Zenbivy 25° Muscovy Down Ultralight Bed Review

Quilts continue to be popular with backpackers, with over 50% of hikers choosing to use a quilt instead of a sleeping bag in the 2024 Appalachian Trail Survey. But what if you could have the best of both worlds? The Zenbivy Ultralight Bed is as light as a quilt but with the added comfort of a hooded sheet attached to your sleeping pad. 

Zenbivy 25° Muscovy Down Ultralight Bed At-A-Glance

Quilt & Sheet

• MSRP: $468
• Temperature Rating: 25°F (limit) / 35°F (comfort)
• Dimensions: 72” x 54* (regular)
• Weight: 23 oz 
• Quilt Fill: 900F Muscovy Down 90/10 grey duck down
• Materials: 10D Pertex Quantum, coating-free, fluorocarbon-free DWR (PFAS-free)

Ultralight Air Mattress

• MSRP: $189
• Temperature Rating: 4.8
• Dimensions: 20×72, tapered
• Weight: 17 oz
• Insulation: Mylar Foil
• Materials: 20D Recycled Polyester Tafetta

Intended Use

The Zenbivy Ultralight Bed is designed for backpackers and thru-hikers who are looking for a premium night’s sleep at an ultralight weight. Zenbivy beds are ideal for anyone who feels too constricted in a traditional mummy bag and who wants a draft-free quilt set-up. 

Circumstances of Review

I used the Zenbivy Ultralight Bed for a spring thru-hike of the West Highland Way in Scotland, with overnight temperatures of about 45°F. I also brought it along on a couple overnight trips in the Pacific Northwest

Zenbivy Ultralight Bed Features

Fitted Sheet: The fitted sheet is the most unique feature of the Zenbivy Ultralight Bed. The sheet slips over the top of the air mattress and has two straps to cinch it to the mattress. It extends about halfway down the air mattress. The sheet has draft shields along the sides with a hook and loop system for the quilt to clip into, keeping it tucked in and draft-free. 

Integrated Hood: Zenbivy sheets also feature an attached hood. The hood insulates your head and also helps keep your pillow in place. 

Fast Footbox: The footbox of the Zenbivy Ultralight Quilt is partially seamed with a single clip partway up the legs. This allows it to expand for more space or to close up for more warmth without dealing with a cinch cord. 

Thermally Mapped Baffles: Zenbivy quilts are designed with smaller baffles that contour to the body. The smaller baffles help keep the down from moving around too much, enhancing the loft of the quilt. 

Muscovy Down: The Zenbivy Ultralight Quilt is the first in the outdoor market to have 900-fill Muscovy duck down as a fill option, in addition to goose down. Muscovy has the potential to rival premium goose down. More on this below.

Diagonal Mattress Baffles: The Ultralight Mattress uses a diagonal baffle pattern with offset air cells. This design helps prevent the mattress from collapsing under the body’s fold lines. 

Included Mattress Inflation Sack: The small bag that the mattress comes in is waterproof and designed to double as an inflation sack. It works like a small pump and inflates the mattress quickly. 

Quality Fabric: The fabrics used for the shell and lining of the quilt and the sheet are made of a tightly woven downproof fabric that is light, soft and warm. The fabric is treated with a coating free, wax free and PFAS-free finish that is water repellent and will shed light rain. 

What’s the difference between Muscovy Duck Down and Goose Down?

Zenbivy offers the Ultralight Quilt with two fill options: Muscovy duck down or goose down. So what’s the difference? Muscovy duck down isn’t the same as other duck down and it performs remarkably similar to goose down at a lower price point.

Both have a high loft with large clingy plumes providing a similar warmth rating to the quilts. Down from both geese and ducks is a byproduct of the food industry with the down harvested after the animal has been killed. 

Muscovy duck down fiber stems are thicker and stronger than goose down and have the potential to be more resilient and longer-lasting. The large down clusters break down less after multiple washes, compress more and spring back quicker.

The Muscovy down used by Zenbivy goes through an ultrasonic washing process using less water and energy and producing ultra-clean, additive-free and completely odor-free down. 

