[at-l] Sleeping Bags

[stephensadams at hotmail.com (Steve Adams)]

Anklebear,

Reference your and Amy?s posts, both dated 10-24-04.  You ask, ?what's DWR 
stand for??

DWR is an abbreviation for Durable Water Repellent.

The DWR is sprayed on and repels water.  There are at least two things to 
consider;  (1)  A DWR loses its effectiveness over time as your sleeping bag 
(or clothes) is used, and; (2) it inhibits, slows is probably a more 
accurate term, water from passing through the treated (outer) material of 
your sleeping bag.

Water repellence sounds good, when you  consider it repels rain water or 
dew, keeping it from entering your bag.  The water would reduce the loft of 
your down.  This doesn?t sound as good, when you consider it also repels 
vapor, from your perspiration and exhalation, from escaping your bag.  I.e., 
water is now trapped, with the down, reducing its loftiness.

Permeability of the outer fabric and any down treatment become important, 
not as a hard and fast rule for everyone but, to consider when deciding 
whether you prefer to tent or tarp.

The interior of tents, camping in the east, are humid environments.  This is 
not true of tarps.  The area beneath a tarp, in driving rain, CAN BECOME a 
much wetter environment than that of tents.

Over time, moisture kept within the insulation baffles of your sleeping bag 
can make a major difference in the capacity of the bag to maintain loft and 
minimize heat loss.  If you are not going to be living outside with your 
sleeping bag for long, the difference may be minor.

Steve

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