[at-l] Sleeping bags

[TrailR at aol.com (TrailR@aol.com)]

In a message dated 10/25/2004 9:17:16 PM Eastern Daylight Time,  
dajones@isp.com writes:
 

People  who know the most about hiking, and sleeping bags in particular, 
seem to  talk about choosing a sleeping bag like it's a matter of 
choosing which  down bag to get.  I also hear a lot of talk about not 
getting down  wet.  I may be completely ignorant, but it seems pretty wet 
out there  to me.  Are there just a lot of people confident that they 
will not  get their down bags wet?  Or does  down actually respond as 
well  to dampness as any other material?  (Actually, I think geese do get  
wet.)  I don't hear anybody saying "down kills".  Nobody is  talking 
about down like some talk about cotton? 
****
So don't get it wet.
I used 2 down bags on the AT last year (one of the wettest years on  record), 
and kept them dry every day (except day 1 on the trail, it got damp &  still 
kept 
me warm). All it took was a sil bag and a hefty bag.
****

I would  think the best bag be 
the one that is still warm when wet, or the one that  will dry most 
quickly, or at least one that won't self destruct if it gets  wet?  I'd 
use this sort of logic to choose a wool sweater over a  cotton sweat 
shirt.  How does wet logic apply to sleeping  bags?   Easy cleaning of a 
synthetic bag would be a second  consideration to me, but still a 
valuable one.  I just don't get  it.  So down is light.  How much more 
weight are you really  lugging when you choose synthetic?  A pound?  
Isn't that extra  weight kind of like wet insurance?  Never mind the 
cruelty  thing.
****
Easy cleaning was a non issue. It rarely needed cleaning (every thousand 
miles?). My winter bag got washed at home when I had my summer one, 
and vica versa.
Down compresses very well to pack it, it is very warm, and lighter than  
synthetic 
fill for similar temp ratings.



Synthetic is nice for wet weather, you can dry your damp clothes in it  
overnight.
But synthetic can't be compressed as much as down (if space is an  issue),
it damages the fibers.
If weight is an issue, buy down. With a little care, it will stay  dry.
If you don't care about the extra pound (I did, I had back issues),  use
synthetic, many people on the trail last year did, with no  complaints.
 
It becomes a personal preference, either will work.
 
hotdog 
AT03