Zenbivy Ultralight Bed Pros

Constriction-Free Sleep

The most notable positive of the Zenbivy Ultralight Bed is the sheet & quilt attachment system. The clips on the side walls of the sheet help keep the quilt firmly attached and keeps the edges of the quilt wrapped around me and not around my sleeping pad. I roll over a lot in my sleep and appreciate that I don’t have to hold onto the quilt or make sure it’s tucked under me to keep it draft-free.

I also really like the design of the draft collar. It cinches only along the center, leaving the sides of the quilt loose to drape around me or tuck into the hood for more coziness. 

Attached Hood

I’m a cold sleeper and need all the warmth I can get, so an insulated hood is essential to me. I love that the hood is part of the sheet and stays in place. The hood is large and deep with lots of room for a small pillow. I’m able to roll over in the night and know that my pillow will stay in place and my head will stay warm. Plus I really appreciate not having to worry about cinch cords choking me.

Quiet and Comfortable Mattress

The Zenbivy Ultralight Mattress is one of the quietest insulated mattresses I’ve slept on. Similar to other backpacking sleeping pads, the Ultralight Mattress uses mylar for insulation which can be crinkly and loud. However Zenbivy “floated” the mylar layers within the mattress to insulate and reflect heat without any noise. 

As a side and stomach sleeper I found the Ultralight Mattress really comfortable. The diagonal baffle structure means more, smaller baffles to distribute the body weight over. Zenbivy suggests fully inflating the mattress to max air pressure, which will help keep you from bottoming out. I made sure to add a bit more air into the pad just before tucking in to sleep. 

Weight

Zenbivy finally has a quilt and sheet set that can compete with other ultralight quilts and sleeping bags on the market. The weight of the quilt and sheet set together is the same weight as many other popular quilts used by thru-hikers, and at the low end of many popular sleeping bags. The Ultralight Quilt by itself is one of the lightest quilts on the market for its fill power and warmth rating.

Plus it doesn’t feel like any compromises were made to reach this lower weight target. The quilt is also very compact and can be stuffed into a small 5L bag.

Inclusive Sizing

Zenbivy offers the Ultralight Quilt and Mattress in three different size ranges, regular, large and XL. Each size increase for the quilt gets a bit wider and longer, with the XL sized at 84” x 64”. The mattress is available in 20” and 25” wide. The 25” wide mattress is available in two lengths, 72” and 78”. 

Zenbivy Ultralight Bed Cons

Down Distribution

Pioneering a new type of down is great, but also has it’s negatives. I found the Muscovy down was almost too clingy and didn’t fill out the baffles as nicely as goose down does. Looking at the quilt in the light it was obvious that there were empty spaces in the baffles. A bit more overstuffing might be beneficial to the quilts with the Muscovy down. 

Warmth

Zenbivy offers its quilts in two warmth ratings, 25° and 10°, which are the limit ratings of the quilts. I found the 25° to be fine on nights over 50° but opted to add a silk liner when the temperature dropped. It would be nice to see Zenbivy align with other quilt brands and offer a 20° instead of the 25°. 

Overall Value

Zenbivy beds are still occupying a pretty niche section of the thru-hiker market. They’re a unique product and it’s a bit difficult to understand the appeal until you’ve actually lain in one.

With previous versions of the Zenbivy bed I felt like I was having to compromise weight and space for a good night’s sleep, but with the Zenbivy Ultralight Bed I’m staying warm and cozy while carrying less weight in my pack. The Zenbivy Ultralight Bed is ideal if you’re a side or stomach sleeper and your priority is a comfortable night’s sleep.  

Shop the Zenbivy Ultralight Bed

Shop the Zenbivy Ultralight Mattress

Comparable Quilts 

Enlightened Equipment Enigma 20°
MSRP: $500 (850 FP grey duck down, with draft collar)
Weight: 21 oz

Katabatic Gear Alsek 22°
MSRP: $389 (850 FP grey duck down)
Weight: 23 oz

Western Mountaineering Astralite 26°
MSRP: $510 (850 FP goose down)
Weight: 16 oz

The Zenbivy Ultralight Bed was donated for purpose of review.