Sleeping Bag Filling Types
There are two major types of fill used in the manufacture of sleeping bags: natural down and synthetic fibre.
Down Sleeping Bags
Down is the undercoating of waterfowl, such as geese or ducks. Each fragment of down is called a plumule, and grows from a single quill point, rather than a shaft, as a feather does.
Debate has raged for years on the superiority of each of these down products, but both are excellent when properly prepared.
It is impossoble to economically produce 100% down, and this is why you will see manufacturers specifications showing say 90% Down or 85% Down. The balance is made up from little feathers.
The best down is obtained from the nest of the wild Eider Duck after it has hatched its chicks each year. This Eider Down is very rare and very expensive and is not commonly used anymore for sleeping bag manufacture..
Nothing beats down on a warmth for weight basis, but it has two drawbacks. The first is that natural down breaksdown over time, reducing its effectiveness. This happens slowly with age but is greatly accelerated by leaving your sleeping bag compressed for most of the year in storage. This is why it is best to store your bag in a loose hanging cover. Secondly a fully wet down bag is useless and a damp one not much better, as the inulation properties of down collapse when it gets wet. You need to keep your down bag dry and aired out as often as is possible if it gets damp at all. As repeated wshing can also strip the natural oils out of down, it is recommended to use a liner at all times to keep the bag clean.
Synthetic Sleeping Bags
Synthetic fillings have been developed to emulate the properties of natural down.
Synthetic sleeping bag fill has a mass of very fine microfibers all tangled up to trap and warm air and more expensive versions use hollow microfibers to reduce weight.
Recent advances in technology means that modern synthetic bags work very well, and indeed have a couple of advantages over down. One great advantage is that they still work (in a limited fashion) when wet. Synthetic bags can also take more abuse than a Down bag, the microfiber material takes much longer to break down and they can be washed many more times. They are also...cheaper..a lot cheaper. Mass produced, factory made "down" is far more inexpensive to produce than natural, bird obtained down.
So Which Bag Do I Need?
Budget - If price is the major concern, a good quality synthetic bag will do the job. Just ensure that the bags temperature rating matches your needs.
Weight - If you need to go ultra lightweight, and need to save carrying that extra 200gms - then you will have to invest in a down bag.
Warmth - A sleeping bags temperature rating guides you to how "warm" that bag will be. A great synthetic bag is as warm as an average down bag...it will just be a bit heavier and bulkier but.... a lot cheaper!
Room - A down sleeping bag compresses down into a smaller shape than its synthetic filled version.
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