SectionHiker.com Backpacking Gear Reviews and FAQs 
The Enlightened Equipment Enigma Apex Custom Sleeping Quilt is a synthetic-insulated quilt with a closed footbox. Custom-made, it can be insulated for different temperatures and is available in multiple widths, colors, and shell fabrics. It is insulated with Climashield Apex, a synthetic continuous filament insulation used in many outdoor products from jackets and sleeping bags to footwear. Enlightened Equipment also makes a version of the Enigma using goose or duck-down insulation, which is more compressible and expensive.
Custom product reviewed
- EE Enigma Apex Custom Sleeping Quilt
- Temperature Rating: 20F
- Weight: 29.6 oz
- Compressed Volume: 12.5L
- Insulation: Climashield Apex
- Width: Regular: 48″-56″ in width
- Length Regular: Suitable for 5’6″ – 6″ in height
- Fabric: 10D shell and liner
The Custom Enigma Apex is a simple, bare-bones quilt with a closed foot box and a drawstring neck closure at the head of the bag. It comes with two elastic straps that can be connected to the quilt using unobtrusive wafer clips at various points along its length to keep it on a sleeping pad at night and prevent drafts from entering along the sides. A cloth storage bag and drawstring stuff sack are also included with your purchase.
The Enigma Apex is only available with a closed footbox, which is fine on a colder weather quilt when keeping. your feet warm is of paramount importance. A drawstring footbox opening is nice to have in warmer weather to vent your feet or to open the quilt up like a blanket when sharing with a friend. While that option is unavailable on the Enigma, you can get it by ordering the Enlightened Equipment Revelation Apex Quilt instead.
The top of the Enigma Apex closes with a snap behind your neck and is tightened with a simple cordlock positioned below your face that is easy to reach and pull closed when you’re inside the quilt. However, the quilt does not have a draft collar or even the option to order one (they’re not available on any of EE’s synthetic quilts). A draft collar is a tube of insulation that wraps around your neck and upper shoulders to prevent warm air heated by your torso from leaking out of the quilt. I always add a draft collar to down quilts that I order and think it’d be a great enhancement if Enlightened Equipment offered it on their synthetic quilts, even if it was filled with a different synthetic insulation like Primaloft. I worked around it by wearing a down hoody to achieve the same result.
Unlike down quilts, the Custom Enigma Apex has a smooth exterior that does not require the baffling that characterizes down quilts. It is insulated with a synthetic insulation called Climashield Apex that stays warmer than down when damp, dries faster, and is considerably less expensive than higher fill-power down insulation. For example, a 20 degree Custom Enigma Apex Quilt costs $250 while the equivalent quilt insulated with 850 fill-power down insulation costs $320.
The downside of owning a quilt insulated with Climashield Apex is that it will lose its insulated loft faster than a down quilt after repeated compression. It is also much less compressible and takes up considerably more space in a backpack. For example, I can barely cram the Custom Enigma Apex reviewed here into a 12L roll-top stuff sack, while I own equivalent down-insulated quilts that stuff down to 4L. If you get an Enigma with synthetic insulation, you’ll want to pack it using a compression sack to reduce its packed size. I didn’t have one when testing this quilt its hand-stuffed size left a distinct impression on me.
Recommendation
The Enlightened Equipment Custom Enigma Apex Sleeping Quilt is a simple quilt with a closed footbox suitable for backpacking and camping. It’s insulated with a synthetic fill called Climashield Apex, which is warmer than duck or goose down when damp and dries faster but considerably bulkier and less compressible. While it is heavier than the down-insulated version of the Enigma, it’s considerably less expensive, lighter, and far more comfortable than a synthetic sleeping bag if you want more comfort and continued moisture protection.
Disclosure: Enlightened Equipment donated a quilt for review.
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Thank you for the review. I switch to synthetic insulation when the cold damp weather arrives. Cheaper than top quality down, of course, but still a considerable investment in $$$. So I avoid compressing the kit to maximise longevity – goes in loose at the top of my pack. This of course requires a bigger pack. Need not be much heavier mind. Check out the larger capacity packs from the likes of HMG & Bonfus which are ideal for this.
You’d have to have a pretty high capacity pack to carry an uncompressed Enigma APEX 20 degree quilt. What do you use?
I have a HMG Porter 5400 (now called the 85?). It’s a few years old now and will need replacing soon. I am eyeing up the Bonfus Maxus – 80L and just on 1kg. And it’s stealth black! Hate the white HMGs….
Shocking that a backpack would need replacing after just a few years. Dyneema may be lightweight but that kind of durability sacks. I have lightweight packs made out of cordura that are going on 15 years old and still in fine shape despite heavy use.
I have the 30 degree version of this quilt in the long-wide size. It was my first quilt so I was a bit conservative on sizing. At 5′ 11″ and 180 lbs I likely would have been fine (and warmer) with a regular-regular or regular-wide. In spite of that I have taken it down to 30 degrees in a SMD Deschutes plus tarp while wearing a nano-puff style jacket and a knit cap. But then I have also been a little chilled with it in the upper 40s in an Adirondack lean-to. So many variables in sleeping warm.
As far as packing goes – I gave up on using a stuff sack of any kind for it and I don’t really like compression sacks. I have found the best way to pack it is stuff it in the bottom of my pack in a trash compactor bag along with my pad, sleeping clothes, and puffy jacket. I push the air out and twist and fold over the top of the bag. When packed this way I can use it with my 40 liter GG Gorilla for 3-4 night trips in moderate weather. For 5-6 day trips the food volume pushes me into a Mariposa. I can imagine 20 degree version is a real problem for a pack the size of the Gorilla.
I do like this quilt a lot though – it is perfect for trips where there could be multiple days of conditions that would kill the loft in an equivalent 30 degree down bag or quilt, that might only have 10-12 oz of down. The only thing I don’t like is the billowy fabric due to the lack of baffling. Occasionally it gets twisted up trying to get in or out in the middle of the night. I have considered adding some ties through it like you see in the old “Ray-Way” quilts.
re HMG Porter – actually the durability has been superb; the pack has had much hard use.
I have this one in the 50 degree rating for summer temps. It is awesome for that as above 40 degrees is where Apex gets to be about the same weight as down for equivalent temp rating. It only weighs about 12oz and packs tiny. I have taken it into the 40s with relative comfort by wearing all my clothes (fleece, hiking shirt, wind shirt, leggings, etc.) I usually don’t bring a puffy (EE Torrid) in summer conditions, but could probably take it to 40 degrees easy by bringing it and wearing my puffy to sleep. As a bonus, it can be layered with colder rated down quilt for even colder conditions, which I’ve heard is great for the whole dew point thing to keep moisture out of the down in those conditions.
Interesting idea to get one for warmer temps. Hadn’t even considered that, but I could see how it could be an economic option and more reasonable when packed or left unstuffed
Yep, 50 degree Apex vs 50 degree down Enigma’s weigh about the same, but the Apex is $65 cheaper, and I would argue that synthetic is a better choice for the warm/humid conditions of the summer. And synthetic is better for layering with down in the winter. At 40 degrees, you start to see some weight savings by going with down, but not much.
I’ve been using a 40-degree EE Prodigy for 10 years as a top layer in the hammock when temps dip below zero and whenever there is definite rain in the forecast in the summer. Very effective at managing moisture.