Owner Tim Marshall shows a sleeping quilt at Enlightened Equipment in Winona. The five-year-old company makes about 300 of the lightweight sleeping bags each month in its east-end facility.

Enlightened Equipment is the classic tale of an enthusiast starting a company in his home. In this case, it was Tim Marshall, an avid hiker and camper who began sewing his own sleeping quilts.

Her number one recommendation was the minimalist Enlightened Equipment Revelation quilt ($270). As a cold sleeper, I was plenty skeptical that a piece of ultralight gear could withstand the chilly ...

For: Enlightened Equipment ’s Revelation Quilt, from $225. Versatile quilts can be left open on warm nights or cinched when the temperature drops (this 18.5-ouncer is rated to about 20 degrees).

Tips to Cut Weight & Be Prepared Skip the Stove, Eat ‘Cold’ The easiest way to drop weight from a “kitchen” setup is to ...

This quilt from Enlightened Equipment uses ultra high-quality (read: packable) down and features an adjustable footbox, so you can use it as a blanket on warmer nights, or cinch the footbox around ...

Lightweight Enlightened Equipment quilts all the way. Backpacks Super-light packs can cause super-sore backs. Photo: Clementine Gray We opted for super-light packs - although we soon wished we hadn't.