Zenbivy Ultralight Bed Review
Ultralight backpacking quilt and bivy system combined in one unique sleep system
August 10th, 2025
Our verdict
Zenbivy Ultralight Bed is a unique backpacking quilt system for ultralight backpackers, thru-hikers, and campers who have struggled to stay warm or comfortable with a traditional sleeping bag or quilt.
Its unique 2-piece system (quilt + sheet) allows it to be easily adapted to maintain comfort over a wide range of temperatures by customizing the amount of venting on the fly.
The overlapping pad attachment system allows for easy movement for side-sleeping and rolling around while keeping out drafts.
We tested the Zenbivy ultralight bed over 6 months in a wide range of conditions—from January desert thru-hikes to winter snowshoeing trips around Crater Lake to summer overnight peakbagging—and found it to be extremely comfortable, easy to use, lightweight, and durable. If you find quilts challenging to use and sleeping bags too constrictive, the Zenbivy is for you!
Zenbivy Ultralight Bed
Quilt
Sheet
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Specs
I tested the Ultralight Quilt—a 25°F, goose down fill, size regular, paired with the uninsulated, 20” Ultralight Sheet. All specs are for the version tested:
Weight: As tested: 17oz quilt, 2.7 oz sheet (19.7oz total)
Temperature rating: 25F (also available as 10F)
Packed size: 4L
Materials: 10D Pertex® Quantum, 900FP ExpeDRY™ goose down (PFAS-free)
Colors: red, green, blue
The Zenbivy Ultralight Quilt is available in 10F and 25F degree temperatures.
Sizes range from regular (what we tested, for people under 5'8") to Large (under 6'2") and Extra-Large (over 6'2").
Comparison table
| QUILT | STYLE | TOTAL WEIGHT | FILL WEIGHT | FILL WEIGHT TO WEIGHT RATIO | FILL POWER | HYDROPHOBIC DOWN? | RDS DOWN? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZenBivy Ultralight Bed 25F (quilt only) | Quilt | 17 oz | 10.1 oz | 59% | 900 | No (ExpeDry available) | Y |
| ZenBivy Ultralight Sheet Uninsulated (sheet only) | Bivy sheet (for use with quilt) | 2.76 oz (20" width) | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Katabatic Gear Palisade 30 | Quilt | 19.8 oz | 12 oz | 61% | 850 | ExpeDry | Y |
| Enlightened Equipment Revelation | Quilt | 19.18 oz | 12.88 oz | 67% | 850/900 | no | Y |
| Feathered Friends Swallow UL 20 (men's) | Sleeping bag | 27 oz | 16.8 oz | 62% | 950+ | No | Y |
Who is it for
This quilt is great for hikers, thru-hikers, and campers seeking an ultralight sleep system, but find quilts intimidating or difficult to use. The Zenbivy works especially well for side sleepers and those who roll around a lot. Its versatility and comfort over a wide range of conditions make it a great choice for a sleep system that works for all typical 3-season use.
With the Zenbivy, you can just have this one sleep system and it will work for all your typical 3-season backpacking uses.
How we tested
We tested this sleep system for numerous backcountry trips, including 400 miles of backpacking trips on the Grand Enchantment Trail in both winter and spring, cold and windy snow camping during a snowshoe circumnavigation of Crater Lake, a hot summer packrafting trip on the John Day River in Eastern Oregon, as well as several on winter ski/snowshoe hut trips.
What we liked
Lightweight, on par with similar temp UL quilts
Warm and cozy to rated temp
Superior flexibility of configurations to match conditions
Comfortable and non-constricting in many sleeping positions
Easy setup with color-coded clips
What could be better
Clip attachments are small and require some dexterity—might be difficult for cold hands, or dealing with when half asleep during a midnight pee trip.
No stuff sack included (storage sack is included). Stuff sacks sold separately.
I tested with a 20” wide sheet, which fit both of the sleeping pads I have nicely. The 20” sheet has since been discontinued and now only 25” sheets are available, which are intended to fit pads up to 25”.
Zenbivy does not sell the quilt and sheet as a bundle (only as a bundle with that also includes a pillow, sleeping pad, and stuff sack).
Features
Two-piece design
The two-piece system and vent-able footbox allow for modularity and easy adaptation to a wide range of sleeping temperatures. For warmer weather, undo some clips for venting and open the footbox, and for hot nights where draping the quilt over yourself is sufficient, forgo the sheet entirely. Conversely, on the coldest of nights, cinch up the collar and stuff a piece of clothing you aren’t wearing to sleep into the hood to stay toasty.
900-fill ExpeDRY goose down and 10d Pertex Quantum taffeta shell
While the Zenbivy’s unique 2-piece quilt and sheet system is the obvious star of the show, it has many other high-quality features. The materials are on par with what we expect from a high-end sleeping bag, including a 10D Pertex Quantum shell and lining with PFAS-free DWR, and 900 FP ExpeDRY goose down.
