Re: [Paddlewise] Sleeping bags for kayaking

I use a NorthFace Cats Meow.  It is Hollofill II (now replaced by Hollofill
3D).  It does not pack down quite as small as a down bag but it comes
within 20% and fits into the rear hatch easily.  I use a trash sack inside
a water resistant compression bag.  The compression bag gets it down to a
small package a lot easier than trying to cram it into a small stuff sack.
I like the extra security of knowing that even if it gets wet, it will keep
me warm.  It hasn't gotten soaked, but the peace of mind is still there.
On an extended trip in cool/cold weather the quicker drying of the
synthetic keeps the bag from accumulating water.  A bag gets moisture from
breathing and perspiration, a synthetic can be left in the sun for a couple
of hours every couple of days and will lose most of this moisture, a down
bag will not.

One thing I see frequently that applies to both down and synthetic bags.
People with -20F bags who won't go out when it gets below 50F.  The ratings
are a guide of course, and some people need a colder rating to sleep
comfortable.  But too much bag: costs more, weighs more, doesn't pack as
small, and IMO is a waste.


At 08:05 PM 1/24/99 -0800, Wes Boyd wrote:
>OK, gearheads, here's something else to jabber about:
>
>I recently decided that I needed to break down and get a new sleeping
>bag for kayaking; the old one I backpacked and car camped with for
>years has seen too many better days.
>
>I'm undecided over whether to get a high-end synthetic bag, or a down
>bag. I know down goes away and hides when it gets wet, but it packs so
>much tighter than synthetic that it should be able to live in a drybag
>that will still go down the hatch of the boat. 
>
>On the other hand, a high-end bag out of something like Quallofill will
>stay warm to some degree if it gets wet, and will dry more easily than
>down, but a Quallofill bag will take a huge drybag, and that drybag will
>be a bear in a small hatch.
>
>The issue is nicely balanced in my own mind, but does anyone else have
>any ideas?
>
>-- Wes Boyd
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