Material selection: Down or fibre?
A common question you need to ask yourself is whether to buy fiber or down. There is no "right" answer, and which sleeping bag you choose depends on what kind of trips you are going to use the bag for, as well as your personal preferences and how much you are willing to pay.
If weight is a factor, you have a little to save depending on what you choose here. There are advantages to both materials, and we will consider the biggest differences.
Down
There are few things that beat it to crawl into a feather-light (literally!), Warm down sleeping bag. And Helsport has a really long experience with down! In 1964 we collaborated with Arne Næss in connection with the Norwegian climbing expedition to Tirich Mir. This was the start of the revolutionary development of lightweight sleeping bags in down, and although a lot has happened, down is and will be a natural material with a fantastic ability to hold air, which makes it a superb insulating material.
The other big advantage of down is that it is lightweight and it insulates better than the synthetic fiber of the same weight. It is therefore a good alternative in terms of weight and volume. A down bag is also comfortable to sleep in and can be used at warmer temperatures than it is intended for. Down is also very durable (unless it is physically or chemically damaged), and it regains its original shape no matter how many times it is stuffed and compressed.
So, why not always use down? If you are going on a long trip in a humid climate without the opportunity to dry the bag well, you risk that the sleeping bag loses large parts of its insulating ability if it gets wet. On such trips, you should therefore use a sleeping bag made of fiber.
Fiber
Fiber needs less supervision during use and storage and is a safer choice in rough use situations or when used in humid conditions. This is especially true in wet climates and whether you sleep in the open air, with a tarp, or in a hammock. Fiber is also an excellent choice for you who are allergic to down. The latest news on the fiber front for Helsport's part is Trollheimen Superlight, super light and heat-efficient sleeping bag in synthetic fiber.
It takes up little space and is easy to compress. The bag is designed with the heat-efficient and comfortable fit previously used in our Rago sleeping bags. The fit eliminates all cold spots, resulting in a high weight-to-heat ratio for synthetic sleeping bags. This is the closest feeling you get to a down sleeping bag.
Furthermore, fiber has good resilience and recycling with high insulation capacity. The fiber is not allergenic and can be washed at up to 60 ° C.