Convertible footbox
The Zenvbivy Ultralight bed features a Fast Footbox with sewn overlapping fabric and a hook to open or close for additional venting. Convertible models of the Zenbivy feature a full Convertible Footbox, allowing the quilt to open fully flat, or fold and cinch to fully enclose.
Performance in the field
I loved how versatile the Zenbivy Ultralight bed was for a wide range of trips. I was comfortable on a sub-freezing snowshoe trip as well as a hot summer desert river trip.
Weight
I had previously tried ultralight backpacking quilts, but as a side sleeper who rotates often throughout the night, I found them problematic. Whenever I moved, I ended up with a cold draft creeping in along the edge. I was very intrigued by the concept of the Zenbivy, but was unwilling to try it for a long time due to the combined weight being heavier than the lightweight sleeping bags I was using. However, with the introduction of Zenbivy’s Ultralight Bed system, the weight became comparable to other ultralight quilts and bags, and it was time to give it a try.
How it works: attachment system
The Zenbivy uses a two-piece, modular system of a quilt and “sheet” that attaches to your sleeping pad.
The quilt has a traditional quilt shape with a sewn footbox with a hook that can be undone to allow for venting. What makes the quilt unique is that it also features a series of loops of cord along the torso, inset from the edge by several inches.
The sheet has flaps of Pertex along the sides with small hooks along the edge that secure the quilt with a few inches of overlap. I found this system to work remarkably well at keeping the edges of the quilt in place, preventing drafts even with rolling from side to side.
Ease of use
It didn’t take long to get used to setting up the Zenbivy system. The sheet attaches to your sleeping pad with adjustable grosgrain straps that buckle underneath the pad (Grosgrain is very much like webbing, but thinner/lighterweight/softer hand feel).
The color-coded clips made it easy to line up the quilt loops to the sheet hooks in the correct position. After a few nights of use, it became second nature, even when answering the call of nature in the middle of the night, to get in and out of the bag using the clips.
Warmth and insulation
I opted to try an uninsulated sheet, meaning there is no down in the hood, just a single layer of the 10D Pertex fabric (they also sell the sheet with 10F or 25F rated insulation).
On warm nights, I didn’t use the hood at all, just rested my head on top of it, and on the coldest nights, I stuffed extra clothing into the hood as insulation. I really liked the versatility of this system with a very minimal weight penalty.
A bonus of the hood, even if you sleep with your head out of it, is that it keeps your pillow (or stuff sack with extra clothing) from sliding off the pad.
Durability
I had some concern about the tiny loops of cord and hooks ripping out of the fabric when rolling around, but they’re securely sewn into a seam on the bag and after a few dozen nights of use, I’ve seen no signs of wear and no longer have any concerns about durability.
Sustainability
Zenbivy Ultralight bed uses PFAS-free 10D Pertex® Quantum and RDS certified 900FP ExpeDRY™ goose down from ALLIED Feather + Down. Since testing this model, Zenbivy has also come out with a 900FP Muscovy Down option. This duck down is a by–product of the food industry, but sourced from free-range birds. The down has better compression recovery (expands more quickly after being compressed) compared to goose down, and also uses less water and energy to produce. Bonus: it’s also less expensive!
Long-term durability
After six months of testing, I am confident the Zenbivy will last many years of heavy use. I initially had some concern about the durability of tiny loops of cord and hooks since they can see some stress when moving around in the bag, but they’re securely sewn into a seam. After more than 30 nights of use, I’ve seen no signs of wear and no longer have any concerns about their durability. The down fill is just as lofty as when the quilt was new, and with proper care can last many years. But should damage occur, Zenbivy offers sewing repair service and a lifetime warranty.
Zenbivy Ultralight Bed vs. similar products
There's nothing quite like the Zenbivy. The closest thing out there are traditional ultralight backpacking quilts or lightweight sleeping bags. Here are a few of our favorites from those guides and how the use case scenario stacks up compared to the Zenbivy.
Feathered Friends Swallow/Egret
Temperature Rating (F), EN Comfort/EN Lower Limit: 20
Total weight (oz): 27
Fill Weight (oz): 16.8
Fill Power: 950+
Hydrophobic Down? No
Fabric: Pertex endurance 10D
Shoulder (in) / Hips (in): 60” / 56”
Traceable/Responsible Down: Yes
What we liked: Conservative warmth rating, incredible loft, good sizing options, draft collar
What we didn't like: Expensive
The Feathered Friends Swallow is our winner for best sleeping bag for men and the Feathered Friends Egret is our winner for best women's sleeping bag for three years running. Feathered Friends is a well-loved sleeping bag manufacturer for good reason. Their bags are simply top-notch and backed by a lifetime warranty. Every review — both professional and customer — found these bags to be very warm (better than the rated temp).
