As I waddled down the street last winter bundled to my eyeballs, during Missoula’s annual subzero spell (with temps somewhere around - 40), warm, snug, cozy and comfortable, I couldn’t help but give thanks to the fowl that gave up so much for me to enjoy that particular moment in my life. Exploiting Ma Nature’s gift of the downy feather is no simple matter. Quality and loft is totally dependent on the type, age and maturity of the bird from whence it came, with goose down apparently better than duck down, but mature duck better than young goose (who knew?!). Most companies go for the goose with some high-end manufacturers maxing out their fill power by turning to well-reputed Eastern European down sources.

Down is awesome. When warmth is the issue on the table, nothing beats it. Albeit mother knows best, we all know she’s not perfect. Get down wet, and it loses its ability to insulate, which is risky indeed when hypothermia lurks as a distinct possibility. In addition to this serious malfunction, down requires special care when cleaning and it is not entirely hypoallergenic. Those birds, as you know, are messy buggers, collecting an array of debris and dust, stemming from the astounding number of parasites they carry no doubt. Word on the street is, inferior down is dirty down. Buyer beware.

But lets be honest, there are times when a giant, puffy coat can just be a little too much. It’s a rather cumbersome piece of equipment if you plan to move much at all.

Toss aside the duck dilemma and enter the science of synthetics.

Extracted polymers (plastics) made from continuous filaments or short staples, synthetic fills vary greatly. Thinner, lighter threads fill voids and trap warm air more effectively, while thicker strands provide bulk, loft and durability.

Rivaling Ma are Primaloft and Polarguard Delta. With the highest warmth-to-weight ratio of any synthetic insulation currently on the market, Primaloft has the same thermal efficiency in an ounce-to-ounce comparison with down. To boot, Primaloft contains silicone, allowing it to repel moisture making it especially suitable for damp and wet conditions (my savior!). Most recent on the synthetic scene, Polarguard Delta, constructed of hollow core continuous filaments is lighter, more durable and more thermally efficient than any Polarguard product produced, creating stronger, higher lofting insulation.

In the perennial debate of down versus synthetics, for me personally, synthetics are way out front, currently. I’m sporting a Compressor PL from Mountain Hardwear (with PrimaLoft) these days and digging it. It’s lightweight. Warm. Wind proof. Sure makes flying downhill on my bike in just-below-freezing (with who knows what sort of wind chill) pleasant. Pleasant. Down for my daily bike errands in temps this high would just be too bulky and that darn goose would cook me on the uphill.

Whether or not synthetics will still be the front runner when this year’s wretched week of well below zero hits remains to be seen. The debate continues.

Kathryn is a Missoula-based writer, editor and recovering field biology underling-- i.e., she did all the dirty work in the worst conditions. Call her a tree-hugger and she'll kick you in the shins. When she is not writing, she's out on the trails running her dogs. Good luck trying to keep up with her.
Email this author | All posts by Kathryn