Down vs Synthetic Summer Quilt

[Just Bill]

Yeah, I've long noted that down is good for about four nights in those conditions, then you need mechanical (dryer or hotel space heater), chemical (fire), or solar heat to dry things out. Fortunately, for most thru hikers, that four days is about right for town stops, like in the Cascades on the PCT. And more than four days of constant 100% condensing humidity is rare in CONUS hiking. WA state is a notable exception.

Read Ray Jardine's take on synthetic vs down. He's completely in favor of synthetic, as evidenced by what he sells. I've hiked a lot in very similar conditions where he says down failed him, and I remain in favor of down. Go figure.

It's not like Jardine is a rocket scientist or anything... what does he know.
Although he is a good sewing teacher and his book is how I got started.

To be fair... Apex has been as good as it gets for synthetic and that's fair recent, though personally I'm not a big fan. Although in a 2oz per yard batt you can make a very light synthetic quilt that rivals down out of Apex if you are careful with the design and size. Anything much past that though... I'd side with you on down for any season or reason but a few. After a few years of Apex when I got started with MYOG, I set it aside in favor of down.

Using, abusing, and trashing my Patagonia Nano-Puff though (and more or less shelving an UL Montbell Down) got me thinking. It's taken a few years but using Primaloft instead of Apex is a pretty huge difference, with weights and packed size much closer to down and makes Ray's arguments much more compelling. It's like sleeping in a nano-puff, but 150% warmer and it wears very well using the Ol' Mike Clelland Houdini puffy trick and turns into a pretty solid 30* (midweight) puffy for camp.


I just moved, and just pulled out the sewing machine last weekend- so I'm well behind. But that said, a certain fella of moderate height but high stature that lives a bit uprange of yerself is testing a 45* right now. I still owe Malto and a few folks a test quilt but if'n you're interested I'd like to get one your way one of these days.

While I can't make any sorta monstrously compelling argument for a western fella to abandon a 20* down bag for one of mine...
I could make a decent argument to layer a 45* synthetic over your down for winter trips, or to use said synthetic when traipsing or summer car camping on the plains.

[troutalope]

I found my old North Face Wasatch 40° mummy bag at my parents house just a few minutes ago (I forgot I still had it). I think I will use that right now in the summer although it is still going to be pretty warm. It is a long so I may attempt to cut it down to save space and weight...I may butcher it, but 10bminutes ago I thought I had got rid of it.

[Odd Man Out]

It was my fault getting caught last fall on a cold night wit a summer pad. Funny thing was I had a 3/8 inch ccf pad in my pack in that pouch they make for extra padding along your back and I forgot it was in there. Could have used that to get some better sleep. Talked to a few hikers the next AM and every one was talking about the freaky cold nigh so I guess I wasn't the only one caught off guard. Anywau, love the quilt.

[garlic08]

... I just moved, and just pulled out the sewing machine last weekend- so I'm well behind. But that said, a certain fella of moderate height but high stature that lives a bit uprange of yerself is testing a 45* right now. I still owe Malto and a few folks a test quilt but if'n you're interested I'd like to get one your way one of these days.

While I can't make any sorta monstrously compelling argument for a western fella to abandon a 20* down bag for one of mine...
I could make a decent argument to layer a 45* synthetic over your down for winter trips, or to use said synthetic when traipsing or summer car camping on the plains.

I'd be honored to be on your test list, in such august company. Thank you.

[Secondmouse]

For warm weather, I prefer synthetics since there is no weight savings with down at that point. I also wont have to worry as much about keeping a synthetic bag clean. In warm weather, the quilt will need to be more resistant to swear and skn oils.

I have a 30* Prodigy and I just stuff it in the bottom of my trash bag liner in my pack. It doesnt take up much room at all.

excellent summation. I've had extensive discussions with people whose opinion I respect and they almost universally say "above freezing = synthetic, below freezing = down"...