View Full Version : Down from USA
I looked into down from HE's resource and they are pretty good. http://www.featherind.com/
It only costs $73 (Canadian)per pound for 800 fill goose down. However with the weak American dollar withering away from our huge National dept and the world's lack of confidence in our fiscal policies that brings it too $87.60 (American). Still a good price. However they have a minimum order quantity of 2 pounds. Now throw on the $39.16 to ship it to PA because of our lack of a real energy policy and the unregulated oil industry which has us over a barrel and it comes to $214.36 for 2 pounds. The Gods are all working against me.
Now if I go through Speer I can get it in 3.1 increments at $26. This works out to about $144 per pound shipped. With these compared I woud rather go with Speer because he does alot for the hammock community. However I am cheaper than I am a loyal customer sooo.....
Does anyone know of a Down supplier in the USA? Since their Canadian Geese migrate here in the winter you would think there would be suppliers. A search on the web only reveals down pillows and comforters.
Peter_pan
03-17-2008, 15:31
Dutch,
Here is the hot scoop.....
buy Ed's down...it is your best deal.
Pan
Would it be cheaper to buy pillows/comforters just for the down? (I dunno, never looked... but you could buy at the local store this way.)
pillows and comforters that you could find locally are probably using 550 down or worse - in other words your end product will be heavier than with good quality down.
I got a price list and some info from the same Canadian supplier as HE and did notice one thing. If you go from 800fp (they say it is the same as the 900fp Speer down, just tested using a different method) to 750fp, the price drops to $48CD/lb from $73Cd/lb. Now, I understand that every gram counts, but we are talking about comparing 15oz of 750fp vs 14oz of 800fp. Dropping that ounce gets pretty expensive and the supplier talks up the 750fp down as a very good product. Just something to consider
I can't remember the exact price I had, other than it was around $5 an oz with shipping. They even included some extra.
That was the math that I did. I decided that I would carry 3 or 4 extra oz to save a ton of cash.
Next time I do an order, I think I am going to order a couple extra pounds to make it more cost effective for furture projects.
pillows and comforters that you could find locally are probably using 550 down or worse - in other words your end product will be heavier than with good quality down.
That makes sense. I was just thinking of a possible easy/cheap source.
Try your local goodwill.
I've found several nice down comforters there... you can either open the baffles and harvest the down, or use them as is. They're usually from $8 to $20 depending on the looks of the fabric.
jeffjenn
03-17-2008, 23:09
Could this be used to get down from on the cheap??
http://cgi.ebay.com/Luxury-King-Siberian-Goose-Down-Comforter-750-FP-800TC_W0QQitemZ220211781316QQihZ012QQcategoryZ2045 7QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem
I have been weighing my options all night. Speer has the best and it is in small increments. I am also thinking of Momentum 90 while I'm at it. Why should I make an almost great quilt when I can make the perfect quilt with the best ingedients. Besides this quilt is going to get used often if i have my way.
I contacted these folks by email and got this reply:
"We have 700 fill power goose down for $80/lb, 800 for $100/lb, and 900 for 125/lb. Shipping for small quantities is $15.
Thank you for inquiring about our services,
Jack Sukalac
All About Down
352 N. 78th Street
Seattle, WA 98103
206-784-3444
888-289-3696
M-F 9:30-4, Sat 9-noon"
Their website is:
http://www.allaboutdown.com
headchange4u
03-18-2008, 10:40
gimbo,
Those are pretty nice prices on down. That's about 8.75 per oz for the 900, including shipping. That's cheaper than Speer's stuff if you count shipping charges.
GrizzlyAdams
03-18-2008, 11:15
gimbo,
Those are pretty nice prices on down. That's about 8.75 per oz for the 900, including shipping. That's cheaper than Speer's stuff if you count shipping charges.
Oh HC4U, the 90's weren't good to you, man. :D
Being the proud recent recipient of 2 bags of 900 fill down from
Ed (3.1 oz each), with a receipt, I paid out $60.50 (includes $8.50 shipping and handling).
Now 6.2 oz at $125/lb works out to be $48.43 for the down, but then presuming that 6.2 oz is a "small" order you get hit with $15 shipping
bringing the total to $63.43.
I can see though that if you were buying in more bulk that you'd get a better deal from "All About Down".
Grizz
headchange4u
03-18-2008, 14:07
Yeah. I guess it would be pretty important to mention that I was doing calculations for a pound of down. :p
My whole life has been good to me.
Speer charged me $104 for 4 bags plus $8.50 for shipping. All about down is very comparable, but Ed has smaller increments and he is very good to us. Plus I was able to get a spool of his thread for another $9.95. I also got Momentum90 forest green for the outer shell and black 1.1 for the inner shell from Thru-Hiker.com for about $69. The more I look into it the better JRB's quilts deals seem. If I wasn't a compulsive DIYer I would go that way. I will be very close to $200 when it is all said and done because of the Momentum90. I'm finally going to have a real quilt.
Yeah I think when you really sit down and do the math, unless you are an expert sewer and can get everything at a good price, it is more fisable to just buy it. I like making stuff, so that usually isn't a thought. But on things I don't I figure $8 or $10 an hour. If that brings it to more than the cost retail, than I buy it.
I should add that this only comes into play when I can find exactly what I want. Usually even if the cost is the same or more to make, it works better for me if I make it.
TiredFeet
03-18-2008, 14:54
... I like making stuff, so that usually isn't a thought. But on things I don't I figure $8 or $10 an hour. If that brings it to more than the cost retail, than I buy it....
$8 or $10 an hour - that's pretty inexpensive (I was going to write cheap, but didn't want to offend :D ).
The last time I checked my or my girlfriends per hour rate - well she doesn't want me to say -except we don't get per hour rates, only annual ones. But then we don't get overtime either :mad:
slowhike
03-18-2008, 23:03
for anyone going to hot springs at the end of april, you can save shipping costs by asking Ed to bring whatever you want to buy w/ him to the campground.
Seems like if you're paying that much for down, by the time you throw in your other materials, add your time, you may as well just purchase their underquilt?
I would like to find someone who'd barter a brand new Bushman Jenny soprano ukulele with a pickup and extras for a nice underquilt. :D :D