The Ultimate Battle: Down vs. Synthetic

I am about to MC one of the biggest battles in outdoor gear Down vs. Synthetic insulation. So, let me describe the contenders for you. We will let mother natures choice go first.

Down:
It is made of goose feathers. It is great for dry activities. However, if you get it wet it will lose it's loft and the heat it could have retained.  It can withstand the abuse of being compressed repeatedly (like when stuffing in a backpack). When buying down you will want to evaluate if weight matters. All down is rated for the same amount of heat retention, however the weight of the feathers in the insulation isn't. The weight is based on a fill system 550-900 fill. The higher the fill the better quality of feather meaning the lighter and smaller it will pack. Lighter in all gear means more money, so here is a hint if you aren't worried about getting it in your pack or having to carry it very far go with a lower fill, it will save you a pretty penny.

Now lets see what we wise humans have come up with to rival the down.

Synthetic:
It is made of varying materials depending on the brand, however it is usually some type of polyester. It is water resistant, and dries super fast if soaked. While wet it also can give insulation, but only a fraction of what it can do dry. It tends to require more material to reach the insulation temperature of down it bulkier and heavier then down. It doesn't withstand repeated compressing as well as down does either. Like down there is varying quality in synthetic insulation. Primaloft is often deemed the best synthetic insulation, but you will ultimately find each major clothing brand has their own take on synthetic insulation.

So, with that said I will give you the pros and cons in this nice table:

Down:
	Pros	Cons
	Lighter More compressible More warmth for weight Highly durable	Insulation lost if wet Slow to dry More expensive
Synthetic:
	Pros	Cons
	Water resistant quick to dry Less expensive	bulkier Heavier Less breathable

Ultimately, I am a believer in down when extreme cold and weight is an issue. On everything else I believe that synthetic gets the job done. Also, layering is the key to staying warm. So, on a budget go synthetic, if you are financially able to drop a couple bills on a coat, down would be awesome. Remember, on sales and in the off season is the best time buy great gear on a bargain. I personally have an awesome down Mammut coat and two awesome adventure vests from Mountain Hardware, some of my best purchases and gifts. The rest of my stuff is synthetic. Marmot does awesome in both areas and I think the best regularly priced. Hope this helps. Happy adventures, stay warm.

Happy Hands

Snow, we finally got a little bit in Utah today and more is suppose to be coming. If you are anything like me and a good friend of mine warm fingers are hard to come by when it is cold out. So here are my considerations for gloves/mittens:

1-Long Gauntlet- I like to be able to pull them over my coat to ensure no snow down my sleeves. Also you don't have to do so much work to take them on and off.

2-Liner- I like gloves that have enough room for a liner, whether it comes with one already or you buy a pair afterwards makes your gloves more versatile. You can up the insulation by adding a liner or cool off by taking them off. (Hint: keep liners you are not using in an inside coat pocket as close to your base layers as possible that way if you need to put them back on they are nice and toasty from the get go.)

3-Palm reinforcement- That is where they wear the most, so be prepared before they wear out.

Bonus: Hand warmer pockets, although I don't use them they are also nice to store small snacks (fruit snacks mainly) or other items like chapstick. I don't use them for hand warmers one I am cheap, two good gloves shouldn't require hand warmers. :)

Best brand in my opinion for gloves/mittens are Outdoor Research (OR). However there are other good ones out there. So, here are my top picks.

1- OR Meteor Mitten:
If you have the money they are in my opinion the best glove on the market.

http://www.backcountry.com/outdoor-research-meteor-mitten
Great Gauntlet, awesome insulation, inner fleece lining, hand warmer pocket, and reinforced palms. I just got these for a good friend in a black friday sale. I have used them before and have a few other friends that have them, only good reports have been heard. The plus on these that make them my favorite are the liners for sure. They are a mitten that the top folds down into hobo gloves, which makes them great for other tasks as well. Overall, the top pick.

However, I understand they are a little out of most peoples price ranges, so here are some other good alternatives. (If you find them on sale though they are well worth it.)

2-Black Diamond Access Mitten:

http://www.departmentofgoods.com/black-diamond-access-mitten-womens

Good, insulation, good price, good gauntlet, and fleece liner. I say win win. I have tried these on and think they are great.

3- The North Face Montana Gloves:
So you glove wearers aren't cheated by all the mittens here is my top glove pick that is affordable.

http://www.rei.com/product/802027/the-north-face-montana-gloves-mens

Not a great gauntlet, but it has great insulation and waterproofing. Buy a size big for that liner you want. 

Ok, so other good brands that are always on sell are Dakine and Scott. A tip for finding the best price use google. Simply put the brand and product name in the search bar then select shopping from the tabs on the left. Oh, and finding gloves in the off season produce great deals on great gloves from the previous season. Also, a tip on liners go with fleece or wool, avoid cotton. If you get cotton and sweat kiss warm fingers goodbye, so those cheap stretchy ones from the grocery store are great for the car but not for high activity that will produce sweat. May you have warm fingers and happy snow days.

Outdoor Websites:

Ok, to get started I just want everyone to know the secret to buying quality gear is in the reviews. Whatever you are looking for look at the reviews. Also, know that there is always at least one person that loves the item and one that absolutely hates it, go with the majority. I believe in using the free chat links on the websites. Pick there gear junkies brains, ask them what they would use and always give the a price ceiling or you will be shown their most expensive equipment. Remember they are paid to sell products not necessarily to give you the best deal.
The website links on the right of the page are the sites I visit most. Let me break them down for you. Best deals are found on steepandcheap but they rotate their deals so you never know when and if the thing you need will pop up. On the right of their page are links to similar websites that specialize in bike stuff and snowboard/skateboarding gear. Know that all of those websites cycle their deals about every 30 minutes and some deals show up more frequently until the items are sold.
Campsaver is my favorite gear store, it is a local store for me, because there warehouse is only a few miles away. They have great deals, great customer service, and great gear.
REI is the most informative and usually has close locations if you need to try on or want to look at the gear. The learn tab is the best part of their site if you have a question they have an answer.
Backcountry is one of the biggest sites and has the best gear chat, with a great satisfaction guarantee. However, they can be pricey, their discount website is departmentofgoods.com. I usually look their if I can't find a good price other places.
The Clymb is a member website, leave a comment with your email and I will send you and invite, they have really good deals. They change gear deals every few days and are usually 50-70% off. However, they are hit and miss on shipping, it comes fast and slow so be aware.
I hope this helps.