Synthetic or down bags

[Corbo74]

I have no clue which one would be better for me I plan on using it for fall and winter but i just don't understand the pros and cons to both types of bags

 

[fulldraw1972]

What state will it be used in? What type of weather?? Synthetic for wet climates is better suited then down.
There are a lot of bag companies making treated down as well.

 

[kodiakfly]

As fulldraw mentioned above, it depends on where and how you're using it. Down collapses when it's wet and loses all insulation, but it weighs less. Synthetic will still insulate when wet, but it weighs more and doesn't compress as much as down.

So in addition to how/where, it also comes down to how you prioritize. If you're an ounce counter, or are looking for absolute maximum compressability, then down gets the nod, regardless of how wet it is.

For me, I live and hunt in a maritime rainforest, so "wet" is the norm here. I only use synthetic. I have down bags and they are awesome, but when I'm out and I can't worry about stuff getting wet, synthetic makes it's extra weight worth it. That goes for bags or puffy coats and pants.

As for treated down...I'm sure it works fine, but I'm not a fan of anything that has to be treated or protected to work; treated down, or "waterproof" down bags and jackets. I just carry synthetic and (not if) when it gets wet, I've still got some warmth.

 

[AZ Vince]

As fulldraw mentioned above, it depends on where and how you're using it. Down collapses when it's wet and loses all insulation, but it weighs less. Synthetic will still insulate when wet, but it weighs more and doesn't compress as much as down.

So in addition to how/where, it also comes down to how you prioritize. If you're an ounce counter, or are looking for absolute maximum compressability, then down gets the nod, regardless of how wet it is.

For me, I live and hunt in a maritime rainforest, so "wet" is the norm here. I only use synthetic. I have down bags and they are awesome, but when I'm out and I can't worry about stuff getting wet, synthetic makes it's extra weight worth it. That goes for bags or puffy coats and pants.

As for treated down...I'm sure it works fine, but I'm not a fan of anything that has to be treated or protected to work; treated down, or "waterproof" down bags and jackets. I just carry synthetic and (not if) when it gets wet, I've still got some warmth.

Sums it up best I think.

 

[Ryan Avery]

There are lots of variable's. Most have more of a phobia of the DOWN getting wet than actually having it get wet. 99 percent of the time both will work just fine. I hunt in a pretty wet environment and haven't had any problems with down. But I think you also need to know what your getting yourself into. If I lived in Kodiak like Kodiakfly, I might be running the synthetic a lot more.

 

[Matt Cashell]

I am with Ryan.

I run down bags exclusively because they are typically lighter and more compressible. I just take care not to get them wet. This has not been too much of a challenge.

 

[todd kelly]

I am with Ryan.

I run down bags exclusively because they are typically lighter and more compressible. I just take care not to get them wet. This has not been too much of a challenge.

I'm also a down bag guy. Have never had an issue with wet down in my sleeping bag.

 

[60x]

I've been thinking bout the down switch lately but have some reservations. One of my biggest concerns is are you down bag guys able to dry out wet clothes in your bag at night.i have been hearing the calls of the marmot helium

 

[kodiakfly]

One of my biggest concerns is are you down bag guys able to dry out wet clothes in your bag at night.

I have that concern, as well as the "I've been out for 4 days and it's been 100% humidity and fog since I left the truck and everything I have is soaked" concern. Actual rain and precip are only half of our concerns here; just living in a cloud soaks everything to the bone, GTX/Toray/etc, or not. And nothing dries out. I can't help but believe all the treatment and membranes in the world will eventually have some issues when just saturated in wetness.

A buddy of mine is going with a down bag this year...I'll see how he does with it here.

 

[littlebuf]

Check out my last post on the 2014 enigma thread I started. I don't feel like retyping it on my phone

 

[Corbo74]

Is goose down the norm or what and as to the area Indiana for hiking into my fishing spots and camping there and also I'm hoping for a couple elk hunts

 

[Justin Crossley]

Goose down is the norm.

I think you would be fine with down depending on when and where you're planning to hunt elk.

