Originally Posted by
Zolen
I work in an outdoor retailer shop, so I get lots of newsletters, magazines, etc with all the latest news about products and such. I've read a lot about these down treatments, and I'm somewhat skeptical of their actual benefit. I've read a few reviews from testers that seem to indicate that even the new, treated down is pretty much worthless when wet. One that I remember was a guy that took Sierra Design's new down jacket for a 30 minute run in a "drizzle" and he reported it was soaked through. He did say it still gave some warmth, but was soaked enough that he could "wring out a sleeve". I think that was from Outdoor Magazine.
Basically, I think what I'm saying is that down will never be synthetic, and vice versa. To me, those down treatments seem like they will only be effective in those situations where you just get a little wet, like getting stuck 10 minutes from camp wearing your down jacket with no shell. In that case, little loft is lost, and it dries faster. But it sounds like the possibility of a total wet-out is not history, which is the real concern with down. If you wake up in the middle of the night with a soaked-through down TQ/UQ, you're still screwed. Sure, it might only take 24 hours to dry versus 72, but that still means another restless and cold night.
I guess any improvement in wet performance is welcome when it comes to down, but I still think the best option is to get good at keeping your gear dry. That means pack covers, good dry bags, good shells, and good tents/hammock tarps. Personally, I think the best solution to this problem will be a better synthetic. Hopefully, The North Face is on to something with their upcoming Thermoball insulation. It attacks the problem from the other side by trying to duplicate down with synthetic materials. If you routinely get your gear wet, go synthetic.
All of that being said, don't be afraid of down. There are two common myths out there about down that I try to eliminate at work. First, down is NOT ruined or even harmed by water, it just loses its insulation properties until it's dry, which can take days if thoroughly wet. Second, it does not take 6 raindrops to kill your quilt. It seems like people think that down will wilt at the first hint of water. It won't. A top quilt would likely take much more water than you'd think before it was useless. In the end, I say go for down. Whether you want to try the new, treated down or not is up to you. Just be meticulous about waterproofing, and you'll be fine.
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