I finally had to choose between a down bag and a synthetic one for a month-long trip

Last year I was heading to Olympic National Park for 30 days of backpacking. I spent two weeks going back and forth between a 15-degree down bag and a synthetic one that weighed more but dried faster. I picked the down one because it packed smaller and I was worried about space. Then I got caught in three days of rain and my bag got soaked through the tent drip. Took me almost two days to get it dry hanging from a tree with a campfire nearby. Has anyone else made the wrong call on this and regretted it mid-trip?

2 comments

2 Comments

oliverbailey5d ago

Man o man that's a rough way to learn that lesson. I've been there with a soaked sleeping bag and it's the worst feeling when you're miles from nowhere and your only warm spot is a wet sponge. At least you had a fire going, mine was just me shivering under a tarp trying to squeeze water out of the down clumps. Hope you still had some good days on that trip despite the soggy gear.

charlie3845d ago

That exact thing happened to me with a down bag in the Hoh Rainforest back in 2018. I shoved it wet into my pack liner for two days and ended up sleeping in my rain jacket and emergency bivvy. @oliverbailey you hit the nail on the head about the clump squeezing misery. What I do now is keep a lightweight synthetic overbag like a Sea to Summit Spark for wet trips then swap to the down when I know itll be dry. If youre doing a month long trip somewhere damp Id recommend bringing a small dry bag specifically for your sleeping bag and maybe a cheap foam pad to sit on while you air it out each morning. Those little changes saved me a lot of cold nights after that first disaster.