Originally Published in NZ Hunter Magazine, Issue 100
Author: Luke Care, Editor
Kiwi Ultralight are, as the name suggests, a kiwi company - based in Nelson who make ultralight equipment!
Owned by Debra and Cody Howell, long-distance trampers with international experience, they manufacture their Ultralight gear here in little ol’ New Zealand. Tents, packs and quilts are their major offerings, and I have to say their lightweight DOC mattress-sized fitted sheet is a stroke of genius.
When I first encountered the concept of a quilt I thought they were for ultra-lightweight madmen, or Te Araroa trampers going between huts. Who would give up half of their sleeping bag?
However over the years, as I have appreciated the insulating qualities of quality sleeping mats, I have gained an equal appreciation of how much weight can be saved with a quality sleeping mat and quilt combo. The other consideration is that when you have a conventional sleeping bag on top of a mat, your weight is crushing that down flat and making it hugely less effective for insulation – so why bother with it at all?
The concept of a quilt is quite simple. It’s two-thirds of a sleeping bag, with no zip and relying on your mattress for insulation underneath. It sounds cold, but in reality it’s not. Initially, I assumed a quilt was basically a square down blanket, but the Kiwi Ultralight ones are much more effective than that.
Kiwi Ultralight offer three weights for their down quilt, and two configurations – the single tested here, and the double, which is a superb weight-saving option for couples. Or those hunting buddies that don’t mind a cuddle … we all suspect a few.
The three comfort ratings are:
Green shell
Comfort Rating = 5C
Limit Rating = -1C
Red shell
Comfort Rating = 0C
Limit Rating = -6C
Blue shell
Comfort Rating = -5C
Limit Rating = -12C
Interestingly Kiwi Ultralight note. “Our comfort ratings are calculated for the average woman, male comfort ratings are up to 6C lower. We choose the higher number to ensure comfort, but this information may be useful for comparison with other products.”
All of the bags use 850FP ethically sourced (third party verified) goose down packed in a highly breathable 10D nylon outer shell. Crucially they are box-baffle sewn, not stitched right through, so you don’t get cold spots between the baffles. They all come with a stuff sack, storage sack, and pad straps for holding it down against the mattress. They offer two sizes of straps, one for sleeping pads, and one for DOC hut mattresses.
I went for the 0-degree (middle) option as I want to push into the shoulder seasons with this quilt, but maintain the weight savings. I really enjoyed the flexibility of this sleep system. Laid out flat I used it with great comfort on hot nights; be it on the hill, in the rooftop tent, or catching some Z’s on the ferry. If you’re pushing the limits temperature-wise there are a number of ways to ramp up the warmth.
Start by pulling the footbox drawstring and buttoning it closed, an extraordinary amount of heat is lost through your feet (and head, always wear a beanie if you’re trying to maintain body temperature). Next you can close up the knee button for a tighter fit around your legs. If it’s really cold, you want to ensure you have the pad straps on. If you don’t, every time you move or roll over in the night you’ll lose precious warmth. With this system the pad straps are elastic, pulling it nice and snug but allowing you the freedom to roll over without being too constricted. If you want to really minimize drafts some people place their tapered sleeping mat inside the quilt.
You can push well into shoulder seasons if you pair it with a sleeping bag liner. I’m a fan of the merino ones like Bloodline gear do, but there are lighter options on the market too. Using a quilt and a liner gives you a modular sleeping system, meaning you can run ultralight on warm nights, or pack the liner if you’re pushing it into autumn or earlier in spring. This is why I went for the minus 6 option, as I can gain the weight benefits over summer, and beef it up with a liner as I push further into the roar.
Obviously a decent sleeping mat is a must to make this system work. Kiwi Ultralight note “With all sleep systems, it's critical that your pad has the proper R-value for the season (we recommend R-value 3-4 for 3 seasons)”. I used a Thermarest Neoair Xlite, regular, with an R value of 4.5. This weighs in at 380gm, so combined with my 665g quilt (including strap and sack) my whole sleeping system is just over a kilo! You could shave more off that with pads like the Uberlite if you’re hunting in warmer conditions, and also using the lighter quilt. You could easily lose 200 grams with that combination. The weight savings are impressive, and I was mighty thankful for them trying to keep up with Emil on my most recent outing with the quilt. A mad-dash overnighter into the Main Divide near Arthur’s Pass. We arrived at the first hut at 1am, left at 6am, climbed to the tops and shot a stag by 3pm, stayed up high that night then walked out! But that's a story for another day.
After chatting with Cody about my exact requirements I opted to go for a full-length 200cm bag, as I do sleep on my stomach. I appreciated the extra length on especially cold nights, I could tuck it around my head and shoulders and not let drafts in. This model isn't made for midwinter alpine tahr hunts, though you can use them well into winter in huts. Cody did mention to me that custom options are available, so if you wanted to create a serious cold-weather quilt or just use some custom colours and patterns, it’s all possible.
The concept of quilts can take some adjusting to, especially for cold sleepers, but there’s no doubt I’m an absolute convert for early-season trips. It’s a game changer for summer hunting. I’ll continue to push it in to the roar and see how we go with the 0-degree model. Regardless, if you’re looking for an option to shave a serious amount of weight from your pack and want to support another awesome local company, check these guys out. They have some other interesting things in their range too, keep an eye out for what’s coming next …
Head over to their website for pricing and tables showing weights for each size and comfort rating.
Note from Kiwi Ultralight: We greatly appreciate this independent 3rd party review from Luke at NZ Hunter Magazine! This article was republished unchanged with permission from the author.
Readers should also note that since the publication of this article, we have expanded our quilt colour range beyond what is listed here - you can read all about our quilts on the product page by clicking the link below.
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