OK ... I have a particular problem. I am alergic to down. Down jackets, sleeping bags, pillows, etc are OUT.

What would you do for a sleeping bag/system if down was out?

use synthetics................

double post on refresh

Edited by RavenUL on 12/19/2005 17:34:21 MST.

First off, you don't need a pillow.

Second, there are quite a few excellent synthetic-insulated jackets available from Patagonia, MEC, and others. The Patagonia Micro Puff Pullover weighs in at 12oz and a lot of folks (myself included) think quite well of it.

Sleeping bags are tougher. Synthetic bags are almost always going to be heavier for a given temperature rating and will have a shorter lifespan as well.

A quick poke around at REI led me to several bags in the 2lb range that would probably work pretty well for you. I went to REI largely because I could search a large selection in one place, you can probably find a better fit to what you need yourself.

If you can't use down in your sleeping system, I'd urge you to consider a synthetic quilt for weight savings. Ray Jardine offers an excellent sew-it-yourself kit.
-Mark

Big Agnes has some nice synthetic bags and pads. They have an inflatable pillow which slips nicely into a pocket on the bag. I went synthetic fearing moisture build-up in my down bag over the course of week long winter excursions. My bag is huge but very warm and I am completely satisfied.

>I'd urge you to consider a synthetic quilt for weight savings. Ray Jardine offers an excellent sew-it-yourself kit.


I'll second that suggestion. My wife and I made one and I like it a lot.

Any thoughts on the North Face Fission or the Propel?

I have sewn a Jardine 40 degree quilt, but I think I'd like a bag better down below 35 or so .... the quilt is a touch drafty on the bottom ;o)

Mark,
The Jardine style quilt is very easy to make, but use 3 layers of 3 oz 3D (Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics). Jardine recommends one or two layers if I remember right, and that just won't do what I hear you saying you need. What I do is stitch one layer of 3D to each shell (the top and the bottom), lay another layer over the bottom bat, but stopping it about 8 inches from the edge which tucks under anyway, and where the extra insulation isn't needed, then run loose lines of thread between the insulation bats along the edges and down the length at about 12 inch intervals. Jardine recommends point stabilizing 3D through both shells with yarn ties. Get the directions to see what he recomments in Beyond Backpacking. I disagree with Ray and have not had good luck with the ties. I prefer to machine stitch short (4") lines through the bottom bat(s) and the bottom shell and separate stitch lines through the top bat and the top shell. I offset the stitch lines. 3D has the wonderful ability to cover quilting lines as long as fabric does not cover both sides of the bat; one side is OK. 3D fills in over the stitch lines. After quilting both sides of the quilt, stitch them together, isulation sides out, leaving a 12" gap. Turn the quilt right-side-out, close the gap and install whatever elastic, zipper, or velcro you want. That's it.

There are three easy fixes for the draft problem. 1) a bottom sheet zipped to both sides of the quilt, tapering to nothing but the zipper tape at the foot. Don't worry, there will be plenty of room. 2) Velcro matching Velcro glued to the sleeping pads. Every time you get up during the nite it sounds like major alimentary trouble, but does the job, sorta. 3) two adjustable elastic ties passing from the edges of the quilt under the sleeping pad to pull the edges under the pad. I have used all 3. The sheet works better for a double bag even in sub-freezing weather. The elastic works for a solo. I don't use the Velcro fix anymore.