Behind The Scenes with DriDown

[Cranky Bear]

Not sure if this has been posted on HF or not (if so mods you may delete this).

I found these videos last night, and it was something that I had not seen before. It may prove informative to some, and not so much to others. But either way here they are.

I would like to add that this was done by ProLite Gear, and I thank all them for doing this and posting it for others to see and to make the judgement call on the product for themselves.

[gunner76]

Very interesting to watch

[nothermark]

very interesting. The commentary around the test conditions and what the issues are is very germane to many discussions here about relative warmth.

[e_2]

I've always been wary of "treated" down, but this sounds like they're doing it right. Perfect opportunity for Sierra Designs to start a line of quilts... or at least license KAQ, JRB, UGQ, etc.. to produce quilts and UQs.

[Cranky Bear]

I agree with what you all have said it was very interesting to watch and hear, exciting to know that a manufacturer does actually do what they are claiming on the tags. Skepticism always comes into play with me on stuff like this, so the videos are a little refreshing.

Not sure if they are doing it right as I haven't seen any other video's or data to support otherwise, also I ain't that SMRT (if thats how you spell it) (thats just for you lazyriver, lol).

What I would really like is to see other manufacturer's do the same, so we as consumers can make the best informed decision on who to go with. I found it interesting when he said they tried almost all the other methods and picked this one as it fit what they were looking for (I think thats how he put it), only one they couldn't try was Patagucci's method from my understanding. Wonder how the others didn't stack up?

[gl2060]

very interesting. The commentary around the test conditions and what the issues are is very germane to many discussions here about relative warmth.

Sorry, can't resist, I'm a Smoky and the Bandit fan..... "the #%^}&@$ Germans got nothing to do with it....."

[arbitrage]

very cool. nice to get some real information instead of all the marketing hype.

[bubba74]

... now, if someone could tell me where you can get that stuff for DIY in Europe, I'd be most obliged ...

(likely answer: nowhere )

[BillyBob58]

I've always been wary of "treated" down, but this sounds like they're doing it right. Perfect opportunity for Sierra Designs to start a line of quilts... or at least license KAQ, JRB, UGQ, etc.. to produce quilts and UQs.

........................
What I would really like is to see other manufacturer's do the same, so we as consumers can make the best informed decision on who to go with. I found it interesting when he said they tried almost all the other methods and picked this one as it fit what they were looking for (I think thats how he put it), only one they couldn't try was Patagucci's method from my understanding. Wonder how the others didn't stack up?

Maybe theirs is better (have not watched the videos yet) but aren't several of our guys offering the equivalent? UGQ(for quite a while) and JRB and PeaPods and maybe others. UGQ has been trying to wet out some of their down in a jar of water for a long time with no success.

[BillyBob58]

OK, I watched the videos, plus this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDx14xueEJA

One of the questions that was raised is: are these tests valid? IOW, they were not finding that the untreated down failed very much without some vigorous agitation, which they felt was not a realistic field condition. I agree that this observation would indicate that there is not near as much to worry about as we have been told.

But, the counter to this is, and I wish someone had brought it up(maybe I missed it): field reports with zero agitation, or even zero exposure to external moisture, where loft is lost. I have seen it happen myself with my friends down gear, I and have read of many other examples. Though most of the time, most people don't have any problems, still some have had significant problems under normal use.

One report I remember was from BPL, where one of two testers was belaying using a down jacket, the other a synthetic of about the same warmth rating, when caught in a cold rain/storm. By the time they got back to camp the tester with the down jacket was near hypothermic, the other guy was OK. Or in my friends case, just watching the loft decrease every day just from sleeping in it, without any apparent external moisture ever getting on his bags. So things like this tell us that it can be a concern, that you really need to make sure that down is kept dry. And that something that could decrease these concerns would be quite valuable.