Synthetic vs. down sleeping bags

imported
#1

just taking a poll! Possible thru-hike will start in Feb of 04 and curious what experiences hikers have had.
Thanks

svgklingon

#2

I hiked in '01 with a synthetic, NF Cat’s Meow. Everytime you stuff it, pack it it loses a little loft. My thru-hike killed it.

Down on the other hand is more resiliant. Usually Down bags are lighter because of the warmth to weight ratio. Definitely not as good if it gets soaked, but minor precautions will prevent that. Down bags generally cost more.

Grimace

#3

Down is definately the way to go on the AT. You will usually find yourself at or near a shelter during serious wet spells, so the moisture-as-kryptonite factor is not such a big deal, IMHO. Cut every possible ounce and you will move light, smooth and happy through the eastern woods …

Papillon

#4

I’ve heard it said that most of the bad press down gets is the result of spin from the big manufactures of Polarguard, Hollofill, etc.

As other folks have said, down is lighter, more compressible, and lasts longer. It’s not hard to keep your sleeping bag dry on the AT. It takes a considerable amount of water to destroy the loft in a down bag. Be smart, and that will not happen

Colter

#5

I agree that down is the way to go. I thru-hiked with a Feathered Friends Swallow last year and it still behaves like new. My suggestions would be get a good water resistant shell like Epic and wash your bag with down wash when you get to where the weather starts getting cold again up north. It will make a big difference. Just keep your bag clean and dry and you will love it.

Two Scoops

#6

Yep, another vote for down. We started out with synthetic 20* wanna be bags and nearly froze in the smokies. We bought a couple of down liners in tourist mecca and survived. After our hike, we bought some Mountain Hardwear universe bags with their conduit DWR fabric. These are awesome. We’ve used them multiple times and have been nice and toasty warm. One of our fellow thru hikers had this bag on the trail and we were mighty jealous.

Bramble & Bushwhack

#7

I hiked with synthetic bags for years. I bought a down bag three years ago and will never buy another type of fill. I was always afraid of getting a down bag wet and becoming miserable from the cold and wet. A few times I have gotten my down bag wet and was impressed buy how well it still retained my heat and how quickly it dried. I believe that Papillon was there on one of those very wet and cold nights. (Tray Mntn.)
The warmth versus weight ratio of down bags makes them superior. Their ability versus snthetic bags to retain their loft is a huge plus.

Forrest Phil

#8

Yup. I used the Sierra Designs Moonlight llb.7oz 30d. down bag for the entire AT in 02. Kept it inside two waterproof stuff sacks. It never got wet; damp, yes, but it dries very quickly. It didn’t get washed or cleaned until after the trip, and it never stunk, or do I just come up smelling like a rose.

Bluevist

#9

I’ll give a contrasting vote here.

For warm weather bags, the weight advantage of down is minimal, if at all. That’s because most the weight in a warm weather bag is in the shell and zippers, rather than in the fill material.

For 3 season bags, down is a little lighter, but not enough for me to spend the additional money.

My cold weather bag is down.

Now, dispite my best efforts, my bag did get wet on occasion. Once wet, it stayed wet until there was a sunny day to spread it out and dry it. I’ll go for the warmth while wet ability of a synthetic. And, I haven’t noticed a loss of loft and warmth with a synthetic either. Maybe it’s a difference in material. Don’t know. I’m still using it after the thru0hike.

Peaks

#10

Last year I bought a nice, cheap “Red Thunder” 20 deg. synthetic
bag from Campmor. I wasn’t sure my old down bag could handle
the cold weather in the mtns. in March. The ‘Red Thunder’ bag
did a great job even at 15 degrees, but it’s 3 lbs.
My old down bag washed/lofted like new recently, thanks to the
NikWax down soap, so I’m going to save 1/2 lb. by using it on
this year’s hike.
Scamp

Scamp

#11

I have a North Face Flight 3D–polargaurd 3D fill sinthetic. It has lost most of its fill. Looks as if, when hung up in closet, that there is no fill and is just a shell. I still us it on warmer weather trips though. When it did have fill though, got very wet one week straight in the Rockies one summer, and it still kept me very warm–it was new then–but limp now. Oh, what a long strange trip.

GR8FUL-HIKER

#12

Switched over to down about 3 years ago and can’t imagine every going back. Cold weather bag is a 10 degree with DryLoft shell and otherwise it’s the 20 degree REI SubKilo. Sprayed the SubKilo with Techtron and have never had any condensation probs. Bag has kept its loft now for over 2 years. I don’t compress it totally in my pack. Just use an OR Hydroseal bag and stuff it in and then shove it to the bottom of my pack. Rest of my gear/clothing does the compression for me. Lofts up much quicker that way at night.

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