


At just 15.44 ounces and compressed in its stuff sack, the Enigma is not much larger than a softball, making it feel deceptively delicate. At first, we were skeptical - it’s not just light, it’s ultralight. In the pack and on the trailįor our trip, we tested a six foot long Enigma with 850 down rated at 30 degrees.

Tim began making improvements to the actual kits and started developing his own unique designs, ultimately leading to what he makes today. That year, my family got me all the ‘ Ray-Way‘ kits for Christmas and I spent the winter building Ray’s gear.” One of them gave me Ray Jardine’s book and after reading it I was sold. “They were both lightweight, bordering on ultralight, and gave me a hard time about my 30-pound load for a one-night outing. “A few years after getting into hiking, I went on a quick overnight with some friends,” Marshal told Digital Trends. This foot box should also prove to be perfect for cold weather trips, as it would help reduce drafts while maintaining maximum warmth.įounded by avid backpacker, Tim Marshal, Enlightened Equipment specializes in creating custom-to-order ultralight equipment for anyone looking to spend time outdoors and who desires to experience it in the most comfortable way possible. With the foot box sewn closed, it required no fuss or adjustment and shedding the zipper shaved even more weight. Specifically, the Enigma features a round sewn-closed foot box which provided more room for our feet while reducing dead air space that needs to be heated. After all, it was intently designed to decrease weight and space in a pack and to simplify a backpacker’s sleep system while keeping them warm - something we found it to accomplish with ease. The ideal minimalist quilt when weight and simplicity are critical, it added a bit of a spring to our step and had us feeling as if we were walking in the clouds.

To put our own obsession over pack weight to the test, we decided to pack Enlightened Equipment’s Enigma Quilt for a trip through the woods. Hours are spent cutting excess strap lengths, meticulously weighing each item, and even trimming the length of a toothbrush handle, all to shave those precious ounces. When you pose this same question to a hiker or backpacker, there’s no question the answer is pack weight. For truck enthusiasts, they point to towing capacity. The EnigmaIf you ask a car person what they obsess over, it’s horsepower.
