down or synthetic

[fulldraw1972]

I have always used down however planing on using synthetic next year in Alaska.

 

[Rizzy]

It's pretty easy to keep a bag dry in your pack which is good to do with any bag.

I agree, keeping the bag dry when its out of your pack and your away from camp is where the piece of mind comes in.

The hypothetical situation that comes to mind for me is this:

You spot the buck you want to take at last light and decide to put the stalk on the next morning.
You set up camp, try to sleep, and start the stalk early the next morning
You get the buck and while field dressing, a storm rolls in. No problem your bag is in your shelter.
You finally get back to camp at the end of the day, your damp, sweaty, and tired.
Turns out a tree branch fell on your shelter and ripped a hole in it and your bag is wet. If you don't have a floor-less shelter, you now have a pool.
Your 5 miles in and its getting dark.
It's going to be a miserable night no matter what.
Now what?
I might try to tough it out with a synthetic bag, it really depends on the actual circumstances. With a down bag, might as well start hiking.

 

[mdog]

For archery season in Wyoming....down...definately.

 

[Kevin_t]

Down all the time. I will agree synthetic dries quicker but that is the only advantage. I used to have a link on the longevity of the main synthetics (primaloft and climb shield vs down) as well as the warmth when wet . Synthetics defiantly loose on loft vs time and in regards to water they do suffer some loss of insulation just not as much as down and they dry quicker. For me, the best combo is down with a lightly insulated synthetic bivy, this moves the point where vapor becomes water into the bivy. The extra weight of the bivy is not a big issue as it does provide ground protection and extra warmth. I'm still not much over 2 lbs for a sleep system that is good to near 0f and provides plenty of long term protection. Plus for shorter and warmer trips I just don't take the bivy.

Water resistant down in an improvement, but from what I hear most of the real world improvement is marginal. A nice dwr treatment on the fabric goes a long ways

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I'm still not much over 2 lbs for a sleep system that is good to near 0f and provides plenty of long term protection.

What sleep system are you using?

 

[Kevin_t]

Enlightened RevX 20 degree now a Enlightened /SO Draft Dodger quilt plus a MYOG insulated bivy. Pads vary depending on season etc

 

[Gman]

I roll down as my primary. Synthetic as my winter bag as it was cheaper. Both are great. Never had wetness issues with down.

 

[Lawnboi]

Heres a copy of a post from another thread

Im in the minority here I guess, I don't like down and have sold all of my down pieces for synthetic.

I chose synthetic for a number of reasons and so far am very happy with synthetic bags over down.
First thing I didn't like about down, was it got wet and stayed wet. Didn't matter if I got in my bag wet, or condensation from days in the field without dry time. My bag always seemed damp. With synthetic they dry very fast and don't hold that moisture at all.

Next as far as short term durability goes. Most down bags are made of pretty UL material. And if you poke a hole or rip your down bag you are in for a feathery mess. With a synthetic im not afraid to take it ouside the tent. Im not afraid of burn holes, or really using my gear. A little seam sealer fixes it all up with no insulation loss. Kifaru soft goods are tough! really tough! Ill sit out and glass with them or wear my boots in them, hang them outside to dry and roll around in my floorless shelter without worry.

last reason I really like synthetic, It dries very fast. In the event it does get wet or damp. Which I don't know about you guys but my bags do get a good bit of condensation on them at times. The synthetic gear dries extremely fast. Seems once your down gets wet, your pretty much screwed.

Syn dosnt pack as small or as light, but its close and the long term durability issues arise as well. Ill still take synthetic over down. Though if I ever bought a down bag again it would be a WM.

Insulation when wet is not a factor for me. IMO if your bag is wet.... your going to have a bad time no mater what the insulation is.

Ill also comment that after using my ID event bivy for a few more nights that I would trust a down bag in that thing, one impressive bivy!

 

[AK Troutbum]

I have always used down however planing on using synthetic next year in Alaska.

Good choice fulldraw. I have both, but will only pack a synthetic bag up the mountain. I usually bring two bags on a trip and leave the down bag at base camp. Up until now I would never consider taking a down bag on an extended BP trip/hunt, but these new water resistant down products might get me to start considering a down bag. We'll see.

