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Death By Down (Sleeping Bag) |
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Written by stanklen
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The first week out on my Appalachian Trail hike I almost died because I wasn't very good at setting up my hammock, and my down sleeping bag provided zero insulation once wet. A strong thunderstorm came through while I was camped on top of a mountain in Georgia. 25 mph winds in my protected site. Gusts probably up to 35. A big gust came through and knocked one of my tarp stakes out which hadn't been in deep enough. BOOM! Within half a second my entire sleeping bag was soaked. Luckily, I was camped next to a full shelter, and so I ran to the crowded shelter and camped out underneath the shelter with the mice until the storm calmed down.
Meanwhile, my bag was soaked, and the temperature was dropping quick. Probably about 38 degrees. My sleeping bag was nothing more than a wet piece of toilet paper protecting me from the elements. The next day it rained all day and I did not get a chance to dry my bag out. The next night the temperature dropped to below 20 degrees, and I was left in my still wet toilet paper sleeping bag with an emergency blanket wrapped around it. A soaking wet horrible night with zero sleep. Tossing and turning for hours just waiting for the sun to come up and the cold to leave.
Down sleeping bags have no business being out in cold weather in my opinion. In an emergency situation, they can't be relied on to save your ass when its 35 degrees out and there's a misty sort of rain seeping through your tent slowly getting your bag soaked. If your sleeping back ceases to function the minute you need it most, its useless. Save yourself the trauma and get a synthetic sleeping bag  . They're cheaper than down by quite a bit!
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