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.