Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Gear Forum :: Down vs Synthetic Sleeping Bags
|
Author | Message Text | ||
gotwins |
|
||
mgraber |
gotwins: "I always wonder about the warm while wet argument for synthetic. Has anyone ever had to sleep in a waterlogged synthetic bag, and if so, was it all toasty warm? Not saying a down bag is warm when wet, but I can’t imagine a syn bag being much warmer if soaked. Also, I pack my down bags inside a second water proof Sea to Summit bag before it goes in my pack. " I won't go in to details about how I know, but yes, when truly wet a down bag goes completely flat and gives nearly zero insulation, which could be not just uncomfortable, but dangerous. A wet synthetic bag, while not great by any means, does retain some loft and insulation and could definitely be a life saver. If equally wet, the synthetic bag is easier to dry, but both are difficult. As billconner said, it is important to keep any bag dry, as moisture will always make you cold. It might be the most important thing you do. |
||
Speckled |
The down is lighter and compresses better, but the cost is certianly higher. I'd like to upgrade to all down, but am having a hard time justifying it as the two synthetic bags are still in great shape. Maybe a future Christmas Gift. As to why I need three, there's three of us in the family here. |
||
billconner |
|
||
cyclones30 |
But I have no issue taking a synthetic 40 degree bag in the summer. In May or October or now? Down all the way for me anyway |
||
deerfoot |
|
||
RunningFox |
|
||
straighthairedcurly |
|
||
dschult2 |
|
||
OCDave |
Treat yourself! Don't justify it, just do it. As soon as you can afford a suitable down bag, buy it. Buy two. Don't skimp on quality. The synthetic bags can be loaned out, sold, given away or ignored. You deserve better. |
||
timatkn |
Down! |
||
Speckled |
tumblehome: "Down for me. Well aware of the temp rating thing. My first trip in 1999, I bought a 32F synthetic bag. We went on fishing opener - after the first night, I made that conclusion. 32 degree bag doesn't mean your comfortable down to 32...you just won't die. I now bring a zero degree down bag for all spring and fall trips, only using that 32 degree bag in the summer. |
||
tumblehome |
I have a 0’ down for shoulder seasons I have a 20’ down for everything else. They compress to half the size of synthetic and are lighter. A must have for a solo tripper. Keep in mind, the temp rating is at what point you freeze to death. My 0’ bag is good to about 15’ in real life and then the cold seeps in. Tom |
||
A1t2o |
This also applies to how I arrange my pack. Heavier items are closer to my back and lighter items further. If you want an example of how this works, lift a weight closer to your body then move it away from your body a few inches at a time and then bring it back. This is also why I put my tackle box in a day pack and wear it on my front while portaging. |
||
Blatz |
|
||
gotwins |
Made in San Jose, CA. I have two and I wouldn't buy any other brand. I have the Alpinlite and have had it for about 15 years now, then bought myself the MityLite 5 years ago for warmer nights. I'm going up on May 17th, we'll see what the temperatures are supposed to be and I'll choose which one to bring. The MityLite compresses down to the size of a softball if I really want to get aggressive with it. However, I generally just stuff it in the supplied stuff sack, which is about the size of two Nalgene bottles. |
||
mgraber |
|
||
portagedog09 |
|
||
lindylair |
The addition of water repellency to down is great but beyond that I am not sure what technology can do to improve it more. On the other hand technology has improved synthetic fills a lot in terms of warmth to weight ratio, compressibility and loftability. I would expect this to continue and the gap between the two to get somewhat less. I like down bags for sure but there are plenty of darn good synthetic bags out there that are somewhat more affordable if a little more volume and a few more ounces isn't a huge concern. On my May trip this year i will be bringing my LL Bean 20 degree down tek bag, but only because it is rectangular and will provide me with a little more space and comfort, along with my new down blanket, just in case:) |
||
butthead |
gotwins: "I always wonder about the warm while wet argument for synthetic. Has anyone ever had to sleep in a waterlogged synthetic bag, and if so, was it all toasty warm? Not saying a down bag is warm when wet, but I can’t imagine a syn bag being much warmer if soaked. Also, I pack my down bags inside a second water proof Sea to Summit bag before it goes in my pack. " Uh yes, both times an error on my part. The synthetic wet was cold and uncomfortable, so I stayed in it to warm it and made soup to warm me and it up. It worked somewhat but never comfortable. It had almost dried out by morning. The down, not quite as wet, Was crawled into and I started breaking the clumped parts best as I could, fell asleep. By morning was dryer than the synthetic and comfy. Both were in 40 plus degrees, sleeping under rain cover. Neither was fun! This sold me on keeping any s-bag dry and convinced me on down! My experience take it for what it is worth. butthead |
||
martian |
If I know going in it's going to be very wet I choose synthetic. Synthetic like wool & Polarfleece are still warm when wet. I do prefer down because pound per warmth/compressibility nothing tops it. I dry compression bag my down bags regardless. You just need to be tad more careful with it regardless of down treatments. Keep that in your mind and down is golden. I agree Western Mountaineering down bags are fantastic quality bags. Enjoy the research. |
||
gotwins |
|
||
bobbernumber3 |
butthead: "gotwins: "I always wonder about the warm while wet argument for synthetic. Has anyone ever had to sleep in a waterlogged synthetic bag, and if so, was it all toasty warm? Not saying a down bag is warm when wet, but I can’t imagine a syn bag being much warmer if soaked. Also, I pack my down bags inside a second water proof Sea to Summit bag before it goes in my pack. " Good Advice Comes from Bad Experience. |
||
BrianDay |
gotwins: "I always wonder about the warm while wet argument for synthetic. Has anyone ever had to sleep in a waterlogged synthetic bag, and if so, was it all toasty warm? Not saying a down bag is warm when wet, but I can’t imagine a syn bag being much warmer if soaked. Also, I pack my down bags inside a second water proof Sea to Summit bag before it goes in my pack. " I did a month-long sea kayak expedition in the Aleutian Islands many years ago. I had an ultralight synthetic bag and my partner had a warmer down bag. It was wet. Rain, fog, waves and 40 degree temperatures. Every night I crawled into my bag in wet baselayers. Condensation puddled in the corners of the tent floor. The only time I was truly dry on that trip was the moment just before I crawled out of the bag in the morning and slid into my drysuit (which remained waterproof but was thoroughly wetted-out and soaking from sweat inside). My baselayer completely dried inside the bag each night. Over the course of the trip my thin bag maintained its warmth and loft. My friend's down bag became progressively flatter from accumulated moisture and repeated stuffing into a dry bag. I would say this is the real advantage of synthetics. Not so much that they'll be warm when soaking wet. More that they allow you to repeatedly dry your damp clothes overnight without losing loft. Repeated stuffing tends to work moisture into the down feathers, even water resistant down. High humidity makes it difficult to push that moisture out of the bag with body heat. Especially on a trip with several days of rain. In BWCA terms, think about a trip in late September where it starts to rain on day 1 and keeps on raining for the next three days. Temps in the 40s. Wind. Soaked from sweat inside your raingear. Damp to the bone. I would want a synthetic bag on that trip. Brian |