Therm-a-Rest Vesper 20 Quilt Review
JUMP TO: SPECS | PROS & CONS | HOW IT PERFORMED | FEATURES | ACCESSORIES | SUMMARY
Author: Steve Edgerton | Updated: Jan 4, 2024
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The Therm-a-Rest Vesper 20 F Down Quilt pulls out all the stops to provide maximum warmth in a minimal package. The no-frills Vesper makes very few compromises between weight and packability on one hand and insulation and durability on the other.
Such uncompromising performance does come at a cost, as the Vesper is expensive. Its minimal design also omits certain features, like a zippered footbox, that limit its adjustability and versatility. But these small omissions and the Vesper’s relatively high price point are quickly forgotten. The exceptional weight-to-warmth ratio, packability, and overall build quality of the Vesper results in one of the best backpacking quilts available — one that is warm enough for almost all three-season conditions, while light and packable enough for any backcountry adventure.
SPECS
TEMPERATURE RATING: 20 F / -6 C (32 F option also available)
FILL WEIGHT: 12 oz / 340 g
TOTAL MEASURED WEIGHT: 19.8 oz / 563 g
MATERIALS: 900-fill RDS-certified down, 10D ripstop nylon shell
PROS
Lightweight and super packable quilt
Warmth and coziness of a traditional sleeping bag
High fill-power goose down has eco-friendly Nikwax waterproofing treatment
CONS
Non-adjustable collar snap button can be constraining
Sewn, tapered footbox won’t fit wider sleeping pads
HOW IT PERFORMED
WARMTH: The Vesper 20 F quilt is exceptionally well-insulated. The warmth and coziness seem superior to many sleeping bags with the same temperature rating, largely thanks to the high loft down, the thick, cinchable collar, and the sleeping pad integration straps that stop cold drafts from seeping in. Therm-a-Rest advertises 32 F as the “comfort limit” for the 20 F bag, which seems conservative, for me at least.
If anything, I find the 20 F quilt too warm for most of my three-season backpacking, but that is certainly preferable to not being warm enough.
Simple, adjustable pad strap and side baffles reliably protect from cold drafts seeping in, helping the Vesper feel warm and protective.
COMFORT: The Vesper’s ripstop nylon shell is soft and comfortable but begins feeling a little sticky in warmer conditions. The padded draft collar gives the quilt a comfortable and cozy feel more like a sleeping bag than an ultralight quilt.
WEIGHT & PACKABILITY: The regular-size Vesper 20F quilt weighs in at 19.8 ounces and packs down to a 2.8L volume in the included compression sack. The quilt’s 900 fill down delivers best-in-class compressibility and warmth-to-weight ratio.
The Vesper is light and packable but with the warmth and coziness of a traditional sleeping bag.
VERSATILITY: Because the Vesper is warm without being heavy or bulky, it is impressively versatile—a solid option for almost any three-season backcountry trip. In warmer weather, you can open the collar snap button and loosen the sleeping pad straps to vent heat. On nights teetering into below-freezing temperatures, you can close the snap button and fully cinch the draft collar to keep things toasty.
The sewn footbox is one of the few design features that limit versatility. You can’t fully unzip the quilt to be used more like a blanket, and the tapered footbox design does not work well with rectangular and wider sleeping pads.
But overall, the quilt’s versatility benefits from the light and impressively packable design: there is rarely a good reason to not bring the Vesper, even on fastpacking or bikepacking trips when storage space is at a premium.
The sewn footbox is not adjustable, and the tapered design won’t accommodate wider rectangular pads.
DURABILITY: With a 10D ripstop nylon shell, the Vesper is more durable than many other quilts in its class, as many go with a thinner shell fabric to save weight. The shell and the down insulation are treated with Nikwax, a PFC-free waterproofing method, which improves the quilt’s insulating ability and overall lifespan. Compression also degrades down over time, so the Vesper comes with both a compression sack for the trail and a large mesh storage sack at home.
The Vesper quilt comes with both a compression sack for the trail and a large mesh stuff sack for home storage.
NOTABLE FEATURES
BAFFLE CONSTRUCTION: The box baffle design of the Vesper keeps the down in place, preventing uneven insulation and cold spots. Perimeter side baffles provide additional warmth and protection from cold drafts.
DRAFT COLLAR: The snap neck closure and drawstring work with the padded draft collar to trap heat inside the quilt while keeping cold air out.
A drawstring around the neck works with the puffy draft collar to maximize the quilt’s insulation.
NIKWAX TREATMENT: The quilt’s insulation features a Nikwax Hydrophobic Down treatment. It repels water and moisture to help the quilt retain its loft and insulation far longer than untreated down.
Nikwax is a PFC-free waterproofing treatment. Treated down retains its warmth and loft significantly longer than untreated down.
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES
SLEEPING PAD SHEET: The lack of coverage between your back and sleeping pad dissuades many people from giving backpacking quilts a shot. A sleeping pad sheet can add comfort to your sleeping pad while cutting down on the crinkling noise that plagues some ultralight air pads. The Therm-a-Rest Synergy Lite Sheet is lightweight and fits over both rectangular and tapered sleeping pads.
SUMMARY
The lightweight backpacking quilt market is mostly dominated by small cottage brands with excellent product design and build quality but limited availability and higher prices. Therm-a-Rest is one of the big-time outdoor gear brands whose ultralight offerings consistently impress me. Their products are more widely available while rivaling the design and quality of top small-scale specialty competitors. I still use my 12-year-old ¾ length Therm-a-Rest Prolite sleeping pad multiple times a year — I foresee the Vesper 20 F Quilt becoming an equally reliable and longstanding component of my backcountry sleep system.
The Vesper’s warmth-to-weight ratio is seriously impressive. As a result, its packability is equally outstanding. I’ve used sleeping bags nearly triple the weight and packed size of this thing. Any quilt that compresses down to the size of a large water bottle while being warm and cozy enough for nearly any three-season mountain adventure is a huge win for me.
A zippered foot box and more adjustable neck snap closure would be nice but are nothing I can’t do without. For everything from casual overnighters to ultralight backpacking, fastpacking, and bikepacking, the Vesper is the quilt I’ll be packing more often than not.
DISCLOSURE
Therm-a-Rest provided me with a free sample for this review – but the views expressed here are all my own. The review might also contain affiliate links, which help us keep churning out more content.
MORE INFORMATION
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Happy hiking and take care out there in the wild!