Palisade vs Sawatch?

Review

Stay warm and cosy on your next thru-hike with the Katabatic Gear Sawatch sleeping quilt. It’s good down to -10°C and man have I tested it! So why the Katabatic Gear Sawatch?

Why the Katabatic Gear Sawatch?

I already had the Palisade, their lighter Elite quilt which is good down to freezing and is very light, but I got my PCT permit starting in March, so I knew I needed something warmer which would see me through the entire thru-hike without needing to switch it out further up the trail. I was very lucky that outdoorline.sk were kind enough to send in the quilt to test and so, I nabbed this incredible quilt for free and I was all set.

How did it do on the PCT?

On the Pacific Crest Trail I was hit with low temperatures, snow and ice from day 2, so I was really glad I had the Sawatch. It’s got extra overfill in the foot box and the collar, making it incredibly warm and cosy. The versatility of a quilt also means that in warmer temperatures I could sleep with limbs out or not have it wrapped around my entire body. A quilt design is also much lighter than a mummy. Because it’s filled with down, it does mean you’ll need to take extra care of it in wetter conditions and areas where the air is humid. Once a day, I’d leave it out to dry (weather permitting) and it would puff right up again due to the water-resistant down inside. Condensation in my Zpacks Solplex tent was an issue though and I’d occasionally wake up with a wet foot box, but the moisture didn’t permeate much into the inside of the quilt.

How do you keep it dry?

I have an Atom Packs Atom + backpack and use their custom-made DCF pack liner. I store it in the very bottom of my pack inside the pack liner and it’s always stayed dry on the PCT, even in heavy downpours and humid conditions.

What about quality?

Katabatic Gear makes (in my opinion) the best quality quilts on earth. The materials and goose down is ethically sourced and produced and the stitching is second to none. Showing it to friends and other hikers, they were amazed at the quality and design.

Value for money

These are expensive quilts but will last a thru or two or three over thousands of miles of travel if you take care of them and the quality as I mentioned is hard to match. It’ll keep you warm on a cold thru-hike for many nights and will amaze other hikers you meet along the way. Worth every penny if quilts are your choice over a mummy design and you’re planning on thru-hiking with the best gear.

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