Over the past 15+ years I have purchased two sleeping bags and three quilts. I still have and use both sleeping bags. I only have one quilt remaining in my gear closet — the Nunatak Arc Specialist.
My first quilt purchase was a used warm-weather piece and cost me $65. It had synthetic insulation and was not very warm. I bought this to test out and determine if a quilt would work for me. It did and I gave it away; to buy a quality quilt.
At the beginning of 2009 I bought my Nunatak Arc Specialist for $457, which I am still using.
In 2010 I bought a super ultralight quilt with a Cuben Fiber (a.k.a. DCF) shell from Enlightened Equipment. It was one Tim Marshall’s first quilts when he was a one-man show working out of his house after he came home from his “real job.” (Today Enlightened Equipment has over 50 employees and operates out of a 50,000 square foot facility). Given that Cuben fabric does not breath, Tim created an adjustable ventilation foot-box that worked well. But, alas, Cuben doesn’t last long and I had to retire it. I knew this before I bought it.
Of all my sleeping solutions, the Nunatak Arc Specialist is my absolute favorite.
Favorite ≠ GoTo
Just because an item is my favorite, doesn’t mean it is my “go to” piece. Gear should be selected for the conditions and environment one anticipates on a trip. For the backpacker who has an eye on the total weight of his/her pack, it is often best to buy more than one piece of similar equipment to provide options. As I wrote in my review of the zPack 20° F Classic Sleeping Bag, the zPack bag is what I use most often, because it is fits the environmental conditions for more than 50% of my trips.
The zPack fits into the temperature range below what my 32° F rated Nunatak Arc Specialist doesn’t work for me. This isn’t a defect in the quilt, but how, as a side-sleeper, I move around during the night. I addressed this in a recent post.
Conversely, if I could only keep one class of gear, such as a shelter, the shelter I would pick isn’t necessarily my favorite shelter, but it does more things better than any other I own.
If I Could Have Only One Shelter it Would be a MLD TrailStar
Who is Nunatak?
Nunatak was started about 25 years ago and was one of the first, if not the first, to manufacture backpacking quilts. When I bought mine, Nunatak was considered by many to be the premier quilt maker.
Nunatak is a small cottage industry company. They have been in business since 1999, and although not a familiar brand to many, Nunatak enjoys a good reputation among experienced backpackers.
Nunatak Arc Specialist
This model is no longer sold by Nunatak. Seems to be par for the course. I like to wait several years before I review a piece of gear/equipment. To me, 10 years seems to be a reasonable amount of time to determine how well something works and how durable it is. Thus, many things I review are no longer available. I still review them because the things that make something functional and durable can be used as a comparison tool.
Given all of this, there appears to be a current Nunatak quilt that is comparable to the Arc Specialist. In fact, it looks like the new “version” has some improvements, which I’ll share a little later.
Arc Specialist Specifications
- shell: 0.8oz Pertex Quantum
- insulation: approximately 9 ounces (I can’t remember the exact weight)
- total weight: 15.59 ounces
- insulation: 850 fill power goose down
- stated loft: 1.75 inches
- actual loft: mostly 2 inches between the baffles
My zPack 20° F Classic Sleeping averages around 2.375 inches of loft. Although pictures aren’t “always worth a thousand words,” looking at the Arc Specialist next to this sleeping bag might be helpful. The Arc Specialist is the black quilt. The down is very puffy.
Shell Material
From the manufacturer’s website:
“Pertex® Quantum uses a tightly woven structure to provide alight and soft fabric that allows insulation to fully loft. Precisely constructed from incredibly fine yarns, Pertex® Quantum fabrics are designed to trap still air and improve the efficiency of insulation.
“A durable water repellent (DWR) finish sheds light rain and snow to provide additional weather protection.
“Lightweight and packable
“Soft to the touch
“Windproof to retain warmth
The material is breathable and on those nights when the dew point is at or above ambient temperature, condensation appears on the top of the quilt instead of soaking the insulation. It resists the wind. The tight weave results in no leaking down plums. The material is very soft to the touch and feels similar to silk.
Construction
Three straps of nylon ribbon secure the bottom of the quilt. Two straps can be used around a sleeping pad to help keep it secure. I find I am warmer if I don’t route the straps under my air mattress. Others may find it better to place the straps under the sleeping pad.
The straps are connected with plastic buckles. After 15 years these are still in perfect condition (see below).
The top end of the quilt, above the shoulders, can be adjusted with an elastic cord and toggle. Unlike my zPack sleeping bag, this strap has retained most of its elasticity. The Nunatak cord is much thicker than the zPack. I store both in my garage where summer temperatures can exceed 120° F, which probably isn’t good for elastic cords.
The top of the quilt, where it connects under the body is secured with a snap. Once the sides of the quilt and snapped together, the elastic cord can be adjusted.
Observations & Thoughts
Design and Features
The quilt is somewhat mummy shaped, which eliminates wasted material. Weight is under 1 lb at 15.59 ounces. The straps work well and are durable. The closure mechanisms work well.
Insulation Performance
As mentioned earlier, the down is top quality and the quilt seem realistic in its temperature rating. The rating doesn’t work for me because of how I sleep. But as I mentioned in my post on quilts for side-sleepers, I have slept warm down to freezing, but there is a bit of fiddle factor as I turn from side-to-side during the night. This isn’t a design fault, but how I sleep. There are no cold spots in the insulation, it is well distributed.
Quality of Materials
All materials are top notch — shell, straps, fasteners, and down. The overall build quality, the durability of the fabrics, and the stitching are all excellent. Not a single stitch isn’t perfect.
Packability
The 850 fill power goose down packs down into a small amount of volume, although I normally stuff it into the bottom of my pack without a stuff sack. This allows the quilt to fit into all the nooks and crannies of the pack. The down fluffs up quickly, part of which is probably the nice shell fabric.
Customer Support
I have no experience with customer support. There is nothing about the product that required contact with Nunatak. This is what I look for in gear — quality gear with good quality control in the manufacturing process.
Nunatak Current Offerings
As promised, some comments on Nunatak’s current products. The Arc UL 30 appears to be very similar to my Arc Specialist. The major difference is the UL used vertical baffle in the quilt, except for the foot-box.
My quilt has horizontal baffles and the down can migrate to the sides of the quilt over time. It is easy to shake the quilt and re-distribute. The vertical baffles probably work better — but I can’t say for sure — I’ve never owned anything with vertical baffles.
The Arc UL uses 900 fill power goose down and has a draft collar at the top. There are probably other features that have improved upon my Arc Specialist.
Nunatak Gear is a custom shop. Their gear is made to order and large quantity of choices for size, fabrics and amount of fill. Their web site shows many standard configurations and weights.
Each month Nunatak accepts orders for each of their products, accepting only the amount of orders they can fill during the month. They can be contacted here.
Parting Thoughts . . .
High ratings for this Nunatak backpacking quilt that has served me well for 15 years. I am somewhat tempted to order the new Arc UL — but why? My Arc Specialist does everything I need it to do.
Here’s a comparison chart of my sleeping solutions. All are around 15 years old and fit my adventures perfectly.
Disclosure
I bought the Arc Specialist with my own money at full retail price. There are no affiliate links to the Nunatak website in this post.
SOME PICTURES OF THE ARC SPECIALIST IN ACTION
