The ultralighter’s favourite
Trail-tested on some of the USA’s longest and toughest hikes, from the Appalachian Trail to the Pacific Crest Trail, the Enlightened Equipment Enigma quilt offers superior warmth-to-weight compared to a conventional sleeping bag, thanks to its ultralight construction and premium down fill. Not only that, it’s also more versatile and more comfortable, especially for side sleepers. The Enigma is the brand’s lightest and most minimalist quilt, but has a closed, sewn footbox that is ideal for those who always get cold feet. Meanwhile, it delivers ample freedom of movement for the upper body, all in an exceptionally warm and extraordinarily light package.
- Premium 850FP grey duck down fill. Ethically sourced from an RDS certified supplier. Down product weights may vary +/- 5% due to production variances
- Ultralight 10-denier shell and lining fabrics, with a durable water repellent outer finish
- Sewn footbox with no zippers or cinches, which maximises heat retention – ideal for sleepers who get cold feet
- Included mat attachment system of elastic straps and clips on each side of the quilt to keep it secure on a sleeping mat and lock out draughts on cold nights
- Snap and drawcord neck closure lets you fine-tune draught control
- Unique U-shaped continuous baffles keep the down where you need it, all night long
- Includes silnylon stuff sack, 100% cotton storage bag and two elastic straps
- Remember: backpacking quilts are designed to be used with an insulated sleeping mat to provide insulation underneath you, between you and the ground
- EN Lower Limit Rating: 30°F (-1°C)
- Enlightened Equipment recommend using a quilt rated 10F higher than the lowest expected temperatures. Find out more info here
| Regular | Regular Wide | |
| Fill Weight | 438 g | 462 g |
| Total Weight | 600 g | 630 g |
| Length | 183 cm | 183 cm |
| Shoulder Width | 137 cm | 147 cm |
| Foot Width | 101 cm | 106 cm |
| Sack Volume | 8.5 L | 8.5 L |
| Sack Dimensions | 35 x 18 cm | 35 x 18 cm |
| Compression | 7 L | 7 L |
- Ethically Sourced Materials: The RDS certifies down against animal welfare requirements and tracks it from the source to the final product. The purchase of RDS certified products demonstrates demand for better animal welfare practices in the down and feather supply chain. Enlightened Equipment is certified to the RDS.
When to comes to backpacking, light is always right. That ultralight ethos initially emerged back in the mid-‘90s, from US backpackers tackling epic thru-hikes like the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail. Wanting their gear to be smarter and lighter, these pioneers sought out new and innovative solutions to the problems of load-lugging, sleep and shelter.
Soon, more long-distance hikers started to ‘see the light’, and demand for ultralight tents, packs and sleep systems grew. But the big, established brands initially saw it as a niche market, which meant it was down to hikers themselves to make and customise their own gear. One such pioneer was Enlightened Equipment founder Tim Marshall, who started sewing ultralight backpacking quilts by himself in his basement in 2007.
Why quilts? Well, quilts offer superior warmth-to-weight compared to a conventional sleeping bag. Not only that, but they’re also more versatile and more comfortable, especially for side sleepers. They’ve lightened the load on countless backpacking adventures, great and small. Today, more thru-hikers use quilts than bags. And Enlightened Equipment has more than 50 employees creating quilts in a 50,000 square foot building in Winona, Minnesota. Not bad for a ‘niche’ business that began in a basement.
