Friday, July 25, 2025

Nemo Pulse Backpacking Quilt Evaluation and Options


The NEMO Pulse 20/30 Quilt is a premium backpacking quilt that weighs 1 lb 2 oz and is insulated with 1000 fill energy goose down. It has a beefy draft collar to stop heat air from escaping round your neck, a closed foot field, and pad attachment straps to stop facet drafts. The down has been handled with a waterproofing agent so it’s going to dry quicker if it will get damp, and it’s sewn into ultralight field baffles that require much less cloth to sewn and are, subsequently, lighter weight. When you couple the brand new Pulse Quilt with NEMO’s Tensor Elite Pad (8.5 oz), you get a whole sleeping system weighing 26.5 ounces, which is light-weight sufficient to make any thru-hiker envious.

RELATED: 10 Finest Backpacking Quilts

  • Insulation: 1000 fill energy duck down
  • Water Resistant Down: ExperDRY
  • Temperature Ranking: 34F Consolation, 23 Restrict
  • Dimensions: 6′ (6’6″ additionally out there)
  • Shoulder Girth: 57″
  • Shell and Liner- 10-denier recycled polyester ripstop with C0 sturdy water repellent (DWR)
  • Compressed Quantity: 2.3L
  • Worth: $550

NEMO has at all times championed facet sleepers, who make up 74% of the inhabitants. Their unique spoon-shaped sleeping baggage broke the mildew once they first got here out, permitting you to remain heat and comfortable even for those who sleep in your facet or roll forwards and backwards at night time. Popping out with an ultralight backpacking quilt is a pure extension of their product line since quilts present even larger flexibility and luxury for side-sleeping outside fans.

The Pulse has ultralight box baffling.
The Pulse has ultralight field baffling.

The Pulse is a brilliant snug backpacking quilt with a silky liner that’s snug to sleep beneath. The dimensions common has 12 oz of 1000 fill energy down insulation organized in Karo Step Baffles, a kind of field baffling gaining recognition within the ultralight backpacking world as a result of it requires much less cloth and, subsequently, weight to create. In addition to its unimaginable heat, 1000 fill energy down can be extremely compressible, serving to backpackers who wish to use smaller quantity and lighter backpacks.

The NEMO Pulse has a think draft collar
The NEMO Pulse has a suppose draft collar.

The Pulse comes with a thick draft collar that wraps over your shoulders and higher chest. There’s an unobtrusive flat snap that closes behind your neck and a drawstring on the entrance of the quilt so you possibly can tighten the collar and forestall heat air from escaping. When stepping into the quilt, you snap the again collectively first, earlier than sticking your head out by means of the outlet that’s shaped. Solely then do you tighten the collar to seal within the heat.

The Pulses pad attachment straps hood into gear loops distributed along the length of the quiltThe Pulses pad attachment straps hood into gear loops distributed along the length of the quilt
The Pulses pad attachment straps hood into gear loops distributed alongside the size of the quilt

The Pulse’s footbax is closed, so you possibly can’t vent your ft like you possibly can with quilts which have a drawstring opening on the finish or a zipper that permits you to open the quilt and use it like a blanket. Whereas these are good options, I don’t suppose they’re must-haves for a quilt rated for 20 or 30 levels. When you’re too scorching when sleeping, it’s easy sufficient to open up the draft collar to launch warmth or simply stick your foot out the facet of the quilt to chill off.

The pad attachment straps prevent drafts from entering along the sides of the quiltThe pad attachment straps prevent drafts from entering along the sides of the quilt
The pad attachment straps forestall drafts from getting into alongside the perimeters of the quilt

The Pulse comes with two pad attachment straps that hook into cloth loops alongside the perimeters. I normally use only one close to my mid-riff because the draft collar and foot field assist hold the perimeters tucked in and draft-free. The attachment straps will not be elasticated, which is one thing you discover on lots of cottage-made quilts. As a substitute, they’re made with static wire in order that your entire quilt may be recycled if desired, as a part of their Countless Promise program the place they will recycle used NEMO gear in its entirety. I favor elastic straps myself, however this isn’t a showstopper. When you actually care about it, transferring the {hardware} from the Pulse’s straps to an elastic strap can be easy sufficient.

Backpacking Quilts Comparability Desk

Make / Mannequin Options Kind Fill Energy Down Choices
Enlightened Tools Revelation Quilt Down or Artificial Insulation, Drawstring Footbox, UL Materials, Draft Collar Possibility,
Many Colours Obtainable.
Inventory, Customized 850 Duck, 950 Goose, Each Untreated
Katabtic Gear Alsek 22 Quilt Differential Reduce, Draft Collar, Overfill Obtainable. Inventory 850 Duck HyperDry, 900 Goose HyperDry, 900 Goose Untreated
NEMO Pulse 20/30 Field Baffling, Draft Collar, Closed Foot Field, A number of Lengths Inventory 1000 Duck ExperDry
REI Magma 30 Quilt Draft Collar, Drawstring Footbox, A number of Widths and Lengths Inventory 850 Goose down,handled
Enlightened Tools Convert Sleeping Quilt Down or Artificial Insulation, Drawstring Footbox, Full Size Zipper, Twin Draft Tubes, Many Colours Obtainable. Inventory, Customized 850 Duck, 950 Goose, Each Untreated
Warbonnet Diamondback Quilt Zipper or Sewn Footbox, Draft Collar Possibility,Facet Elastics Possibility, Overfill Obtainable, Many Colours Obtainable. Inventory, Customized 850 Goose HyperDry, 950 Goose HyperDry
Hyperlite Mtn Gear 20-Diploma Quilt Field Baffled Building, Physique-mapped Insulation, Sewn Footbox Inventory 1000 Fill Energy Gray Goose Down handled with DWR
Zpacks Basic Sleeping Quilt Field Baffled Building, Overstuffed, 3/4 Zipper, UL Cloth. Inventory 900 Goose DownTek
Feathered Mates Flicker UL Bag Drawstring Footbox, Full Size Zipper, Twin Draft Tubes. Inventory 950 Goose, Untreated
Nunatak Arc UL Quilt Differential Reduce, Draft Collar, Edge Pressure Management, UL Materials, Quilt Layering Snaps, Overfill Obtainable Customized 900 Goose HyperDry or 900 Goose Untreated

Advice

The NEMO Pulse 20/30 Backpacking Quilt is a premium backpacking quilt insulation with 1000 fill energy ExperDry down. It’s exceptionally compressable, shrinking right down to 2.3L, making it excellent for these quick and lightweight missions the place you wish to carry a lighter weight and smaller quantity backpack. The Pulse is exceptionally heat and made with extremely environment friendly field baffling to keep up optimum heat on chilly nights. A beefy down-filled draft collar, easy-to-use pad attachment system, and ergonomic footbox spherical out its spectacular performance. When you’re on the fence about switching from a sleeping bag to a down quilt, the Pulse is a wonderful choice, particularly for those who purchase it at REI, the place you possibly can return it simply if it doesn’t float your boat.

 

Disclosure: NEMO donated a quilt for evaluation.

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