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Bikepack Adventures
Photos by: Serge Gouin @segophoto
While planning for some winter bikepacking adventures and fatbike racing, Chris went out and got an Outdoor Vitals StormLoft Down TopQuilt, hoping to find out if quilts were really as great as people say. Read about Chris' experiences after a winter of adventures.
For bikepackers searching for a true minimalist setup, the OV StormLoft Down TopQuilt is definitely the piece of kit that will shave some weight from your setup. Using 800+ hydrophobic down fill, the sleeping quilt is moisture resistant and can still provide you with much needed warmth, even when wet. With a built-in draft collar, and connector clips that can be used both separately and in conjunction with mattress straps, you can maintain a surprising amount of warmth. Quilts also allow you to thermoregulate more easily. The StormLoft Down TopQuilt has a few downsides, namely, that high-end quilts are still quite expensive, although relative to its quality, the StormLoft TopQuilt is still reasonably priced. It also uses duck down, which is slightly inferior to goose down, and some people may not be fans of closed toe boxes and prefer to spread the quilt out much like a blanket. All-in-all, this quilt is well made and a solid piece of kit available for a range of temperature limits (0º to 40ºF / -20ºC to 4ºC).
As an avid bikepacker and wilderness enthusiast that has been wanting to explore more and camp outside more during Canada's long winter months, I decided it was time to invest in a proper winter sleep system. Previously I had used my old military winter sleeping bag, but considering how bulky it is, it was a far cry from suitable for bikepacking. I even bought a -20°C sleeping bag the previous winter, only to get frustrated by having the zippers come undone during the middle of the night while I was tossing and turning. As a pretty active sleeper, that constantly rolls over in the middle of the night, it wasn't long before I returned the 2kg sleeping bag I bought and decided to continue searching for the right piece of kit.
As a person that likes to bike long distance, carrying as little weight as possible, it wasn't long before my research brought me into the realm of quilts and their versatility. After spending way too long diving down the perpetual rabbit hole of sleeping bag vs. sleeping quilt, I decided that I wanted to give it a try. Luckily for me, Outdoor Vitals was keen for me to try out their -20°C winter sleeping quilt.
One of the biggest challenges of winter bikepacking adventures is trying to carry all your bulky gear, particularly the sleeping bag, as cold weather sleeping bags tend to take up a ton of space and are tough to fit on a bike. With the hopes of going out on more winter bike adventures, I reached out to Outdoor Vitals to find out if their winter quilt could be effective as part of my winter sleep system. I had been wanting to try a sleeping quilt for several years, having heard that they are lighter, pack smaller and still keep you warm. Having the chance to test out the winter version of the Outdoor Vitals quilt, was perfect timing, as I was hoping to ride the Wendigo 200, a winter fatbike race that has very specific gear requirements. I also had a couple other campouts planned throughout the winter season.
The Outdoor Vitals StormLoft Down TopQuilt (-20°C) is a lightweight and versatile companion for cold-weather adventures. With its ultralight design, draft-free construction, and optimized footbox, it keeps you warm without compromising on weight. Whether you’re thru-hiking or camping, the StormLoft delivers reliable performance in chilly conditions.
Outdoor Vitals is a brand that specializes in performance-first ultralight gear for backpacking and outdoor adventures. Their mission is to help people connect more deeply with the outdoors, recognizing the positive impact on physical, mental, and emotional health. Outdoor Vitals designs and offers a range of high-quality, lightweight, and versatile products, including top quilts, sleeping bags, backpacks, sleeping pads, performance apparel, and tents. Whether you’re a thru-hiker, camper, or outdoor enthusiast, Outdoor Vitals provides gear that prioritizes performance without unnecessary extras.
As you may have noticed, Outdoor Vitals is a company that prides itself in designing products that are both affordable and high-quality. As a company that was designed around the concept of ultralight backpacking, their products perfectly suit the needs of the bikepacker that aims to keep their gear weight to a minimum, while also addressing the requirement of gear that is functional, and purpose built.
When the parcel first arrived at my house, I was pretty surprised at how small it was. Having previously owned and used down sleeping bags, I was aware of how much they can pack down, but I wasn't expecting it to be that small. Opening the box, the sleeping quilt is packed in its storage bag, keeping the down from being overly compressed. Although this makes the parcel much bigger, it's great to see Outdoor Vitals taking care to not put excessive stress on the down fill that is in their quilts. Inside the box, you also find a few accessories. One of them, of course, is the stuff sack, allowing you to compress the sleeping quilt for when going on adventures. Also in the box are two elastic straps that can be used to secure the sides of the quilt to the air mattress, eliminating the chance of the sleeping quilt falling off the user in the middle of the night.
The quilt comes in a light grey outer colour, with the inner lining on the -20 degrees Celcius quilt being green. The quilt features a sewn footbox and also has two connectors that can either be used with the mattress straps or clipped to themselves to minimize air movement and keep you warmer on those cold nights. There is also a snap to hold the neck baffle closed and a cinch cord to keep the warm air from leaking out.
