I'm shopping for my first down bag, after moving towards light backpacking. I'm afraid of getting down wet....any comments? I'm looking at Western Mountaineering Ultralight, or Marmot Pinnacle....comments please....

I'm shopping for my first down bag, after moving towards light backpacking. I'm afraid of getting down wet....any comments? I'm looking at Western Mountaineering Ultralight, or Marmot Pinnacle....comments please....

Regarding down and wet, have no worries. 1st, how many times have you gotten a synthetic bag sopping wet? If you've done this a number of times, it may be time to invest in some sort of shelter. More than likely, however, you've never done it. I promise that the rain gods won't attack you mercilessly just because you buy a down bag.

2nd, Geese live in water - down comes from geese. If they all died of hypothermia, extinction would make it more difficult to procure down for sleeping bags.

3rd - Dupont and 3M own the synthetic industry. Nobody owns the down industry. The big boys can tell you anything they want to and no one will tell you otherwise.

4th - If down sucked so bad, why would all the top brands make them? Why would they send all of their top-paying customers to their certain deaths?

5th - I've never used anything BUT down bags (including several of my own making) and have never ever, in more than 2700 trail miles, had such problems with limp feathers that it effected the insulative value. On the AT, I had more than 100 days of rain, too.

Here's what you do. If you're going to go down, do it right. Either of the bags you mention are great bags. Use a silnylon stuffsac and line it with another silnylon stuff sac (preferably, the liner has a collar for more waterproofness). Even if you fall in a river (of which there are very few on the AT to fall into), you're bag should still be ok.

-Howie

I agree that you should go with down...just put it in a trash compactor bag and don't worry at all!!

The WM Ultralight is a top notch bag. I've got about two weeks of nights under the stars in it and when I get another 2 or 3, I'll post a review. If I head out on the CDT this summer, it will be the bag coming with me. Otherwise, if I am on the AT, the WM Highlight that I took on the PCT will make a repeat appearance.

I agree - go with down. It ain't easy to soak a down bag.

For warm conditions, my WM Caribou is just about my favorite piece of gear. It's a tad heavier than some other 35 degree bags, but its got more shoulder width and it has a full length zipper. Its wonderfully made (like every WM bag I've got my hands on) and at 21 oz. it's still very light.

i think down is the way to go. ive been using down bags for the last seven years and only got wet one time my own fault for choosing a poor tent site.i just got a wm megalite and cant wait to try it out. its plenty big and is lite as a feather. its also big money if your on a tight budget i highly recomend the campmor 20 degree bag ive been using mine for 5 yrs. and its a good bag for 110 bucks jigsaw

Bluesplayr:

Never in over 20 years have I ever got a bag soaked. Maybe a little condensation, but not wet, wet. About half that time I was sleeping under an open tarp and when it started raining I would drop that side. I am now trying the hamock thing. Bottom line, pick site carefully, take care of your equipment, etc. The two you mentioned are good in cold weather bags. You will be hot in the summer of course so you need a summer bag too.

I love my Marmot Sawtooth that I've had for a couple years now. I've gotten it damp a couple times but it still kept me warm. I carry it in an OR Hydroseal stuff sack which does a great job at keeping it dry. Go with down, you will be happy.

Please take the time to read the posts of sucessful thru-hikers for the past 5 years including Liteshoe and Hotdog (an unusual rainy season)...on Trailjournals. com...the only comment you receive from synthentic users; I should have used a DOWN bag because of weight, bulk, etc. Put in a trash compactor bag and forget it!!

Yea.....SBags. On the AT you need two bags. If you start in March, April, you need a 20o bag till u get to Damascus. Then get into the summer bag(30-35o) till yu get to Hanover. Then go back to the 20o bag 'till u get to Katahdin. You'll get much better sleep in the right bag. Just drop ship 'um up The Trail or home and back. I use a 20o wmbag in cooler temps. I love down. It's warmer for the weight. Less that 2lbs. The Summer Bag's a NF Windstar (35o) 2lbs. There's lots o' solutions to this one. Both down and synth have their +'s and -'s. That's what the hikin' business is all about....
Trade Offs.....KX@

P.S. Use a synthetic water resistant stuff sac w/ a flap to keep out water. Very Light weight. I spray all my stuff sacks w/ silcone spray before I leave.