 

[trophyhill]

Synthetic for me just in case I have to dry it out.

 

[Floorguy]

I am going to try down this year I am going keep it in a waterproof stuff sack and it will be in a bivy when not in the stuff sack which is more than I have done with synthetic and have never had an issue with my syn bags as far as moisture goes.

 

[Rent Outdoor Gear]

I've been using the same down bag for 18 seasons. It's been to Kodiak, the arctic circle twice, central AK for caribou, the AK peninsula, and all over the toughest country in the Rocky Mtn west. I even take it rafting... it's really not very challenging to keep a down bag dry. A trash sack will do 99.9% of the time, but I use a waterproof dry-bag for a stuff sack when rafting and for AK backpacking. The new quix down will be a nice added safety factor if you run into a real bad situation where catastrophe strikes... I certainly wouldn't be afraid of normal down for anything short of camping underwater as long as you have a little foresight and proper gear elsewhere in your arsenal.

 

[ohhiitznik]

What can go wrong, will. Thats what I live by, and my sleeping system is a very important survival tool. I moved away from all down as well, even my new insulation layer which will be the first light puffy.

 

[armyjoe]

Kifaru Slick 20 is on my list this summer. Went back and forth on down/syn and ended up going with the synthetic Slick

 

[Mike7]

I grew up in the Oregon Cascades and never have a problem with my down bag getting wet now, but I am very careful with it (i.e. I use a floorless shelter now where no water builds up on the floor, the down bag is in a waterproof/breathable bivy sack at all times, I never get in the bag with wet clothes/boots, don't use the bag while glassing, and the whole setup goes into a waterproof OR stuff sack for travel and if I am away from the floorless shelter hunting on a wet windy day). I never have any significant moisture inside of my bivy when I awaken, but I make sure to keep my head outside of the bivy during the night. I am not sure that I would completely trust my sleep system in the Alaska backcountry since I don't have experience there, but so far it seams to work fine in the lower 48 anyway. The synthetic quilt with of without a down under bag seems like an intriguing option though with not too many down sides.

I have tried the synthetic over down idea with respect to coats and it does seem to have some merit. I have a very light weight primaloft jacket that I have worn along with a rain shell over my medium wt down jacket while doing a mixture of sitting and slowly hiking/hunting in really windy wet weather that is right at or above freezing. The synthetic jacket does get wet on it's outer layer just inside my rain coat by the end of the day depending upon how much I am hiking/overheating, but the down stays dry. I think that this could become a problem for a down coat though after 2-3 days of that weather/activity. If I ever get a chance to go to Alaska, I think it may be a medium to heavy wt synthetic jacket only for me, regardless of my sleep system choice?

 

[justin davis]

I have down and synthetic bags. I have never had an issue with down. Down bags last longer in the long run.

 

[AK Troutbum]

The biggest reason I have for taking a synthetic bag is because we tend to get a lot of rain during the month of August when we are sheep hunting. I usually wear to bed what I've been wearing all day long, and I'm usually pretty wet with rain and sweat. My body heat dries my clothes out while I'm sleeping all night. This has always been the best system for me, and I know that it wouldn't work with down.

 

[Backstrap]

You'll curse the weight of the synthetic every time you carry it right up until you get it wet and need to stay warm. You'll love the down every time you carry it right up until you get it wet and need to stay warm. It depends on hunting local and type. Synthetic is probably best for an all around bag, just my $0.02.

 

[Colby Jack]

funny how many Alaskans vote synthetic. If you're gonna pick one, up here, its usually gonna be synthetic. Mostly because when you're hunting in the fall, it can and will rain, then snow, on you when you least expect it. Every sourdough up here knows the saying "If you don't like the weather in Alaska, wait 15 minutes." It's the truth. If you're going to bet your life on it, most people will go synthetic. My buddy shivered his keester off this fall because condensation, coupled with freezing temps, never allowed him to properly dry out-- the entire 11 days. He could just never get completely dry, and thus warm, the whole trip.

 

[AndyB]

So what synthetic bag would compare to a marmot helium for performance, I know its not going to be as light, but would want it close?