 

[luke moffat]

I still think both syn and down have their place! That said use down A LOT more than I use my syn bag.

I've had down start to fail me after 2 days in an extremely wet condition (crawling in with damp base layers in 100% humidity) and on the second morning the loft was less than half of what it should have been. In such instances a syn bag would have been MUCH preferred and a better application. But it was back at the truck and I was busy packing mountain goats back to base camp and didn't want to hike all the way back for it. Luckily I was on the road system though so if things really went bad I could have bailed. So for me it more or less depends on the application.

 

[Lawnboi]

I prefer synthetic.

I'm not scared of down, nor worried of it really getting wet in the areas I have been in the past. I just prefer synthetic.

I'd get into reasoning but I'd just sound like another crazy synthetic toting guy who's scared to get down wet. Other than the wetness I like the durability and ease of cleaning that comes with synthetic.

I will say, give me a free down bag, a good one and I'd have a hard time not taking it at least part of the time. But if I'm spending my buck it will be on more kifaru soft goods.

 

[luke moffat]

I prefer synthetic.

I'd get into reasoning but I'd just sound like another crazy synthetic toting guy who's scared to get down wet. Other than the wetness I like the durability and ease of cleaning that comes with synthetic.

I guess I am the opposite...in general I have found most of my syn bags I have owned do not have insulation that will be as durable and retain loft as long as down. Interesting you experience is different.

 

[Lawnboi]

I'm talking durability in the field more so than loft. As I have no doubt down lasts longer than synthetic insulation. And honestly I don't think iv been backpacking long enough to put any difinitive conclusion to durability of loft as my options have been ever changing since I started on lightweight gear 4 years ago.

Say taking your bag outside your tent, or getting spark holes in it from being by a fire or by the stove. That's what I'm talking about.

 

[luke moffat]

I think you'd burn holes in both a syn or a down bag from fire sparks or a hot stove. Just my opinion.

 

[Lawnboi]

True, but synthetic won't lead to down leakage. Granted tape or some silicon is all you need to fix that problem. Not really a down vs synthetic argument but I do prefer a tougher outer material for use outside the shelter as well. Seems most down bags are made of pretty light fabric where as I'm not afraid to wrap up in my kifaru stuff anywhere. Would you take your ul down bag out on a hillside littered with cactus, sharp prairie grass and rocks and feel comfortable not having to baby it?

Again I'm not saying down is bad. In fact I drool over the weights and compressibility of some of those bags. I just can't bring myself to buy one again.

 

[luke moffat]

Would you take your ul down bag out on a hillside littered with cactus, sharp prairie grass and rocks and feel comfortable not having to baby it?

Again I'm not saying down is bad. In fact I drool over the weights and compressibility of some of those bags. I just can't bring myself to buy one again.

I would be more worried about my sleeping pad popping a hole in said conditions than my bag springing a leak.

So yeah I wouldn't have a problem doing that. Besides you can get some pretty nice shells on down bags these days as well, but in the conditions you mentioned above I wouldn't feel the need to baby my UL shell as I have no intention on sleeping directly on the sharp prairie grass, rocks, or catcus. If I was I was to the point where I was sleeping directly on any of those things I'd be finding a new sleeping locale. I rely on my pad to keep my bag from getting dirty and i guess I never thought of it that way but protected from pointy things as well. However, most of the time I'm in a floored 14 oz nest with Becca and the times I'm not the whole setup is in some sort of bivy, but I'm thinking of even for going that as I have slept a number of nights under just a tipi without a bivy in both down and syn bags with no ill effects.

 

[Lawnboi]

More so not worried when I'm sleeping, as I'm on a pad and in a bivy for the most part. But when I take my quilt or bag outside of my sleeping area to glass with, fish with or sit by the fire with.

And where I hunt in sd there is no running from the cactus! Small little buggers that you barely see till you got an ass, hand or knee full of spikes

Told you I would just sound like the crazy synthetic guy but it's just what I prefer. I prefer sleeping in it, beating it, getting it a little wet and washing it. Call me crazy but I think the extra pound is worth it to me. Though I'm not a real ul guy