duck duck goose!

[slicktop]

So, when I place an order for a top quilt... BESIDES the hand wringing I'm going to go through in picking which cottage vendor with what options, etc... will I notice a big difference in duck down vs goose down? I figure the price difference has to equate to some difference in quality, no? I'd just hate to order a custom quilt, and awhile later after using it think to myself "man, I really should have gone with the goose down!"

And keep in mind, cold weather camping to me is 30°. However, I can't stand wearing a ton of layers while I sleep, so I typically prefer a warm bag so I don't have to wear a bunch of clothes to keep warm. Even in the winter, I can't sleep in anything more than scrub pants and a short sleeve t-shirt.

So... what do you guys think? Any experience with one vs the other? Will I get "poked" with feathers like a cheap pillow if I go with duck vs goose?

[craige]

I don't have any experience with duck vs. goose down but apparently there is no difference in down quality... the only difference is fill power. Lower fill power = a few extra grams. It's up to you wether the lighter weight is worth the extra cost.

If you've been looking at UGQ, I can vouch for the quality of their products, I have no complaints and found Paul very helpful and easy to deal with.

[MAD777]

It's mostly a question of weight. A 30* goose down quilt will weigh less than a 30* duck down quilt. If you car camp, that doesn't matter. But,if you are hiking many miles per day on rugged terrain, it becomes important.
The higher the FILL POWER the lighter the quilt for the same temperature rating.

[slicktop]

Ok... so all other things being equal, 850 fill goose should weigh less than 850 fill duck? Do I have that right? But otherwise they will have the same insulating ability, right?

And how much weight are we talking about here? Ounces or grams?

[craige]

Not quite. Duck down (with the exception of eiderdown) generally has a lower fill power. 850 fill goose down vs 850 fill duck down should be exactly the same.

However if for example you have 1 oz of 900 fill duck down and 550 fill goose down, the higher fill power i.e duck down in this example, will be warmer (more loft). Goose down is usually associated with higher quality though (presumably because it usually has a higher fill power).

[pgibson]

850 would be the same from one type to the next......The most common thing going right now is high grade goose being offered and lower grade duck being offered so there is a price difference....

All 850, 800, 750, 700 and so on will be the same insulating capability from one feathered creature to the next...it's a rating standard that levels the playing field in respect to evaluating the insulating capability of downs. If you were talking 700 of either animal against 850 of either animal then yes there is a quality and performance difference and you would need a bit more 700 fill to get the same insulation value as the 850 provides...perhaps an ounce or two. But the quality of what comes off of either animal will function just as good. Goose is seen as more desirable and produces greater volumes of down per animal when harvested...it's a bigger bird right, however currently goose are in greater demand and shorter supply hence the price has been climbing....we have seen our price jump close to 40% in the last year and that's up about 15-20% over the past 3-4 years....2013 was a big jump compared to the steady climb in down prices. So several places are offering a lower grade duck down to try and allow customers a way to not feel all of that increase.

[pgibson]

Not quite. Duck down (with the exception of eiderdown) generally has a lower fill power. 850 fill goose down vs 850 fill duck down should be exactly the same.

However if for example you have 1 oz of 900 fill duck down and 550 fill goose down, the higher fill power i.e duck down in this example, will be warmer (more loft). Goose down is usually associated with higher quality though (presumably because it usually has a higher fill power).

Kinda...I can get 800 fill duck...it's slightly less price than 800 goose. I can get 850 duck or goose.

More over it's what each shop is selecting to stock in one or the other more than one type not being available as much as the other.

[craige]

Ah, close enough thanks for clearing it up!

[slicktop]

850 would be the same from one type to the next......The most common thing going right now is high grade goose being offered and lower grade duck being offered so there is a price difference....

ok, so... what difference would I notice between "lower grade" 850 fill duck vs "higher grade" 850 fill goose? Imagine you have two otherwise identical quilts side by side, one filled with 850 goose and the other with 850 duck...

1) what would I actually notice as a novice consumer?
2) if you really wanted to sell me on the goose down model, what would you say to convince me to shell out the extra duckets?

[sr1355]

Both our downs are sourced from the same supplier, both are IDFL certified for fill power, both are HyperDRY treated, both are allergen free. We receive test reports with each batch, both have a min down content of 92-94% with each batch with less than 2% feathers. It is impossible to machine sort 100% down content.

The difference between our two downs is fill power but if we purchased 850 GDD, which is not available and 850 GGD a quilt with either would be the same weight and the same warmth. Since we offer 700GDD, which is still a high fill power, we have to address the amount of down for the volume of a given quilt to achieve the same warmth, hence the slight weight differences between our GDD and GGD quilts.

Both Missy and I have been using GDD for the last 6-8 months and it is no different than GGD. Why is our GDD less expensive, two reasons, one it's a lower fill power and two there is a greater supply of duck down then goose down in the global economy.