I guess my point was more in the nature of affordability: I remember a time when I couldn't afford $400 all at once for a good down bag, but could afford $100 - $150 every two or three years for a good synthetic bag. Within those constraints (and recognizing that if I could have made the synthetic last for 5 or 6 years, I could have saved up), I'd choose a good synthetic over a mediocre down bag.
Good point Glenn. I see that what I wrote could come across as being sort of a gear snob. I think sometimes people may perceive it that way even when it is not intended.
Sometimes you have to do what you have to do and there's nothing wrong with that at all. The key thing to be aware of is that you aren't really "saving" money but just accommodating your current cash-flow situation in a creative way that will get you out on the trail -- and that is certainly a legitimate trade-off in my book: more days on the trail sooner at a higher Total Cost of Ownership rather than a lower TCO later.
Perhaps it's kind of like the difference between home ownership and renting. Owning is generally cheaper -- but in the meantime, you need somewhere to stay.
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