A goose has down, but what's a fiberfill?  

Down versus synthetic, the most common question asked when researching the purchase of a new sleeping bag.  Both have their merits and drawbacks. They are the source of many a great campfire debate.  But what is the real difference between these two staples of the sleeping bag industry?  Here's a quick look.

Down:  Most commonly called goose down but in a lot of  cases may just be a by-product of the poultry industry.  Yep, unless you are very careful in your selection, your new discount sleeping bag may just be filled with chicken feathers.  If you are diligent and truly find a goose down sleeping bag odds are the feathers are from China.  China produces at least 70% of the garment manufacturing world's goose down.  The best down is not from geese at all but from the Eider duck.  These ducks reside in the Artic and their down has been collected for centuries.  Today the rarity of Eiderdown makes the commercial use of it highly prohibitive.  Down is a great thermal insulator, is extremely lightweight, and can be compressed but will return to its full form easily.  Down's major drawback is its ability to maintain these qualities when wet.  It also is very difficult to clean and if not properly cared-for has a very limited life expectancy.  It  is also a source of allergic reaction for many people. 

Synthetic:   The synthetic material sleeping bag gained popularity in the 1960's with a tremendous assault from major manufacturers to replace the high maintenance and low life of a down-filled bag.   Prior to the 60's the alternative to down was either extremely heavy multiple layer quilted sleeping bags of wools and cotton blends or those filled with 'chunks' of closed cell foam that was uncomfortable and not very warm.   The introduction from major chemical manufacturers like 3M and DuPont of materials such as Thinsulate, Hollofil, Micro-loft, Quallofil, Themoloft and Thermolite proved a boom to the sleeping bag industry.  These materials rival down in their warmth and weight characteristics and were much more forgiving to maintain.  They also compress well.   The major difference is cost.  The price of a comparable down sleeping bag to a synthetic sleeping bags can be in the hundreds of dollars. 

Still confused?  Its a question that will continue to raise the hackles of the supporters of both materials for many years to come.  The synthetic's can equal down almost to the ounce for weight versus thermal insulation ability, but for the purist there is no substitute for what was provided by mother nature.