Zenbivy Light Bed Review: Still the Best Backcountry Sleep System

Excellent comfort and warmth-to-weight ratio. Modular system allows customization. Draft-free attachment system. Packs small with compression stuff sack. 800-fill RDS-certified hydrophobic down. Hooks to keep your pillow in place.

25D Pongee is not as nice as 50D (but it is lighter).

Zenbivy, renowned makers of outdoor bedding, have a clever quilt-and-sheet backcountry sleep system that gave me the best sleep I’ve ever had on the trail. The only problem with the original version was the weight, which was more than I generally like to carry on longer trips. Zenbivy has an ultralight version of its bed, but the fabrics aren't nearly as nice and soft as the original.

This year Zenbivy updated its Light Bed, which sits between the ultralight and the regular (both of which were also revamped). It's now lighter, but retains much of what makes the original so nice. Zenbivy sent out a sample of the 2025 bed last year, and after testing it on fall, spring, and summer trips over the past eight months, I think it's the most versatile sleep system you can buy and a tremendous value as well.

The Zenbivy Sleep System

Before I get into this review, you have to understand what a Zenbivy bed actually is, because there's more here than just a sleeping bag. Zenbivy's sleep system is comprised of three elements: a quilt, a sheet, and a sleeping pad.

Zenbivy's current sleeping system lineup consists of two different types of quilt/sheet combinations. One has zippers, which are now aimed at car camping, and the others, like the Light Bed, use a clip system to save weight. There are four "beds" at the moment: the Core, the Light, the Ultralight, and the Winter Light.

The components for each can be purchased together in bundles or separately. For example, if you already have a sleeping pad you like, you can just get the Zenbivy quilt and sheet. You can even mix and match between the various beds—for example, by using a Core Bed sheet with a Light Bed quilt. (I have some more thoughts on this later.)

For 2025, the Zenbivy Light Bed consists of two different quilt styles, the Light Quilt and the Light Convertible Quilt, along with the Light Sheet in either full length or half length. I tested and recommend the convertible quilt, which gives you more options and can be used in a wider range of backpacking scenarios. The convertible quilt can be unwrapped to lie totally flat and square like a quilt on your bed at home, but it can also be clipped up into a mummy-bag-style, draft-free footbox for colder nights.

I love the ability to have my feet sticking out of the fully unclipped quilt on summer nights. For me, this makes it possible to use the 20-degree quilt on much warmer nights than I'd otherwise be able to, making the convertible quilt much more of do-everything option.

The convertible quilt in size large (25-degree rating) is $319, and the long sheet uninsulated (25 degree rating) is $129, bringing the combo to $448. If you want something warmer, the 10-degree version of both comes out to $558. For comparison, our top pick ultralight sleeping bag, the Sea to Summit Spark 15, is $549 for size regular.

Enlightening

The big news in Zenbivy's 2025 revamp of the Light Bed is the new 25-denier (25D) Pongee fabric that's on all the panels that touch your skin—the sheet, the hood, and the inside of the quilt. It's softer and less nylon-y than older versions. You can also get a half-sheet, which saves you about 5 ounces in weight, although I did not test it.

My favorite part about the new sheet is what's not in it, namely DWR coatings. I'm not a fan of chemicals, especially in something I'm sleeping in, so that was a welcome change. Do I wish there was an all-natural merino wool Zenbivy sheet? Why yes, yes I do (though it would undoubtedly be heavy), but there isn't, so I'm at least glad to see a few chemicals removed. Note that the outer shell of the quilt does have a PFAS-free DWR coating to help shed any tent moisture it might come in contact with.

The final change to the sheet is that the 20-inch size is gone. You can choose between 25-inch and 30-inch. The age of the wide sleeping pad is here. I had no trouble using the 25-inch wide sheet with both the Nemo Tensor All-Season, nor with my now beloved Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft. And I did test the new Zenbivy Ultralight Air Mattress, which is quite comfy, though there are lighter backpacking sleeping pads available.

The Light Sheet is nice, and it feels much nicer than the nylon of my sleeping pad, but I have to say, it's not as nice as the 50D Pongee fabric on the Core bed. The advantage of the Light Sheet is that you save 2 ounces of weight, and you get much higher fill-power (800) down in the hood. It also packs down to about the size of a grapefruit. Together the quilt and sheet crammed in Zenbivy's 7L dry stuff sack bring the entire system down as small as any sleeping bag. You can also pick up compression caps to further smoosh it. (These should really be included with the dry sack. If you prefer an integrated system, I love Sea to Summit's compression stuff sack)

To make up for the fact that the 25D Pongee is a bit heavier, the outer shell fabric of the Light Bed Sheet and Quilt has been dropped to 15D nylon. That matches what you'll find in most ultralight sleeping bags and quilts. I have not had any durability issues with 15D nylon in sleeping bags.

The highlight of Zenbivy's beds to me is the convertible quilt, and the ability to completely open it up and use it like a comforter. I'm still testing various quilts for a new guide, but so far, the Zenbivy Light Bed Convertible is my favorite for its versatility. There are other semi-rectangular quilts, but none of them seal up as well as the Zenbivy. There are also other quilts with warm footboxes, but none that open up like the Zenbivy. This is the most adaptable, widely usable quilt I've tested.

I will admit I was worried about the little hook-and-loop attachment system being fiddly compared to the zipper system on the original bed. Turns out they're really easy to use, and they do an excellent job of stopping drafts while keeping your quilt from rolling over with you. The system is color-coordinated, so it's easy to match the loops on a quilt to the hooks on the sheet. There's even an extra set of hooks under the hood to hold in Zenbivy's very comfy Softtop Pillow.

One of the biggest things that sets Zenbivy’s system apart from the usual quilt-with-straps combo is the integrated hood, which insulates your head when you need extra warmth and also keeps your pillow in place.

This is where you start to get into the customizability of the Zenbivy system. For example, even if I were using the 10-degree quilt, I'd still opt for the 25-degree hood because I know I don't get cold easily. (On the kind of nights where I do want a warmer hood, I'll be in a subzero mummy bag anyway.) Pairing the 25-degree sheet with the 10-degree quilt gives me a setup tailored to how I sleep and saves a couple of ounces to boot.

You can take this further and cross-pair things between Zenbivy beds. For example, I haven't tested it, but I think my ultimate Zenbivy setup might be the 50D Pongee Core Bed Sheet with the Light Bed convertible quilt. The heavier sheet would be 2 ounces more weight (and it's only 650 FP down), but the 50D fabric is much more comfortable and worth the weight sacrifice. Alternately, perhaps you don't want a full length sheet and are fine with the ultralight bed. That works as well.

Overall, Zenbivy's Light Bed system is my pick among the company's various beds. It strikes the best combination of comfort, weight, and versatility.