If you’re camping during mild or warm weather, it could be worth opting for a quilt over a sleeping bag. Here’s everything you need to know.
What is a camping quilt?
Camping quilts look similar to sleeping bags, but you can lay them out flat like a duvet or blanket. Most come with attachments like drawcords or poppers to help you secure it around you.
The best camping quilts to add to your outdoor kit
Get Out Gear Down Camping Blanket
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly camping quilt, it’s worth taking a look on Amazon; you’ll find a range of styles available for under £100. This one is a popular option, weighing just 482g.
It packs down into a small stuff sack, and decompresses with a shake when you unpack it again.
The quilt has a fill power of 650, so it’s a good option for spring and summer trips. As an added bonus, it comes with a durable, water repellent coating, so it shouldn’t get damp or dirty on grassy or sandy surfaces.
Choose from a selection of vibrant colour options, including this attractive blue shade.
Sea To Summit Ember EbIII Blanket
- Buy now from Alpine Trek (£326.36)
On the more luxurious end of the spectrum is this smart camping blanket from Sea To Summit. For the extra cost, you’ll get an impressive fill power of 850, which should keep you comfortable when it’s -4°C. In extreme weather, this blanket can protect you in places as cold as -10 °C.
Inside, the filling is made with 100% goose down, certified by the Responsible Down Standard (RDS). It’s naturally hydrophobic and weighs just 725g, making it practical for backpacking. Use the quilt for spring, autumn and winter camping trips.
See our reviews of the best hiking backpacks if you're in need of a new one.
Featherstone Moondance 25 Top Quilt
- Buy now from Featherstone (£161.00), Amazon (£189.99)
With a fill power of 850, this camping quilt is a versatile choice. It has a comfort limit of 2°C, but you should be able to get away with using it in temperatures as low as -20°C.
Choose this camping quilt for its horizontal boxed baffle construction and the tightly stuffed draft collar at the top, which help trap warm air inside.
Other plus points of this blanket include the 652g weight, zipped open-foot section and the grey duck down filling, free from harmful PFCs (perfluorinated compounds or fluorocarbons).
Therm-a-Rest Vela 32F/0C & Vesper 45F/7C
- Buy the Vela 32 from Amazon (£258.51), Alpine Trek (£264.95)
- Buy the Vesper 45 from Alpine Trek (£249.95), Amazon (£274.58)
Therm-a-Rest is a fantastic brand to consider if you’re on the lookout for a new camping quilt. For cold-weather trips, try the Vela 32F/0C, or get the Vesper 45F/7C for warmer climates. As the names suggest, you can use the Vela at 0°C, while you might feel chilly in temperatures lower than 7°C if you’re in the Vesper.
Both camping quilts contain RDS-certified down, which is hydrophobic and water resistant, yet free from PFC - but the Vesper is much lighter. While the Vela weighs 987g and has a fill power of 650, the Vesper has a 900 rating and weight of 339g, making it ideal for summer backpacking trips.
OneTigris Down Camping Blanket
Another reasonably priced option is this camping quilt from Amazon. It contains 300g of duck down and has a fill power of 600, enough to keep you comfortable in temperatures between 5°C and 25°C.
At 735g, this camping blanket is also relatively lightweight, and it packs down to fit in a small storage pouch.
It’s also resistant to water splashes and grease, so it should stay dry and clean on long backpacking trips.
The blanket comes with handy poppers, making it easy to connect up the two sides and transform it into a sleeping roll or poncho.
Stoic Skaulo St. Down Blanket
- Buy now from Alpine Trek (£102.17)
With a total weight of just 520g, this 650-cuin camping quilt is a practical choice for summer hikes, but you could use it during spring and autumn too. It also works as a sleeping bag and mat topper, thanks to the in-built drawstrings. Just slide it underneath you for extra warmth on cold nights.
The filling is made from RDS-certified duck down, which is naturally insulating and breathable.
Sea to Summit Tanami Tm1 Blanket
- Buy now from Alpine Trek (£218.41)
If you’re after a large quilt for camping trips, try this option from Sea To Summit, made with 100% RDS-certified down. You’ll be comfortable when the temperature dips to 10°C, but it has a lower limit of 4°C, so you should get use out of it for most of the year.
Weighing 815g, this quilt isn’t the lightest on the market, but it does come with a compact stuff sack for easy storage.
There are also removable straps to help you attach the quilt to your sleeping mat.
Y by Nordisk Kiby Packable Down Blanket
- Buy now from Alpine Trek (£189.51)
This travel blanket is another effective lightweight option for spring, summer and autumn camping. It’s 570g and has a fill power of over 600, so it won’t add too much weight to your pack.
Happily, the filling is completely free from harmful PFC.
You can also fold up this blanket to create a pillow - handy if you don’t need the extra layer on warmer nights.
What is the difference between a camping quilt and a sleeping bag?
As sleeping bags come with an in-built hood and trap warm air around your body, they’re usually more effective than quilts at keeping you warm. They also tend to be slightly heavier, as a result of their better insulating qualities.
Meanwhile, quilts are lightweight and versatile, ideal for spring, summer and autumn camping trips.
Find more lightweight camping kit in our round-up.
How to use a camping quilt
Using the drawcords, zips or poppers, you can either roll your quilt around you to convert it into a sleeping bag or lay it out flat. It can even function as a top-quilt or a poncho on chilly days.
What is fill power?
Most manufacturers give their camping quilts fill power ratings, which tell you how much warmth they can offer.
Fill power refers to the number of cubic inches taken up by one ounce of the down used in the quilt. The higher the number, the better the efficiency and the warmer the blanket or sleeping bag. Some retailers call fill power ‘cuin’, short for ‘cubic inches’.
Fill power ratings range from around 300 all the way up to 900 for the fluffiest padding.
Find more high-quality kit in our guides to the best camping kettles, portable lights, lanterns and collapsible tables.
We've also tried and tested several popular camping mats; see our sleeping pad reviews to find the best ones.
