Sleeping Bag Temperature Ratings: What Quilt Makers Mean
How we did this: we read how four ultralight quilt makers define their own temperature ratings, on their own pages, checked on 29 Sep 2026, and quote each one. We have not tested these quilts.
A sleeping bag temperature rating only means something once you know which standard the maker used. Among four popular quilt makers, Enlightened Equipment rates to the lower limit, Katabatic and Hammock Gear to comfort, and Zpacks to an estimate in between. Two quilts both labelled 20°F can therefore be built for different sleepers.
The three sleeping bag temperature ratings
| Rating | What it means (EN/ISO) |
|---|---|
| Comfort | The lowest temperature at which an average woman can sleep comfortably on her back |
| Lower limit | The lowest temperature at which an average man can sleep curled up without waking |
| Extreme | A survival limit for an average woman; hypothermia risk is present, not for regular use |
Sources: each maker’s own definition, from Enlightened Equipment, Katabatic Gear, Hammock Gear and Zpacks, checked 29 Sep 2026.
Definitions as summarised by Enlightened Equipment. The tests are run with the sleeper in base layers and a hat, on an insulated sleeping pad. The comfort figure is always the warmer of the first two.
How four quilt makers define their rating
| Maker | Basis | In the maker’s words |
|---|---|---|
| Enlightened Equipment | Lower limit | “Enlightened Equipment ratings align with the EN lower limit standard.” |
| Katabatic Gear | Comfort | “The temperature ratings for each bag are considered to be comfort ratings for most people.” |
| Hammock Gear | Comfort, conservative | “All of our quilts have a conservative, comfort rating.” |
| Zpacks | Estimate, between comfort and limit | Not ISO tested; “we estimate, based on feedback and use, that they are closest to the ISO ‘Transition Range.’” |
What this means in practice: at the same number, a comfort-rated quilt from Katabatic or Hammock Gear is aimed at a colder sleeper than a limit-rated quilt from Enlightened Equipment. Enlightened Equipment itself tells women and cold sleepers to consider buying warmer.
How to choose an ultralight quilt rating
- Find the coldest night you expect on the trip, from a forecast or historical data for the place and month.
- Check the maker’s basis in the table above. A limit rating is where an average man is at the edge of comfort, not comfortable.
- Adjust for how you sleep. If you sleep cold, Hammock Gear’s sizing guide says to “consider ordering 10° lower than you intend to primarily use the quilt.”
- Match the pad. Ratings assume an insulated pad. A quilt has no insulation underneath, so a thin pad makes any rating feel colder.
- Plan your head. A quilt has no hood. Enlightened Equipment calls headgear “extremely important” in a quilt; Katabatic suggests a hood when nights will be near the rating.
What a warmer rating costs in ounces
Each 10°F of extra warmth adds down. From the makers’ own configurators and spec tables, checked the same day:
| Quilt (one size) | 30°F | 20°F | Added for 10°F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enlightened Equipment Revelation, 850-fill, Regular/Regular | 18.98 oz | 22.32 oz | +3.34 oz, +$30 |
| Hammock Gear Burrow, standard, 20D | 21.8 oz | 25.0 oz | +3.2 oz, +$25 |
| Zpacks Solo Quilt, Standard-Medium | 13.3 oz | 18.3 oz | +5.0 oz, +$30 |
Because the three makers rate on different bases, this table shows what each maker charges in ounces for its own next rating, not which quilt is warmest.
FAQ
What does a sleeping bag temperature rating mean?
Are quilt temperature ratings comparable between brands?
I sleep cold. How much warmer should I buy?
Does my sleeping pad change the rating?
Do I need a hood with a quilt?
The bottom line
Read the basis before the number. Enlightened Equipment rates to the lower limit, Katabatic and Hammock Gear to comfort, Zpacks to an estimate in between. Cold sleepers buying a limit-rated quilt should go about 10°F warmer, and every quilt needs a matching pad and a warm hat.
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