Down vs Synthetic Sleeping Bags

[egreen4257]

I've done some research and have seen the differences between the two. However, it doesn't seem like natural down has enough of an advantage over synthetic to warrant the much higher expense. Plus, synthetic supposedly stays warmer when wet. That being said, does anyone else have an opinion on this?

I'm looking at getting my girlfriend either a Marmot Trestles 0 degree bag (synthetic) for $150 or a Mtn Hardware Bishop Pass Gortex (natural) for $335. Both are rated for 0 degrees and the mtn hardware one only weighs 2 oz less. What value am I really getting for an extra $200?

 

[sneaky]

Other than down lasting the rest of your life if you take care of it, and synthetic starts losing warmth the first time you compress it...

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

 

[Antares]

Agree with above, plus down bags are generally lighter and pack down smaller than synthetic bags of the same temp rating.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

It's only saving 2 oz because the outside is gore tex, which is heavy. Recommend looking at other down bags.

 

[camelcluch]

Hard to help with the info given. What kind of use are you looking to do? Hunting, car camping, backpacking????
Overall down is a much better choice for my needs.

 

[egreen4257]

Hard to help with the info given. What kind of use are you looking to do? Hunting, car camping, backpacking????
Overall down is a much better choice for my needs.

Hunting/backpacking, we pulled the trigger on the synthetic bc we've been spending a lot on gear. Kinda wish we did the down but we can upgrade in a couple years. CO is pretty dry so we probably don't need to worry about getting wet too much either.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I have tried several and really like Nemo down bags. I have 3 of them. All have hydrophobic down. I have the Stalker 0, the Kayu 15 and the Disco 15. The gills are cool and help you regulate the temps. I would check them out.

 

[Wrongside]

Other than down lasting the rest of your life if you take care of it, and synthetic starts losing warmth the first time you compress it...

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

Yep. Exactly. Well cared for down lasts a very long time, with relatively minimal performance degradation.

It has 2 negatives vs syn- cost and moisture handling. Both can be mitigated.

 

[zacattack]

I've done some research and have seen the differences between the two. However, it doesn't seem like natural down has enough of an advantage over synthetic to warrant the much higher expense. Plus, synthetic supposedly stays warmer when wet. That being said, does anyone else have an opinion on this?

I'm looking at getting my girlfriend either a Marmot Trestles 0 degree bag (synthetic) for $150 or a Mtn Hardware Bishop Pass Gortex (natural) for $335. Both are rated for 0 degrees and the mtn hardware one only weighs 2 oz less. What value am I really getting for an extra $200?

I wanted to look up the weights and that mtn hardware is not really a 0 degree bag. It has a comfort rating of 13 and a limit of 0. Just FYI. But that goretex will make it super heavy. A comparable 15 degree western mountaineering bag, the Apache, weighs 2 lbs.

Huge difference in synthetic vs down as far as weight, longevity, pack ability down will take up far less space compressed.

I’ve never had to sleep in the rain, so I don’t see that as being a big deal. It’s not hard to keep a down bag dry.

 

[oldgrowth]

Another consideration is how warm you want to be. For me, I found that a good down bag is much warmer than a synthetic bag. I have a couple synthetic bags rated to 0 degrees that I have trouble staying warm in when the temperature gets around 20 degrees. I bought a western mountaineering down bag rated to 0 degrees and found that I can sleep comfortably even below its rating. Getting a good nights sleep makes a huge difference for me especially on the longer trips.

 

[coloradoan]

You can get a decent down bag for around $200 easily if you look for sales and check out ebay and facebook marketplace. The non-gore tex verson of the Bishop Pass is a perfect example. It pops up in that price range often.

I do like synthetic, but would only choose a synthetic bag that had continuous filament insulation like a Wiggy's bag or a Kifaru slick bag. Both use Climashield insulation. The longevity is going to be a whole lot better than what you'll get from most other forms of synthetic insulation.

 

[Dnicode]

Both types of bags are going lose performance if you compress them a lot, but down compresses a lot more and will be much easier to pack if you’re going to be backpacking.

In my opinion the sleeping bag is like the center of my backcountry kit and I really value having a good nights sleep. I think shelling out the extra money for a good down bag is invaluable. Even if you spend an extra $300, that bag is going to last you at least 10 years. That’s like $8/ month spread over the lifetime of that piece of gear.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[IDVortex]

Both types of bags are going lose performance if you compress them a lot, but down compresses a lot more and will be much easier to pack if you’re going to be backpacking.

In my opinion the sleeping bag is like the center of my backcountry kit and I really value having a good nights sleep. I think shelling out the extra money for a good down bag is invaluable. Even if you spend an extra $300, that bag is going to last you at least 10 years. That’s like $8/ month spread over the lifetime of that piece of gear.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Roughly $6.66 a month if it's a 800 bag. Only reason I mentioned that, I actually was curious. It seems like a lot of money, but 2 less coffees a month would make it worth it.

 

[Bcoonce117]

Slept in a synthetic bag for years. Switched to a good down bag. It’s worlds better. You sleep better because the bag is so soft and comfortable. Not clammy at all.

The main thing I could recommend to you is have clothes to sleep in. From what I understand is your body oil can ruin down faster than anything else. I sleep in a shirt and long underwear with some socks.

 

[Bluefish]

I am a down fan. Pack small and light yet are warm. Something different about how warm it is vs synthetic. Not that synthetics don’t work, but down is just better.
My wife finally wore out the bag we got 25 years ago. 1-2 bike trips per year so somewhere over 100 nights. Store them in the storage bag and only pack them down when using them and they last a long time.

 

[Bcoonce117]

I’ll add that when I’m not going on a long trip and have a lot of extra space in my bag, I put my sleeping bag in a 55l dry bag loose and just fill my entire bag up. That way my sleeping bag is compressed a little as possible.

 

[GreyBeck]

just make sure the ratings are comparable too. As someone stated above they have a 0 degree bag that they get cold in when temps get to the 20s. Many bags are rated @ extremes - look for their "comfort rating" if they have it posted. it's kinda BS on many... the rating is where you'll live, but won't be comfortable. The higher end bags tend to play less games w/the temp ratings. I ended up paying WAY more than I had planned in part because I wanted a comfort rating that was in line w/many bag's extreme rating. Plus, if you're cold, that few hundred $ savings will suddenly seem like it wasn't worth it.

 

[SmellinElkyFresh]

As a few others have mentioned getting a good night sleep is important. Not just because its nice being comfortable but your mental capacity when you're well rested vs. tired is very different. In my opinion theres a couple things I would not worry about saving a few bucks on, thats good boots and a good sleep system. I was running a synthetic Nemo bag I really liked but after one night of freezing my cheeks off (not the ones on my face) Ive upgraded to a down and havent looked back. Hope you find what you need!

 

[kevingm1987]

Down and getting wet is not an issue anymore with any of the high end companies. All down is treated with some type of waterproofing and will hold its loft when it gets wet to a certain point. The issues of down and wetness have long past us.

Down 100% over synthetic for me

 

[FAAFO]

The best part of my down bag is it loses feathers every time I use it thus making it lighter the longer I own it.