Which is more comfortable for you to sleep in: down or synthetic insulation? Assume all things are equal : temp rating, weight, size etc...which is do you find more comfortable?
I've personally noticed that down seems to adapt better to varying temperatures above it's max...it almost seems to change the amount of warmth it holds in and isnt as stifling in the warmer weather...
Well we can't assume all things will be equal as down will always be lighter than synthetic for the temp ratings. I do not like synthetic at all as it doesn't pack down, is bulky, and simply doesn't work as well for me. The only time I could see synthetic being "better" is in very very wet weather but then again I've heard reports from App trail hikers that stated their down did just fine and there are very few places wetter than the app trail on a wet temperate year.
Down is my go to insulation. Light and it packs a lot smaller. Lots of threads on HF about it over the years.
yeah i've read many of the other threads trying to find information: they all focus on weight and compress-ability. Lets say you only car camp: aside from weight and compress-ability (and water resistance) is one more comfortable to you then the other. Does one breath better, or is the way it drapes better?
I went from synthetic to down and after moving over to down, I don't think I could ever switch back. My wife thinks I have an addiction to it, lol. I just like the warmth, for the weight - how it feels, etc... Would I sleep any less warm in down vs synthetic? Probably not, but down is just so puffy - tough to give that up.
down is more comfortable because of it's weight, I hate heavy covers
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Down definitely feels lighter, and it drapes differently. it settles onto you slower....if that makes sense?
I'm maybe weird in that I prefer the feel of a very light synthetic quilt, but I much prefer the size that a down blanket packs down to
overall tho, I'll generally pick a nice down quilt
A comfort difference with all other things being equal? ( I'm not sure that is possible) More or less, no difference in comfort for me.
Sometimes I think that for a TQ, down MIGHT have an improved ability to lay down on your body(drape), at least compared to Climashield. Because the CS quilt MIGHT be stiffer. Not sure of that, but I have sometimes suspected it. Never a factor for me, as I usually sleep in layers that will loft up to fill any gap that might exist above me. But it might be a possible issue. But might not apply to stuff like Primaloft, which is not in sheets, but a bit more down like even requiring baffling like down does.
OTOH, I have long suspected CS makes a potentially superior UQ, especially in damp, humid or wet conditions. Not just because of the superior loft retention of CS in wet conditions, but because with a dif cut UQ, the sheets of CS are sewn to the inner shell of the UQ. If the shell is snug against your back, you can rest assured that even soaked CS will be snug against your back while you wait for the water to drain out of it. OTOH, if down has to deal with humidity or other moisture, it will not loft to the max. In an UQ, far more than a TQ, we count on down lofting to the max so that it can rise up in it's baffles to contact our backs. If loft is reduced enough so that this contact does not occur(won't do any good to tighten a dif cut UQ that is already snug against your back), then there is a problem. In a TQ, reduced loft simply means slightly less warmth as the down is lying on top of you regardless of how damp. With an UQ, reduced loft might also mean a gap between the down and your back. A reduction in loft will mean loft is moving away from your back. No doubt, if damp enough, a gap will occur. That is maybe one reason over stuff is so popular in an UQ. In hopes of reducing the influence of any loss of loft due to dampness, so that hopefully no gap will occur.
I have synthetic garments and down garments which I wear frequently in the cool weather. I can't tell any difference in comfort. They say down has a wider range. Maybe it does. It is just not something I have ever been able to confirm for sure.
The AHE quits are very popular here, and far as I know they are all synthetic. (there have also been some recent rave reviews for the AHE CS TQs) Maybe you will hear from owners of those AHEs who also own down quilts and they can tell you if they have more comfort with the down? I own both down and syn in the UQs. I have an AHE Ridge Creek for a WB bridge, and I have down UQs. I can't tell any difference in comfort. (that is not to say there are not some pros and cons for the down vs synthetic, I am just saying I can't tell any dif in comfort). I also have the original model of the WB Yeti which uses CS rather than down like the current models. It feels just like any other UQ I have tested. I can not tell a dif in comfort between a own UQ vs synthetic UQ. But I don't have any synthetic TQs, maybe I could tell a difference with one of those?
Last edited by BillyBob58; 12-14-2018 at 18:16.
If it's a summer quilt, synthetic feels better to me. Lounging on the couch, I love my 2.5 climasheild blanket.
Anything heavier then that, down feels better in its puffy, fill in the gaps goodness.
I use down TQ only because it is light and cobforms to my shape. My knee dislicates when I sleep if I have any covering that has much weight.
My UQ down or Apex just depends on where I will Hang. Wet, warm Apex. Really cold and arid down is prefered.
I use the 950 fp down for my TQ to keep the qyilt as light as possible. I fashion my TQ with six inch flap or ruffle to keep out any air gaps.
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