After 4 years of carrying the Swallow mummy bag on backpacking trips in the Sierra, Rocky Mountains, and Pacific Northwest, our own testing backs that up. Reviewers and our testers also liked that unlike many other ultralight sleeping bags, the cut is generous enough to feel comfortable without being oversized.
The Zenbivy uses similar high quality materials, but the Swallow and Egret are true sleeping bags, not a quilt or bivy. The Swallow and Egret are heavier to attain the same warmth rating as the Zen Bivy. As true sleeping bags, they also don't have the same sleeping pad attachment systems as the Zenbivy. And as true sleeping bags, they don't have nearly as much flexibility to work in hotter temperatures, too.
Feathered Friends Swallow/Egret
Swallow
Egret
Temperature rating (F): 30
Total Weight: 19.8 oz
Fill Weight: 12 oz
Fill Power: 850
Hydrophobic Down? Yes
Fabric: 10D Pertex Quantum Eco Ripstop and 20D Pertex Quantum Taffeta
Shoulder/Hips/Footbox/Length (in): 54/46/40/72
Responsible Down Certified? Yes
What we liked: “Ingenious” pad attachment system and other unique features increase warmth, very warm for weight, internal pocket.
What we didn’t like: Pad attachment system not intuitive, drawstring at neck could be offset
The Katabatic Palisades is our winner for best ultralight quilt. With a conservative temperature rating, soft interior lining fabric, and incredible durability, there is a lot to love about this quilt.
The Katabatic has a pad attachment system that is well designed and extremely effective. Like most quilts, some people may want to use a bivy with it. With the Zenbivy, the bivy and quilt are included in the same system.
Katabatic Palisades
Weight: 19.18 oz
Temperature rating: 10F, 20F, 30F, 40F
Materials: 850FP down
Colors: orange, green, blue, custom
The Enlightened Equipment (EE) Revelation is one of the most popular backpacking quilts on the market. It's affordable and available in a series of temperature ratings and colors, including custom options.
The included pad attachment system is extremely intuitive and easy to use. The Revelation clips into two elastic straps that snug the quilt securely onto the pad, eliminating drafts even for folks who toss and turn. A snap at the back of the neck and a drawstring at the collar also help to keep out drafts.
However, as a backpacking quilt, it lacks the functionality of the included bivy that comes with the Zenbivy.
Enlighted Equipment Revelation
Should I buy the Zenbivy Ultralight Bed?
Buy if you want an ultralight sleep system that is versatile, comfortable, and easy to use. Side sleepers and folks who’ve had trouble with other quilts will benefit the most from Zenbivy’s unique two-piece system. Consider other Zenbivy models for more affordable options if weight is not an important factor.
Skip if you don’t need an ultralight system, want synthetic fill, or prefer a full traditional sleeping bag.
Where to buy the Zenbivy Ultralight Bed?
Garage Grown Gear
Pros: quick shipping, can get other ultralight products in same order, support small brands
Quilt
UL Sheet
Zenbivy
Pros: the most options of insulation, lengths, and colors, easy warranties and returns
Quilt
Sheet
Why you should trust us / About the author
By trade, I’m a mechanical engineer who designs and builds machines to test the reliability and safety of fitness equipment. I’ve put this engineer’s mindset to work when refining my backpacking gear choices over the years, honing in on details, learning about the nuances of material and design choices.
When I’ve been unable to find what I want in gear, I’ve embraced MYOG (Make Your Own Gear), either modifying existing gear to include features I want, or in the case of my current long distance backpack, taking my favorite elements of several different packs, and combining them into my dream pack built from scratch.
The ZenBivy is one of those pieces of gear that had me intrigued as a designer and engineer, which is why I wanted to test how effective the two-part system would be.
When asked about what I’m good at, one of my go-to answers is sleeping. I’m someone who’s always needed a good solid 8+ hour block of sleep to be able to function, so when I started backpacking ~2007, it was imperative that I find a comfortable way to sleep in the backcountry. In my 8,000+ miles of backpacking, including the entire Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, Hayduke Trail, and Sierra High Route, and multiple ascents of Cascade Volcanoes including Mt. Hood and Rainier, I’ve had the time and variety of conditions to refine my sleep system to perfection.
I’ve been on the executive board of ALDHA-West (American Long Distance Hiking Association - West) for the past 4 years. As part of our five annual pre-backpacking season educational events (called “Rucks”), I’ve conducted many pack shakedowns and been a panelist on lightweight gear forums. I’ve shared my knowledge and expertise with hundreds of new backpackers. Running these events also keeps me on top of the newest available options for all kinds of backpacking gear.
See all articles by Kate on her author page.
