under quilt - KickAss

[Coffee]

I posted this once on WB. But I think that when we look back at what we are using now in 10 years, we will get a good laugh.

I think that by then synethic insulation will pass down in terms of bulk and weight. That seems to be the trend with man made products.

But then again without advances like that, there would be nothing to reminence about when we get together and talk about the old days.

[TeeDee]

speaking of down vs synthetic when wet, there was an interesting article on the backpackinglight.com site a while back.
according to their tests, there wasn't as much difference between the two in loft/ insulation when wet as thought.
and there wasn't nearly the difference in drying times (returning to original loft) as most people believe.
according to BPL.com, at least part of our deeply ingrained thinking about that subject has been pounded in by those that sell synthetic insulated products.
just food for thought. ...tim

Yeah - I read that article also - be very careful in using that test to compare down and synthetic.

They used light clothing - vests - a LOT of surface area to insulation filled volume. That allowed both to dry quickly. A whole lot different than a quilt. A quilt will have a lot less surface area to insulation filled volume for drying than the vest did. Neither vest had much insulation to begin with.

They conducted the tests in AZ or NM (cannot remember which exactly right now). ANYTHING dries quickly in the southwest US. I've lived on both coasts for many years and there is a BIG difference in the climates. BPL editors and writers, live, work and hike and have an affinity for the left coast and their reporting reflects that. I moved from Philadelphia to LA (well just north west of LA actually) once. Bought a new refigerator. The new refrigerator had a little heater just outside the door gasket. When turned on, the heater caused any condensation to quickly evaporate and prevented rust. Having moved from the humid right coast to the very dry left coast and having lived on the very dry left coast for many years previously, I immediately turned the heater off since it was essentially useless in the DRY southwest. Needed a repair on the refrigerator a few weeks later. The repairman, in leaving, turned the heater on and told myself and my wife that we should leave the heater on, it costs a little more in electricity, but sometimes the humidity gets really bad, all the way up to 45% relative humidity. We just nodded and when he had left, we immediately turned it back off - AFTER we could stop rolling on the floor and laughing so hard. 45% relative humidity - if the humidity in Philadelphia ever got DOWN to 45% we were having a drought and it felt like heaven. So the moral of the story is if you live in a dry climate, you are not going to be concerned with drying a quilt, down OR synthetic. If you live on the right coast, you have to be concerned.

[slowhike]

teedee, you're right it was a very limited test. it would be interesting (& more practical) to see the same kind of testing w/ more insulation & wetter conditions.