After hours scouring the internet comparing quilts and their various features, there were several reasons I decided to go with the Outdoor Vitals StormLoft Down TopQuilt. One of the biggest draws to using the StomLoft TopQuilt is that both the inner and outer shells are made with 10D Ripstop Nylon, whilst the outer is treated by VitalDry DWR water repellant. Pair that with 800-fill Power HyperDry Water Repellant Down, and you have a sleep system that is moisture resistant and weighs only a fraction of what traditional sleeping bags weigh.
As someone that easily gets cold feel, I was thrilled that the footbox is sewn in, using horizontal baffles, designed to allow for your feet to splay in a natural manner, eliminating unnecessary space that might allow cold air to linger. The vertical baffles of the upper part of the quilt allow for the design to be wider in key areas, in order to minimize cold drafts and allow the quilt to wrap around your body. An insulated draft collar closes with a snap to seal in your body heat when you cinch the draw string up around your shoulders on cold nights. There are also multiple options as to how you use the quilt throughout the night. Leaving the quilt open allows you to easily move about as you sleep, while minimizing the amount of cold air that seeps in, while on warmer nights you can vent the quilt just by opening it a bit more. Connectors built into the upper part of the quilt allow you to close the quilt more tightly around your body for those colder nights, while also being able to be used in conjunction with the provided pad straps, which will help keep your quilt in place while you sleep throughout the night.
All this in a neat little package that includes all the most important parts of a sleeping bag, while taking away some of the less needed features prevalent in sleeping bags. Put all this together and you have a -20-degree Celsius sleep system that weights only 791 g (1 lb 11.9 oz), less than half the weight of a comparably priced winter sleeping bag.
My first outing with the Outdoor Vitals StormLoft Down TopQuilt was on an overnight bikepacking adventure on my gravel bike where I loaded everything into the Tailfin bags on the back of my bike. At first, I was hesitant to go with this setup, as I was a little doubtful the quilt would fit in the Tailfin AP20 Top Trunk Bag. Unlike most sleeping bags I've used in the past that are massive and take up an entire drybag, this quilt packed down small enough to fit in the trunk bag, while also allowing space for my air mattress and puffy jacket. After a 90km ride, I bedded down for the night using a combination of my R3 Big Agnes insulated air mattress, Outdoor Research Helium Bivy, inflatable pillow and down hood. Realistically, it wasn't cold enough outside for the setup which I used, and because of that I definitely ended up sweating a fair bit. Normally, this would be something to be concerned about, particularly after multiple nights on the trail, as the added moisture would make it difficult to regulate temperatures. Luckily, the water repellant down and DWR treated outer shell minimized the amount of moisture that is absorbed by the down, allowing for the quilt to not lose its loft and to maintain its insulating factor.
Another aspect I really liked about using the StormLoft quilt while out in the winter, was that I could keep the baffle nice and snug around my neck, while still being able to stick a knee out the side of the quilt to help regulate the temperature. As a person that hates having a cold neck, I really liked how well the baffle stayed snapped shut, even with all my moving around throughout the night, it never came undone. Another aspect I really liked about the StormLoft TopQuilt was that the cinch cord did not slip and get loose throughout the night. Previously, when using a winter sleeping bag I bought, and promptly returned, the cinch cord would come loose every time I moved in the sleeping bag. I found this very bothersome and had a lot of issues keeping in the heat. With the quilt, this was never an issue, and I kept warm throughout the night.
A friend of mine heard on the podcast that I was trying out a StormLoft quilt and that it got damp after being used inside a bivy bag and shared their experience using a 30 °F quilt.
The OV quilt uses 'stormloft' and 800 fill 'hyper dry' down that has been treated with a hydrophobic barrier film that allows the quilt to maintain 90% of its thermal properties even if completely soaked. I've unintentionally tested it with my OV 30-degree summer quilt that got accidentally soaked at the bottom of my canoe. It worked perfectly during the night down to 1 °C.
I also took the StormLoft TopQuilt for the Wendigo Fatbike Ultra, a 200km race that, for safety reasons, has a pretty rigid list of required gear. One of the main requirements for 200km riders is a -18-degree Celcius sleeping system. Being able to pack the StormLoft Quilt onto the back of the bike, rather than a massive sleeping bag, was a great way to stick to the parameters of the event, while also keeping the weight - and bulk - to a minimum.
I really enjoyed having the opportunity to incorporate a quilt into my winter gear setup. Using a quilt is something I had been wanting to try for ages, having heard from multiple people how amazing it is. As a person always looking for a way to improve their gear and setup, there is a massive weight benefit to using a higher end quilt. A quilt allows you to not compromise on quality, while getting a product that is more affordable than many of the alternatives out there. The Outdoor Vitals StormLoft Down TopQuilt finds the right balance between warmth, weight, and affordability, making it a solid choice for those that want a versatile and lightweight quilt for their winter biking adventures.
