synthetic or goose?(quack)

[livingatcrag]

Ok, so im gonna buy a new sleeping bag.....im stuck between a -20 synthetic and a -20 goose down (750 fill). I know down is lighter and packs better....but is it really that much warmer than synthetic? i know synthetic is alittle better when wet. Anyway, the synthetic is alot cheaper....same rating. I dont care too much about it weighing alittle more....any thoughts? What do you guys prefer to use?......

[pulverschwein]

I know down is lighter and packs better....but is it really that much warmer than synthetic?
Yes - it is quite a bit warmer. Provided you have low humidity.
i know synthetic is alittle better when wet.
Make that A LOT better. For the east coast, where we have many "mixed" weather events :rolleyes: , even at elevation, sometimes unpredictably, I think synthetic is well worth the extra weight. I've got a -40 synthetic bag and though I haven't spent a night in it at that temperature, I've had it out at darn near -20 and been fine. More importantly though, I've also been cozy in 33 degree hypothermic downpours with everything damp. In those conditions, your down bag aint worth doodly squat. Out west, in high alpine, or in consistent subzero conditions, where weight is a factor and you can be confident that you'll be safe from r:badwords: / fog /mist, I'd say go with down. Round the NE, I think syntehtic's the prudent way to go. Just me $0.02.

[samthaman]

Ok, so im gonna buy a new sleeping bag.....im stuck between a -20 synthetic and a -20 goose down (750 fill). I know down is lighter and packs better....but is it really that much warmer than synthetic? i know synthetic is alittle better when wet. Anyway, the synthetic is alot cheaper....same rating. I dont care too much about it weighing alittle more....any thoughts? What do you guys prefer to use?......

if you're getting the bag for cold weather winter camping (ie. below say 20 degrees) whats the concern about rain or w/e? if you are even remotely mindful of the bag, it'll work better than synthetic. Just keep it in a waterproof(ish) stuffsack and only take it out once you have a dry place setup like a tent, leanto, or groundcloth. above freezing i think the rain argument makes a little more sense, but in my mind, down all the way.

personally my setup is actually the opposite. i have an older marmot polarguard 3D 0 degree bag that is my winter bag, and a western mountaineering 30 degree down bag that is my summer bag. i've never had a problem with either getting wet, and i personally wish i had gotten a down for my winter bag as well (for weight/compation)

also what bag? the seams make a huge difference in warmth, so does the fill, you can get higher than 750 fill for not too much extra and it actually makes a difference.

[cms829]

Dont only look at the fill people. Look at the construction and shell material. A down bag with a conduit or gore tex style shell will keep a ton of humidty out of the down. keeping good loft and warmth. Im a huge fan of down....WITH the correct moisture barrier. found out recently my Sierra Designs Nitro +15 down isnt worth JACK when theres any moisture as it soaks it up and looses almost all loft. In the cascades with minimal humidity it worked great for me.

I'll always use down...but i'll be more careful about my selection in the future. My MH ghost sl -40 conduit down bag came a few weeks ago :)

[RR]

Synthetic rules! ...now that primaloft is being used...but cms829 has it right! a poorly made bag, or even one that is well made but poorly designed is a bad thing.

Look for a primaloft bag and see what you think...the weight should be the same as most down bags. Above 750 fill, the weight advantage goes back to down.

There are some great shell fabrics being used on bags, so far that MtnHdwr Conduit SL seems the best for keeping weight down w/o a huge price hit.

[Jay$]

Besides the weight, another common knock on synthetics is that they lose their loft over time.

When you're spending $$$ on a bag, you want it to last.

If you can afford it, do a down bag with a Dryloft / Coduit shell.

[surfy]

Synthetic all the way. Better living thru chemicals.

[livingatcrag]

well, as for the bags im looking at go.....one is the EMS mountain light -20 down bag. 750 fill goose.....$309.00. The other is The North Face Dark star -40 synthetic.....polarguard delta filling. The warmest synthetic bag north face makes. That ones about $100 cheaper. The only downfall is it weighs over 5 pounds...which i dont care if it keeps me warm and dry. Ive always been a fan of the north face ****....but i dunno. Any suggestions????? thanx

[PWDR8S]

I picked up an EMS Mountain Light -20 last year on sale for under $300 and love it... It's 750 down filled with a Pertex shell on the top. It breaths! Well as much as a fabric can do but I have yet to wake feeling clammy in it. I even dried wet socks in it.

Another shield that I use is my breathable bivy sac... I use it when environs get damp to wet and it too breathes very well and dries clothing. It's lightweight so it usually a staple in my pack with the sleepsac. It's a Bozeman Mountain Works VAPR Bivy Sack I picked up through Backpackinglight.com. It's proven to be a good substitute for a tent a times.

Back to the bag..... personally I haven't had good luck with synth. When wet, they weighed a ton and I semislept miserably but a little warmer than without. This is my doing of not protecting the bag well enough and getting cheap stuff. Perhaps the newer materials would sway me back to the synth side. I don't know.

I choose down because I've logged many many nights in down and have learned it's 'habits'. I will throw in a point that makes a huge difference these days, of having a breathable shell yet water repellant shell. It's lighter and dries much quicker should it get wet. Keeping it from getting wet takes practice and perserverance(sp?). I think I'm being redundant here. I think I'm being redundant here. STOP THAT! http://www.techsourceconsultants.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10020/slapper.gif OK... where was I? Sorry 'bout that. :rolleyes:

Synth has a lot going for it these days, yet down is a true lightweight standby with upgraded shell.

Good luck.

[davidhowland14]

my synth bag has gotten absolutely soaked, been comfortable and warm, and best of all, my body heat dried some parts of it out during the night. I'd go synth all the way, especially on the east coast.

[172Recon]

I would go synthetic for drying purposes. I have a North Face Goliath good to zero degrees. I combine that with my OR bivy and a light fleece bag liner and I am good to go beyond zero. If I'm in my 4-season tent...even better.

[RR]

My EMS Zero Down bag was too warm at Hermit Lake at -12F in an otherwise empty shelter. But then again my 25F synth bag was my only winter bag since 1976. Only on one occasion was I cold in it, enough so that I was concerned. That was about three years ago, at -18F in the morning. If I had the dough this is the bag I would get:
http://www.integraldesigns.com/photos/sntr.jpg

It's the North Twin from Integral designs, (10 F / -10 C) 4 1/2" Loft.

Materials: 4 oz Primaloft Sport insulation. 2-1/2 layers on top and two layers on bottom; 30 denier Pertex Microlight outer shell fabric; 30 denier taffeta lining (black)

The bag is made in Short (fits to 5 ft 5"), Regular (fits to 5 ft 11") and Long (fits to 6 ft 4"). It is available in two girth ranges with all the same lengths.

The standard cut bag seems more generous than most bags, in long = 3lb 13 oz (1,730 g); 64" chest, 60" hip, 38" foot @ US $265.00. That's pretty roomy, maybe that will fit my 44/35/43 shape and my size 11.5 feet.

I might choose the broad girth in the long length which would be 4lb 5oz (1,960 g); 68" chest, 60" hip, 45" foot @ US $318.00.....but only if I was going with a liner to make a -15F combo.

[M@]

A note on bag sizing: When they say it fits 5'11" they mean it -I got a bag that said it fit up to 5'11", and I'm 6'0" and thought it'd be fine... it's too small: I wish I got the next size up.

M@