feathered Friends Hummingbird UL 20/30
The Feathered Friends has always taken the crown in producing ultralight mummy bags that most backpackers love. The Feathered Friends Hummingbird UL 20/30 is the best ultralight sleeping bag for this brand. With this bag, you save grams without compromising warmth. Let's look at key features of this sleeping bag:
- Materials: Pertex® Endurance® UL, Flite 15 denier ripstop nylon
- Temperature Rating: 20ºF / -6.67ºC
Features
Like most backpacking quilts, it doesn't have a full-length zipper or a built-in hood. This feature is meant to save weight and space in your backpacking gear.
The Enlightened Equipment Revelation ranges from 850 fill power to 950 fill power down. These ratings ensure that you enjoy warmer nights during your adventures.
The outer fabric and inner lining are made of a 10 denier. The fabric has a DWR finish to prevent dampening the quilt. The outer fabric is either forest, burnt, or orange in color, while the inner lining has a charcoal finish.
It has a foot box with a 20-inch zipper and a shock cord that you can close to keep your feet warm and comfortable. When the temperature is too warm, you can leave it open.
The quilt includes a pad attachment system with elastic straps and clips on the sides. This feature lets you secure the quilt on a sleeping pad to provide insulation during colder nights.
Temperature ratings for this quilt range between 50, 40,30,20, 10, and 0 degrees F.
- Ultralight sleeping bag
- It packs down small
- It is warm
- It has an excellent warmth to weight ration
- It is a high budget bag
- It is narrow for some users
Best High-end Sleeping Bags
On top of comfort, you get high-quality standard bags and quilts. With beautiful designs and class to suit your needs. With Feathered Friends and Enlightened Equipment, you are guaranteed satisfaction. Below is their two-rated high-end sleeping bags.
Enlightened Equipment Accomplice 2-Person Quilt
If you are looking for a high-quality couple bag, the Accomplice 2-person quilt is a perfect choice. I bought this bag, and it has been a worthwhile investment.
It has lightened my load big time because of its ultralight properties. It is very comfortable and warm and gives me value for money. Let's look at its specifications:
- Fill Type: Pertex® 20 denier nylon taffeta, 900+ Goose Down
- Temperature Rating: 20ºF / -6.67ºC
Features
The Enlightened Equipment Accomplice 2-Person Quilt has a pad attachment system with elastic straps and clips that you can use to secure a sleeping pad under you to keep you warm through cold nights.
This backpacking quilt is exceptionally warm for its low weight. It has an accurate temperature rating of between 0-50degrees, and that, together with the heat from your partner, is enough to keep you warm.
It uses 850+ down fill power with a weight of 630g. With this quilt, you save weight compared to other double bags on the market.
It has a wide foot box to keep your feet significantly warm and comfortable. It also has neck seals to trap all necessary heat around the neck. During cold nights a warm hat will help keep your head warm because of the hoodless feature of this bag.
It has an ultralight nylon fabric with a DWR coating. The fabric is available in 7 deniers, 10 deniers, and 20 deniers, depending on your preference.
It has a draft collar for each partner to keep you warm at night.
- It is super light
- It has a draft stopper between partners
- It is significantly warm
- It has a great design
- It compresses easily
- It is customizable
- It is fragile and cannot be used for extended periods
- It is a higher budget bag
Feathered Friends Snow Goose EX-40 Sleeping Bag
Everything about Snow Goose EX -40 Sleeping Bag speaks class and quality. It is a high budget but worth the price because of the value it gives.
It is a well-performing high-altitude sleeping bag that will keep you warm at night. It is extremely light and a perfect choice for backpacking, camping, and any other outdoor activities.
- Materials
- Shell: Pertex® Shield EX (Waterproof and breathable)
- Lining: Pertex® 30 Denier Nylon Taffeta
- Fill Power: 900+ Goose Down
- Temperature Rating: -40ºF / -40ºC
Features
It has 900+fill power down around the head to keep you toasty warm. It is perfect for cold weather.
It is made of Pertex R Shield fabric and denier 15 denier and a 40 denier ripstop reinforcement with a waterproof coating. The material used is highly breathable and doesn't retain moisture.
It has a mummy bag shape with a 5YKK two-way zipper with anti-snag features. It has side baffles to maintain the sleeping bag insulation with a 60 to 40 ratio on the top and bottom.
This down sleeping bag has a 3D contoured hood that you can use to keep your head warm. The down-fill power in the hood makes it suitable as a pillow. It has draft tubes to block cold air from going through the zippers.
Don't worry about moisture getting inside. The bag is designed with tuck stitch construction that locks the moisture out.
This mummy sleeping bag has a significant volume to accommodate warm clothing in most extreme cold weather.
It comes in two lengths: regular and long
- It is water-resistant and breathable
- It has high-quality materials
- It has an excellent warmth to weight ratio
- It is light
- It packs down small
- It is a high budget sleeping bag
- Too warm for warm weather
What are the Different Features of Feathered Friends and Enlightened Equipment Sleeping Bags?
There are different sleeping bag styles on the market. Feathered friends bags and Enlightened Equipment quilt sleeping bags have various features that make them unique. Sleeping bag features are helpful when choosing what to purchase.
The Feathered Friends sleeping bag brand has been around since 1972. The company creates simple designs, high quality, and lightweight sleeping bags for its users.
The Enlightened Equipment constructs low budget, ultralight backpacking quilts, and sleeping bags. Below are some of the main features of the Enlightened Equipment and Feathered Friends sleeping bags:
Features of Feathered Friends Sleeping Bags
- The Feathered Friends bag has a temperature rating of 20Degrees Fahrenheit that ensures you are warm enough, including a cold sleeper
- Their bags have a fill power of 900 + to 950+ Goose down
- They create versatile bags in average and long lengths to accommodate all users
- Feathered Friends bags weigh an average of 766g
Features of Enlightened Equipment Sleeping Bags
- They have customizable bags with temperature ratings ranging from -0, 10,20, 30, 40 50 degrees, depending on your preference
- The outer shell fabrics are made with denier and nylon
- They make hoodless sleeping bags quilts
- Their quilts and sleeping bags have a pad attachment system
- Their sleeping bags and quilts have a fill power 0f between 850 to 950 down
How does Enlightened Equipment Approach RDS?
This company uses responsibly sourced Goose and duck down to make some of its products. Their website states that the Down used to make their products is ethically sourced from an RDS certified supplier.
This precaution is to ensure that none of the down used is acquired through force-feeding or live-plucking of the birds.
How does Feathered Friends Approach RDS?
According to Feathered Friends down is the center of everything they produce. They are keen on where they get it because without down there is no manufacturing.
They source down from geese that are taken care of and raised with humane standards. 100% of the Down used by Feathered Friends is certified by RDS.
Their down is a by-product of European geese that don't go through force-feeding or live-plucking. Their products are 100% certified and carry the RDS logo
