Katabatic Alsek 22 Quilt vs Sea to Summit Ember 30 Quilt
In short: The Katabatic Alsek 22 Quilt costs $5 less; the Katabatic Alsek 22 Quilt is rated 17 °F colder on the figure each maker publishes; the Sea to Summit Ember 30 Quilt saves 4.1 oz; only the Sea to Summit Ember 30 Quilt publishes a lab temperature rating at all.
| Spec | Katabatic Alsek 22 Quilt | Sea to Summit Ember 30 Quilt |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$409 | ~$414 |
| ISO comfort | not published | 39 °F |
| ISO limit | not published | 30 °F |
| Rating on the label | 22 °F | 30 °F |
| Honesty gap | — | 9 °F |
| Rating standard | manufacturer | ISO 23537 |
| Weight | 1 lb 7.3 oz | 1 lb 3.2 oz |
| Warmth per ounce | — | 1.09 °F/oz |
| Fill | 850 fill power down | 850 fill power down |
| Fill weight | 15.2 oz | not published |
| Loft budget | 12.9k in³ | — |
| Shape | quilt | quilt |
| Shoulder girth | 54 in | not published |
| Zipper | none | half |
| Shell fabric | Pertex Quantum 10D nylon | 10D nylon |
| Hydrophobic down | Yes | Yes |
| Packed size | 6.5 × 11.5 in | 5.1 L |
Shaded cells mark the row where one has a measurable advantage. Weight, thickness, girth and shape are left unshaded on purpose: heavier is sometimes tougher, wider is sometimes warmer, and calling a winner on those would be an opinion dressed as a measurement.
What each one does well, and costs you
Katabatic Alsek 22 Quilt
- Packs a litre and a half smaller than the zippered Flex at the same rating.
- Sewn differential-cut footbox: warmer at the feet than a zip, and there is nothing to snag or fail.
- Published per-size fill and total weights in both 850 and 900 fill, plus single-side loft.
- Same attachment system as the rest of the line — the reason Katabatic quilts have the reputation they do.
- No lab rating behind the 22 °F number.
- Cannot be vented at the foot on a warm night, which is the Flex's entire reason to exist.
- $409 before the 900-fill upgrade or overfill.
- Made to order, with the lead time that implies.
Sea to Summit Ember 30 Quilt
- Publishes both ISO figures — 30 °F limit, 39 °F comfort — which almost no quilt on the market does.
- Zips into a closed footbox or opens completely flat, so it covers a wider temperature range than a sewn-box quilt.
- 19.2 ounces with 850-fill non-PFAS-treated down.
- 5.1 litres compressed, small enough for a summer kit in a 40-litre pack.
- $414 puts it against the custom cottage quilts, which will build to your width and overfill.
- Only two lengths and no width options.
- 10-denier shell needs care.
- The 39 °F comfort figure means this is a warm-weather quilt despite the 30 in the name.