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#174584 - 02/02/13 03:44 PM Re: light sleeping bag [Re: howlinmadman]
Robb Offline
newbie

Registered: 02/02/13
Posts: 11
Second hand is definitely the way to go. I'm sure there are plenty of kids out there growing out of their sleeping bags, and parents looking to unload a sleeping bag that no one needs anymore.

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#174958 - 02/11/13 01:01 PM Re: light sleeping bag [Re: topshot]
4evrplan Offline
member

Registered: 01/16/13
Posts: 913
Loc: Nacogdoches, TX, USA
Originally Posted By topshot
Originally Posted By howlinmadman
Is the concensus then that I should get a down bag or are the synthetics o.k. I think I would rather have it light and compact and spend a little more!
Personally I'd only get down. You just need to make sure he knows he should never get it wet. Even those that live in PNW or rainforest use down successfully. You just need to know how to deal with the moisture. A decent down bag will last decades.


To hear the other side of this argument (I can't pick a side since I have little experience with synthetic and none with down, but want to make sure you can make a fully informed decision), see here (click the "page 17" button on the left side).
_________________________
The journey is more important than the destination.

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#174969 - 02/11/13 04:14 PM Re: light sleeping bag [Re: 4evrplan]
topshot Offline
member

Registered: 04/28/09
Posts: 242
Loc: Midwest
Originally Posted By 4evrplan
Originally Posted By topshot
Originally Posted By howlinmadman
Is the concensus then that I should get a down bag or are the synthetics o.k. I think I would rather have it light and compact and spend a little more!
Personally I'd only get down. You just need to make sure he knows he should never get it wet. Even those that live in PNW or rainforest use down successfully. You just need to know how to deal with the moisture. A decent down bag will last decades.


To hear the other side of this argument (I can't pick a side since I have little experience with synthetic and none with down, but want to make sure you can make a fully informed decision), see here (click the "page 17" button on the left side).
I'd not read his books, but know he kicked off the lightweight revolution so assumed he knew what he was talking about after all his experience. He clearly doesn't know much about keeping a down bag dry or how to clean one apparently. Wow. I will agree with his 2 myths though.

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#174973 - 02/11/13 05:54 PM Re: light sleeping bag [Re: topshot]
howlinmadman Offline
member

Registered: 01/18/13
Posts: 17
Loc: Pennsylvania
Too late! I've already purchased a North Face Gold Kazoo for my son, and a Mountain Hardwear Phantom 32 for myself, both bags are down. Hopefully we won't have any problems! Thanks for the info everyone!

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#174974 - 02/11/13 06:05 PM Re: light sleeping bag [Re: topshot]
TomD Offline
Moderator

Registered: 10/30/03
Posts: 4963
Loc: Marina del Rey,CA
Ray is a true believer in his product, however, you need to consider one thing - if down bags are so terrible, as he claims, why do people keep buying them and paying up to $1000 for them? Surely over the decades, down bags would have gone out of production as an inferior product as word spread about their inherent flaws and people stopped buying them. But, that has not happened because under most conditions, down bags are superior to symthetics. Maybe some day that won't be the case, but it is true for now.
_________________________
Don't get me started, you know how I get.

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#174976 - 02/11/13 07:38 PM Re: light sleeping bag [Re: howlinmadman]
rockchucker22 Offline
member

Registered: 09/24/12
Posts: 751
Loc: Eastern Sierras
Originally Posted By howlinmadman
Too late! I've already purchased a North Face Gold Kazoo for my son, and a Mountain Hardwear Phantom 32 for myself, both bags are down. Hopefully we won't have any problems! Thanks for the info everyone!
Both good choices, kudos for taking your son camping.
_________________________
The wind wont howl if the wind don't break.

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#174977 - 02/11/13 08:16 PM Re: light sleeping bag [Re: rockchucker22]
howlinmadman Offline
member

Registered: 01/18/13
Posts: 17
Loc: Pennsylvania
Originally Posted By rockchucker22
Originally Posted By howlinmadman
Too late! I've already purchased a North Face Gold Kazoo for my son, and a Mountain Hardwear Phantom 32 for myself, both bags are down. Hopefully we won't have any problems! Thanks for the info everyone!
Both good choices, kudos for taking your son camping.
Thanks! We don't get out alot, and they have all been either overnight or weekend trips but we've had some good times that I think both of us will remember for a long time! I'm really getting the bug this year and hope to get out even more. My daughter may want to start going... even more gear!

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#175061 - 02/14/13 07:41 AM Re: light sleeping bag [Re: howlinmadman]
LoneStranger Offline
member

Registered: 02/01/13
Posts: 23
Loc: Maine
Originally Posted By howlinmadman
Thanks! We don't get out alot, and they have all been either overnight or weekend trips but we've had some good times that I think both of us will remember for a long time! I'm really getting the bug this year and hope to get out even more. My daughter may want to start going... even more gear!


If the timing is right your son can pass his gear on down to your daughter, you can pass yours on down to your son and then you get to buy new stuff for yourself. Involving the whole family can be very rewarding!!

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