BEST QUILT FOR HIKING CAMPING? | Enlightened Equipment Enigma Apex Synthetic Sleeping Quilt Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.พ. 2025
- After 161 nights of sleeping in the Enlightened Equipment Enigma Apex sleeping quilt on the Appalachian Trail, I feel I can give a comprehensive review of the features of this quilt and describe how well it worked for me.
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How has the synthetic quilt been holding up for you?
Up in the air of whether or not to go with down or synthetic.
Would love to hear your feedback so far!
Thanks!
Because of my ethics, I will always recommend synthetic materials over down. In practical terms, synthetic has a slightly heavier weight to warmth ratio and does not pack as compactly as down. However, it isn't easy to wash, where synthetic requires no special treatment to wash. Synthetic materials also retain their warmth when they are wet, whereas down loses most of its warmth when wet.
My quilt is about to be taken on its third thru hike. It's been good for me so far and I find it very comfy.
I appreciate this informative and beneficial video.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for the review. I have always been a down person but since converting to DCF tent and condensation can be an issue, especially in the Northeast I am thinking of giving it a try. Thanks for your review. Take care
Thank you for considering to transfer to synthetic. There are some great benefits, as well as not contributing to animal cruelty. Good for you! I hope it works out for you.
Great video. I am planning of buying a synthetic Revolution Apex when black Friday comes up in Nov this year. I love that I can customize my top quilt. I already have it written down and taped to my computer. I have a downed top quilt, but I always wanted one made of synthetic.
Synthetic is so much more ethical. The animals thank you!
Thanks for this review! I think I'll definitely be investing in one of these quilts for my thru hike of the Tahoe Rim Trail this coming summer, and (fingers crossed) the PCT in 2024. Excited to try a quilt for the first time!
I'm glad that this video helped you with your research! Good luck with your hikes.
Has you quilt lost its loft? Did it keep you as warm on the PCT like it did on the AT? I’ve got an 20° Apex Quilt too. It’s from an European company but pretty similar to the EE. Uses 267Apex.
I thruhiked the AT in 2021 and now I’m going to hike the PCT this year. I’m completely unsure but it feels like my quilt has lost its loft. It’s only about 1,2 inch thick now and I think it used to be around 2 inches. I’m not sure if it will keep me as warm as it used to. What where your experiences?
My quilt survived fine for my second hike. I'll be using it on the CDT as well.
@@Adventure_Together didn’t your quilt lost any loft at all or did you do something to revive it?
I didn't feel any colder. I slept very well in it. I was it regularly, so that might have helped. I didn't measure its thickness at any point.
What sleeping quilt do you own?
We have three quilts. A Big Agnes primaloft Kings Canyon UL, a Blue Bolt Gear Solo Apex 25 degree and a Cedar Ridge Outdoors UP synthetic 0 degree. They’re all fantastic.
@Miriam Wallman Amazing! There are certainly a lot of options out there!
I'm curious to know if there ever was a time on the trail where your quilt had gotten soaked, whether it be from user error or a gear failure somewhere, which made you quite thankful for having a synthetic quilt versus a down quilt. One of those cold wet and rainy nights where you stayed warm thanks to the synthetic properties versus down. Thanks for the video Al!
The quilt was never saturated. There were several days that it did get damp, but only a few nights where I could wring the water out of it. There were many many wet nights, but being in a hammock meant I was away from the water. Tent sleepers usually have more problems with standing water in their shelters.
On those wet days, I didn't feel the water inside my toe box. It was damp to the touch on the outside but not inside.
@@Adventure_Together yeah that is one major advantage of a hammock sleep system lol, we watch from afar as all the tents succumb to the flooding ground, water flowing directly beneath and sometimes into their tent, all while we are hanging nicely from our hammock swaying to and fro, enjoying the sound of the rain 😂. That’s one major reason I love hammock camping. I’ll carry a bit of extra weight in the form of two quilts for peace of mind in the rain and a good sleep.
For my set up, I have two full length hammock gear incubator under quilts. Not synthetic, they are down fill, hence my wondering about wet quilts. I have an under quilt protector and a wide tarp with doors so I can pitch it closer to the ground without sacrificing headroom, so really I think the only way I’m going to have a wet underquilt is if my contractor bag fails, then my nylofume bag fails, and then my sea to summit compression dry bag fails lol… but honestly I’ve heard of crazier things happening.
