Climashield & Insultex vs Down

[Cedar1974]

I am considering making my own UQ using one of the two synthetics above. can anyone tell me how they compare to down?

[Otter1]

Both can keep you just as warm as down. That warmth will cost you in weight and compressibility, however.

Synthetic fills (like Climashield) don't handle/stand up to repeated stuffing as well as down. It shouldn't hurt Insultex though. Down also compresses smaller.

Insultex is far more finicky to eliminate air gaps than either of the above, because it doesn't loft to fill dead air space.

Both are obviously cheaper than down.

Both have better moisture resistance than down, but unless you are careless or spend longer trips in extremely cold &/or wet conditions, down's performance won't be bothered much, if at all.

[Cedar1974]

Well, I think I'll go with Insultex because I live in the Southern US where it gets really wet. Also since bith synthetics are thinner than Down they don't have to be compressed so much and seeing a comparison in size they aren't that large really. Also my aunt is allergic to down so it may be better for me to use.

[Klaussinator]

In terms of packability, you'll find that an Insutex UQ has to be more or less folded to pack it up, whereas a down UQ and simply be stuffed. The result is the IX-UQ will take a bit more space in your pack than its down counterpart.

That being said, I use an IX-UQ and I'm not knocking it. The price was right, and it works well. But when I have the option to move into downy goodness, I'll take the plunge.

-Klauss

[Otter1]

I'm in FL, so I hear ya on the humidity!

Down is the only way to go, for me. Never been a problem from here to Colorado.

Show us the results of your IX endeavor!

[hutzelbein]

My first underquilt was made from Insultex. I never managed to get it working. It's too finicky to hang correctly. And for the warmth it gave, it was definitely too bulky and heavy. I would rather take a pad than use Insultex again. I'd say Climashield is the better choice, if you don't want to shell out for down.

[FLRider]

If you're a fairly wet sleeper (like I am), Insultex may be difficult to get working correctly. While I can (and do) use vapor barriers in my insulation systems, IX (a near-vapor barrier [not the machine planet :jj:]) never really worked for me.

If you want a moisture-resistant quilt, DWR treated down or Climashield APEX are probably your best bets. However, I'm in FL, as well, and have yet to have trouble with my non-DWR treated down quilts.

The trick is to know your outdoors use pattern. If you're going to be spending weeks and weeks between town stops in a very humid climate (where drying out a down quilt from any condensation-caused loss of loft is more difficult than doing it in a laundromat or the sun every week to two), then synthetics are going to be the better route. If, however, like the majority of hikers, you'll be stopping every week or two, then down becomes very viable.

That being said, a Climashield quilt is going to be cheaper in the short run (down lasts longer) and easier to make (at least until you get up into the 6 oz/sq yd+ range; the thickness on those becomes prohibitive for home machines, even my Husky Viking that can sew through 6+ layers of 1,000d CORDURA).

Here is probably the best thread for comparing the various pros and cons of the high-end synthetic insulations versus down: https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php/102106-Insulation-Chart-for-MYOG-Updated. It covers most of what I consider absolutely necessary information.

Hope it helps!