Sierra Designs Nitro Quilt: Light is Right

From stormy nights in Tasmania to calm summer evenings in the high desert and snowy high-alpine camps in the Cascades, I’ve spent my fair share of nights in a sleeping bag. But never had I used a sleeping quilt until I started using the Sierra Designs Nitro Quilt 20°.

Why go with a quilt now? Well, regardless of your destination or method of travel, packing weight is a universal concern. Sleeping quilts are minimalist sleeping bags that help save on packing weight. Given the volume a sleeping bag occupies in your packing system, any saved weight and space are welcome.  The Sierra Designs Nitro Quilt weighs just over 1.5 lbs (0.72 kgs) and packs down impressively small for its 20° rating.

Sierra Designs Nitro Quilt 20-degree weighs 25.6 ounces

What is a Sleeping Quilt? 

In its most basic form, a sleeping quilt is a sleeping bag without a zipper. While some quilts may include snaps or a drawstring cinch, the Sierra Designs Nitro Quilt has no closure hardware. But that does not mean it’s simply a down blanket. The Nitro is shaped like a sleeping bag, with the lower quarter offering the same mummy-like feel as a traditional sleeping bag and the upper three-quarters acting like an unzipped sleeping bag. 

Nitro Quilt Details

The Nitro Quilt is rated to 20°F (it’s also available in a 35°F version, which sheds 6oz/170g). It uses 800-fill DriDown and lightweight (15-denier) ripstop nylon; the combination makes for an ultralight sleeping system with a solid temp rating for three-season use.

Like most sleeping quilts, the Nitro features an enclosed foot box like a sleeping bag. The design is part of what separates it from a basic quilt and definitely helps it stay in place through the night.

A few design features set the Nitro apart from other quilts: an integrated hood and what Sierra Designs calls hand pockets.

Integrated Hood

The hood appears a bit odd at first, like a feature that turns the Nitro into a costume or something. But on a cold night, it offers welcome coverage. Sure, you can grab a beanie for a cold head, but the hood seals in heat around your neck while keeping your mouth and nose clear for easy breathing. It’s not a feature that gets used a lot, but if you are cold, it adds warmth.

Hand Pockets

In my opinion, the hand pockets are the key design feature. The hand pockets are little quilted pockets at the upper corners, designed to make it easy to wrap the quilt around yourself. Just tuck your hands in, pull the quilt around, and it’s instant cozy.  They are especially great if you are a side or front sleeper. And they are also helpful at night if you need to find the edges of the quilt and wrap up against the cold. 

800-Fill Down

Down quilts (and sleeping bags) can be somewhat stereotyped by their down quality or fill power rating. The fill power number reflects the quality, aka the loft, of the down used. Generally, the higher the fill power number, the warmer the sleeping bag or quilt.

Fill power is calculated by placing one ounce of down in a graduated cylinder and measuring the volume it occupies in cubic inches. While you can make up for lower fill power by using more down, this makes a sleeping bag less packable and heavier. 800-fill down is generally considered the benchmark for a high-quality down insulation, but higher fill-power ratings exist. The Nitro uses 800-fill DriDown™. DriDown is natural down insulation treated with a molecular-level polymer, creating a water-resistant finish on the actual feathers. Generally speaking, it stays dry longer, lofts better and dries faster than untreated down. Read more about DriDown. 

Packability

The Nitro owes its compressability and light weight to its 800-fill down (and ultralight ripstop fabric). It fits in the Salsa Handlebar bag and the Ortlieb 15-liter handlebar bag with room to spare for more clothes and gear. It’s best to forego the stuff sack when packing in a handlebar bag to maximize compression and versatility. Just stuff it directly into your bikepacking bag of choice. At 1.5 pounds, it’s quite light and packable, though not the lightest quilt on the market. It’s also warmer and has more features than lighter quilt designs.

Temp Rating

The Nitro Quilt exceeded my expectations for warmth. While I have not used it in true 20-degree temps, I weathered nights below freezing without issue. In my opinion, sleeping bag temperature ratings should not be taken literally. Everybody has different needs, and what you wear also impacts your warmth. That said, unless you are looking for a sleeping quilt for warm conditions or are trying to pack as light as possible, it’s worth choosing the 20-degree Nitro over the 35-degree version. The extra warmth is worth the minor volume/weight difference over the 35, in my opinion.