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.
