Down letting you down?

[gunn parker]

Hi All
I just saw this random photo on the front page and it looks to me like the down is not filling the baffle in some spots. If you take a look at the photo it looks like you can see area empty of down.
This would lead to cold spots for sure.
Does this happen often?
Or am I seeing things?
Could it bee the space within the baffle is too big or the down could have been filled more?
Gunn

[Youngblood]

I don't think you can you tell from that photo. If it is those dark spots, they are likely just damp spots where snow got on it an melted.

Usually to see through a quilt or sleeping bag to see how uniformly down is placed, you have to hold it up to a very bright light, like the sun, and look for light and dark areas. When you have it your hands, you can feel around, pat on it, and get a good idea.

[Mule]

I know the down sinks to the bottom overnight sometimes in my no sniveler, but there is always enough where you need it. My quilt looks just like that at times. Fluff it up and trust the Jacks. Mule

[Just Jeff]

Mine does get spots that look kinda like that, but I don't think that's the case here...I think Youngblood is right. My spot are always near the top, and these spots show gaps in the where there's quite a bit of down weight right above them...that doesn't usually happen. More importantly, two of the spots go across baffles...that's a neat trick if it's a gap in the down!

Regardless, a quick fluff always puts the down where I need it.

[fin]

Maybe this particular UQ in the picture was stored in its compression sack too long, and hung up without shaking/fluffing up the quilt. Or maybe the down got damp and clumpy before the UQ was hung. Regardless, IMO it looks exactly like what Gunn thinks it looks like - gaps in the down.

[BillyBob58]

Even if it is gaps in the down ( and it may well be), I'd say the simplest thing is just to shake the down DOWN lower where it belongs. It doesn't serve a lot of use near the top edges of the quilt, where it is not really close to contact with your body after you get in and sag into the bottom area of the quilt. I bet just by getting down out of the very highest part, there would be a pretty dense thick fill everywhere you might actually need it.

[tomsawyer222]

Since we all know that down will migrate down the tubes when hung that way or with the baffles running the other way why not try a box construction? would keep the down where it needs to be?

I understand that more complex baffles would lend itself to higher price quilts.... but in order to get the down where it needs to be for maximum warmth maybe some experimentation with better baffles.
http://roberts.pl/Details1.html#H

[gunn parker]

Maybe they are just damp spots and not no down spots
I doubt now if you could see through that green material enough to see any down that has moved.
cheers

[fin]

No way, Gunn - I think you were right to begin with. I've seen exactly the same thing with a "cluster stuff" quilt, and with the right lighting you could absolutely see the down (or actually the lack of down) through the fabric, as the backside of the quilt is black and would be the perfect background.

[Just Jeff]

Yeah - you can see empty spots in the JRB quilts, and they look very similar to the picture. But then, so do damp spots.