I suppose one more question I have right now is where did you store your pack during the night if it was really raining hard? One of the only options I really see, if keeping it out of the rain is important, is to hook it to the head or foot end of the hammocks gathered end/continuous loop. But even with doors on a tarp I feel like the pack could still get wet. There is of course the ability to hang it from trekking poles inside the tarp but anyway, what was your solution there?
I had a large black compactor bag that I put my pack in. I rolled the top of the black bag down and placed it upright under my hammock. The next day I would use it to line my pack.
@@Adventure_Together ahhhh hey that’s pretty smart. I don’t think you’ve mentioned it however I’m sure I could go back and watch some videos to find out, but which pack did you use? I’m going to be taking a Zpacks Arc Blast I believe. I’ve heard some great things about Liteaf packs as well. I’m guessing that you may be posting a video about your pack soon based off your last few videos lol so if that’s the case feel free to let me know and I’ll patiently wait the upload :D
But yeah, even though Zpacks uses dyneema on their packs I still don’t trust that it will keep the water out of my things. I have some ideas about how to keep socks and shoes and other cold/wet items from freezing during the night and am going to start making videos for and about my hike, but I believe I’m going to wait until a bit closer to my projected start date to begin uploading. Cheers!
I used a Gossamer Gear Mariposa. I would recommend a Hyperlight Mountain Gear Windrider. A lot of people on the trail converted to it and everyone I spoke to loved it.
Great review. I've been considering switching to an EE Revelation but I think I'll take a look at the synthetic quilts. I'm currently watching your PCT hike through the Sierra. Is your quilt keeping you warm, considering it's a 20° rating? Also, what brand hoodie are you wearing on the PCT, the orange one?
The quilt works fantastically for me. Its only where it doesn't completely meet at the back that I lose heat.
The hood is the REI Sahara Sun Hoody.
@@Adventure_Together Thank you very much for the additional information. I hope you'll do a post trail gear review on how well your gear worked during the PCT and what changes you'd make, if any. Happy trails!
Excellent review, thanks! I'm travelling from the UK to start my PCT hike in April and I have been adament not to buy down (cruelty-free being the main factor).
Great to hear it was comfortable on the AT. Did you hike the PCT last year, and if so how did you find this quilt in the record snow year?
Unforunately I can't find any UK retailers selling the synthetic APEX quilts (Valley and Peak / UOG the big ones). Do you know anywhere else this can be purchased to arrive safely in the UK in a few weeks? I think my best bet is to order directly from EE to a US address.
The vid and any help is super appreciated, cheers! 🙂
You're hiking the PCT? That's awesome. It'll be an incredible adventure. If you can get a place at Scout and Frodos, you can send your stuff there. Scout and Frodo host hikers when they arrive in San Diego, and the shuttle to Campo stops at their home on the way to the Southern Terminus. Try booking a spot if you can. You can do a search for their website.
If not, I think that you can still send stuff there and pick it up if you let them know beforehand.
If all else fails, have it sent to a post office close to where you're staying in San Diego, and you can pick it up from there. Larger USPS offices hold packages for around 30 days. Email and ask EE to address it General Delivery to the post office. They'll know what you mean.
Sadly, because of new trade regulations from Brexit, the quality synthetic quilts made in Europe have the same import tax as US imports. It sucks and makes things almost twice as expensive.
To answer your question, the quilt was warm in the snow, but the open back was cold. A sleeping bag in the snow would have been better. Every exposed part of me in the snow was very cold.
Best of luck on your journey. Represent the cruelty free Brits well out there! 🌱🇬🇧
Hello! Great vid! I saw you are 6’1 in the comments, how about your weight. I’m 6’3 160lbs so tall and thin and I’m wondering if you did it again would you have gone with a wide or stuck with the regular width? Edit: I would be using this on the ground and not in a hammock.
I just did the PCT sleeping on the ground in it. The quilt was great and worked well both in a hammock and tent. I didn't need a larger size. I would recommend using the included pad straps when it arrives, though. It helps cut the draughts.
Trying to figure out the lenght I need. How tall are you? Thanks for the video!
6'1" (187cm). 11ft hammock, 12ft tarp.
Hope that helps 😊
@@Adventure_Together It does thx!
Good video but you forgot to mention an important Pro: Synthetic is hypoallergenic, important for people who suffer from allergies.
Thank you. You make a good point, but, as far as I understand, plant fibres are, but plastic based fibres like polyester can aggravate skin. Correct me if I'm wrong. I haven't researched it too deeply.
@ I know that I have allergies, puffy eyes and blocked sinuses if I’m in prolonged contact with duvet and feathers. Maybe others react to other allergens but I’m not aware of allergies to synthetic fill.