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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?
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oliverbailey5mo 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.
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charlie3845mo 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.
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