Gear Review: AlphaLite 900+ Custom Made Quilt By El Coyote
Check out our review of the AlphaLite 900+ Custom Made Quilt by El Coyote if you're looking for a new, premium ultralight backpacking quilt.
If you're someone who loves gear, you have probably considered buying some custom gear! Today's review is all about a very special custom piece: the AlphaLite 900+ Custom Made Quilt by El Coyote. Made down in Arizona, El Coyote makes premium, ultralight backpacking quilts. And their custom designs are truly awesome.
You can choose from 0°, 10°, 20°, 30° and 40° with options for custom overstuff. You can also choose your length, width and both inner and outer colors. The quilt I had made is a 10°f with regular length and width. The color combination is El Coyote on the outside, Dark Charcoal on the inside. This is the perfect quilt for me, and will work well as a 3-season quilt here in the mountains.
Of course, if you're looking for a premium ultralight quilt but don't need custom options, El Coyote also has the AlphaLite 900+ Quilt available as an off-the-shelf option.
Be sure to check out our Ultimate Guide to the Best Custom Gear for Backpacking and Hiking! El Coyote made the cut, along with many other awesome picks!
Quick Rundown of the AlphaLite 900+ Custom Made Quilt By El Coyote
- Extremely solid selection of custom options, such as temp, length, width, color, overfill and more
- 10°f regular width/regular length weight: 1 pound 8 ounces
- Insulation: 900+ fill power untreated goose down. All down is ethically sourced and RDS (Responsible Down Standard)
- Shell material: 15D Micro Ripstop Grid Nylon with DWR finish
- Fill weight for my custom quilt: 18.2 ounces
- Snap and gentle elastic shock cord closure with micro cord locks at the head of the quilt to keep out drafts
- Horizontal baffles on the foot box section lock in down on the area where warmth is needed the most. Vertical baffle design for the torso of the quilt keeps down away from sides. Internal baffle system divided by ultra-fine mesh keeps down in place
My Experience with the AlphaLite 900+ Custom Made Quilt By El Coyote
When my AlphaLite 900+ Custom Made Quilt by El Coyote arrived, I unboxed it and was impressed by the quality of the fabrics. You can tell they're very nice, and most importantly, very cozy. The weight of the quilt is impressive, and it compresses down quite small. This means it's not going to take up too much pack space, which is a revelation when you're talking about a 10° down quilt or sleeping bag!
The trip I used this ultralight quilt on was a 3 night adventure in eastern Utah's canyon country. It was a cold March backpacking trip and the perfect test for a cold temperature quilt!
I love the footbox of the AlphaLite 900+ Custom Made Quilt by El Coyote. You can cinch it up into a sleeping bag-eque situation, or it can be open to allow max airflow and venting. There is also a nice strap situation to keep the quilt on your sleeping pad. It works well.
The temperature I was dealing with each night of my trip was roughly 15° as a low. Paired with the right sleeping pad, I was very comfortable using this 10° bag. I did sleep with some heavy wool layers on, but I would be doing that regardless of my sleep system. I tend to sleep cold, and this custom sleeping quilt worked well in pretty chilly conditions. I would feel confident bringing it down to 10° lows, as long as I had the right sleep pad and a down jacket.
The DWR on the AlphaLite 900+ Custom Made Quilt was effective when I accidentally tested that out, spilling some water inside my tent. I simply brushed the water off the quilt with a sock and it was dry. I didn't have much for condensation to worry about on this trip, but feel confident this quilt would do well staying dry in wet conditions.
I love the colors of my custom quilt, and I am impressed by the quality of the design, materials and sewing. I am very excited to put it to use endlessly over the year as I'm sure it will be one of those items I depend on more and more over time.
The lead time on Custom Made Quilts by El Coyote is only a few days. This means you can order a custom quilt now and have it right on time for backpacking season!
AlphaLite 900+ Custom Made Quilt By El Coyote: Pros and Cons
The AlphaLite 900+ Custom Made Quilt By El Coyote is an amazing option for a custom backpacking quilt. Check out the pros and cons below:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Made to custom specs decided by you | El Coyote only makes quilts |
| Very high quality materials used | There is of course a lead time on custom quilts |
| Ultralight designs are no problem | |
| Small, passionate company | |
| Excellent design |
Click here to learn more and purchase an AlphaLite 900+ Custom Made Quilt By El Coyote for your next backpacking trip!
My review is independent of the supplier and reflects my own opinions. Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission if purchases are made through those links at no additional cost to you.
