RE: [pct-l] Beeping Slags

[Ronald Moak <ronm@fallingwater.com>]

David writes >> Personally, I can't see any reason to have any coating or
GoreTex or 
whatever on a sleeping bag, except to prevent your hot cocoa from soaking 
it if you spill (not a valid reason for this discussion).  One's PRIMARY 
goal is get moisture out of it at all times.  If one is concerned about 
snow cave drips, use a bivvy sack.

 All the various coatings, etc, do is slow down the vapor transport out of 
the bag, especially that of one's insensible perspiration, which is 
considerable.  Using a GoreTex bag even in dry conditions without special 
drying efforts (read: "No walking") during the day soon results in a cold 
bag.  (I used a GoreTex down bag for 350 mi of PCT in '94).<<

Dryloft, used for several years by people like Feathered Friend, etc. has
been replaced lately by PTFE-Lite and PTFE-Max. It makes it possible to get
waterproofness comparable to Goretex and breathability nearly equal to
DryLoft. 

Several years ago I made a custom sleeping bag for use under tarps ( a combo
sleeping bag / bivy sack). It has an ultrex top and coated ripstop bottom.
With no insulation on the bottom. The top insulation is thinsulate. It's
designed as a summer bag for temps to the mid 30's. and works well. 

I did not encounter any moisture build up in the bag on a trip of over 700
miles with lots of rainy days. It work well in shedding any of the spay that
came in under the sides of the tarp or the occasional drip from a leaky
seam.

I'm thinking about getting a custom sleeping comforter from Feathered
Friends that has a PTFE top. It would be similar to Jardines comforter. I
generally find insulation on the bottom of the bag a waste as it merely
compresses, providing no insulation. With most sleeping bags, I generally
unzip them and drape them over me like a comforter anyway.



Ron "Fallingwater" Moak
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