Katabatic Gear Quilts: Flex vs Alsek, Palisade and Sawatch
How we did this: we read the spec tables on Katabatic Gear’s own quilt pages, checked on 29 Sep 2026, and compared every quilt in its Regular size (fits to 6 ft) with 850-fill down. Katabatic notes finished specs may vary by about 2%. We have not field-tested these quilts.
Katabatic Gear makes two quilt lines at the same prices. The Elite quilts, Palisade (30°F), Alsek (22°F) and Sawatch (15°F), have a sewn footbox. The Flex quilts (30, 22, 15 and 5°F) have a zippered footbox that opens flat. At each rating the Flex costs the same and weighs 0.6 to 1.4 oz more. Katabatic rates its quilts to comfort.
Katabatic Gear quilts compared
| Rating | Elite (sewn footbox) | Flex (zippered footbox) | Flex adds | Loft | Price (Regular, 850-fill) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | Palisade: 19.8 oz | Flex: 21.2 oz | +1.4 oz | 2.25 in | $389 |
| 22°F | Alsek: 23.3 oz | Flex: 23.9 oz | +0.6 oz | 2.75 in | $409 |
| 15°F | Sawatch: 26.0 oz | Flex: 26.8 oz | +0.8 oz | 3.25 in | $429 |
| 5°F | No Elite version | Flex: 29.9 oz | — | 3.75 in | $449 |
Source: Katabatic Gear product pages, total weight, Regular, 850-fill, checked 29 Sep 2026.
Flex or Elite?
The Flex’s zippered footbox lets you open the quilt completely into a blanket, which Katabatic pitches as a flexible sleep system. It costs 0.6 oz at 22°F and 1.4 oz at 30°F, and nothing extra in price. If you sleep warm or use one quilt across seasons, the Flex; if you never open the footbox, the Elite saves the ounce.
How Katabatic rates its quilts
Katabatic’s FAQ says its ratings “are considered to be comfort ratings for most people.” That is a more conservative basis than Enlightened Equipment’s, which aligns with the EN lower limit, so compare a Katabatic 22°F with care against other brands. See what quilt makers mean by their ratings. Source: Katabatic Gear FAQ.
Katabatic Alsek 22°F
The Alsek is the middle of the Elite line: 23.3 oz in Regular with 850-fill (22.2 oz with 900-fill), 2.75 in of single-side loft, 54 in at the shoulders, $409. Katabatic calls it a quilt for “comfort in the warmer months, as well as the assurance of a good night’s sleep well into the shoulder seasons.”
Check price →Katabatic Flex
The Flex runs from the 21.2 oz Flex 30°F to the 29.9 oz Flex 5°F, the only Katabatic quilt rated below 15°F. Katabatic describes it as “a blanket style sleeping bag that will truly keep the cold out,” with a down-filled collar and a draft-blocking footbox closure.
Check price →Is 900-fill worth it?
Katabatic offers 900-fill goose down instead of 850-fill duck. On the Alsek 22°F it saves 1.1 oz for $90, about $82 per ounce; on the Palisade 30°F, 0.9 oz for $70. For comparison, Enlightened Equipment’s 950-fill upgrade on a 20°F Revelation works out to about $69 per ounce.
FAQ
What is the difference between Katabatic's Flex and Elite quilts?
How much does the Katabatic Alsek weigh?
How does Katabatic rate its quilts?
Is 900-fill worth it on a Katabatic quilt?
How much do Katabatic quilts cost?
The bottom line
Choose a Katabatic quilt by rating, then footbox: Elite (sewn) is 0.6 to 1.4 oz lighter, Flex (zippered) opens flat, and both cost the same. Katabatic rates to comfort, so its 22°F Alsek at 23.3 oz is a conservative choice.
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