Which is best? And why ‘Down’?

Down is a natural thermal insulator with far superior heat retention per gram than any man made staple fibre available today. The other factors supporting a choice for down are its greater compressibility and continual ability to recover quickly to full loft after being unpacked.

Its advantages therefore can be summarised as:

-Weight saving to achieve the same warmth

-Ability to pack down to approximately half the volume of a comparable fibre bag

-A natural product that remains in top condition much longer than a synthetic bag

-Continual performance as long as it is kept dry

-More comfortable to sleep in and moulds to your body providing instant warmth

Synthetic fibres - why we use them

Synthetic bags have some advantages, namely they:

-Loft well

-Continue to perform even when wet

-Are very cost efficient, ie a far lower dollars per °C factor than down.

-Dry out very quickly

Domex comfort zone

Temperature rating of sleeping bags is not an exact science and can lead to misunderstandings and confusion on the part of the consumer. Over many years the team at Domex have experienced all the problems this has caused and as a result we have changed from season rating to comfort zones which indicate a 5°C zone in which the user should be comfortable. Warmth in a sleeping bag is affected by many variables, your fitness and well-being, when and what you last ate and of course outside conditions such as wind-chill and humidity. Since the only thing that generates warmth in a sleeping bag is the user, you must always take into account whether or not you consider yourself a warm or cold sleeper, then choose a bag for the worst conditions you are likely to encounter. Without exception the use of an insulating pad is essential.

Provided to serve two purposes, namely temperature control and to allow bags to be joined as a double, the zipper configuration of your bag is important. In the main, only world renowned, durable coil zippers are used and all are fitted with an autolock mechanism which means even when partially opened, your zipper will remain in position.

Zipper guides

Placed alongside the zipper on Down bags, these reduce the opportunity of the zipper slider snagging with the inner lining or draft tube of your bag during opening and closing.

Hoods and drawcords

When it is fully drawn up, your hood will prevent airflow in and out of the top of the bag as well as provide direct protection and warmth to your head.

Neck muffs

When designing our neck muffs we succeeded in providing a full 360° muff so that no escape channels were left for air. The velcro tabs used to achieve this fold back on themselves when not in use so they are not an irritant. Integrated into the bag rather than just added on and with the soft cord insulated from your neck, the muff provides a comfortable, usable temperature controller.

Care of your sleeping bag:

Your sleeping bag is perhaps best viewed as somewhere where you can recoup your energy for another day. Generally it is used when you are on a break from being highly active and it is important to ensure that you have good quality rest periods. To ensure that your bag will perform to this criteria, here are a few recommendations.

Always air your bag as much as possible.

Keep it out of its carry bag as much as possible. This has the added benefit that your bag will be fully lofted when you get into it.

Keep it as dry as possible, especially if it is a Down bag.

When storing for long periods, try not to do so in its carry bag. Hang it up or drape it - better yet, use a Domex storage bag which will allow it to adequately breathe and prevent fibre interlock. Should this not be possible, it is a good idea to wash your bag (fibre) after extended use and prior to storage. Done gently this actually allows interlocking fibres to untangle. When washing a fibre bag, a front loading auto washing machine and/or drier can be used. However, in both cases use the lowest temperature and spin-cycle setting as well as a mild detergent. If drying, try not to fully machine dry but allow final drying to occur in the open, and air the bag well.

Down bags are best washed by hand with a mild soap (specialist Down soaps are available) but do allow adequate drying and airing time. Should some clumps of Down develop, these can be broken down by gently kneading and further drying. Give the bag a good shake as well.

Should your bag inadvertently get damaged, we suggest you have it repaired quickly as it will then continue to perform for you.

Useful Information

Containment is critical with Down owing to the fact that Down is made up of a lot of free moving particles (plumules) whereas fibre interlocks. Hence one must provide space for the Down to loft and yet keep it in position. This is achieved with one of the following techniques:

This technique contains the Down where you want it, ensures overlay of down layers, no chance of seams aligning nor pressure points creating cold spots. Used vertically they eliminate any gravity induced down shift off the chest to the side of the body.

Box Wall

Here a baffle wall is inserted between the retaining fabrics to 'box' the Down into a compartment. These baffles are tuned in height so that the best compromise between allowing the Down to loft and yet containing it in one place is achieved. Hence the amount of Down and its quality determine the height of the baffles. Each baffle is sewn independently to both the inner and outer retaining fabrics so that air cannot pass directly through the seam into the bag.

Slant Wall

Here the walls are laid on an angle and this achieves an overlap of Down from one compartment to the next, improves the containment of the Down and prevents accidental cold spots through baffle sew lines being compressed together. A full 45° slant ensures these characteristics perform to their fullest.

 Offset Double Layer

This form overcomes the cold spot situation completely as quilt lines are kept as far away from each other as possible thereby making it impossible for two quilt lines to be compressed together and cause a cold spot. Features such as airlock, loft and fill containment are retained.

Spiro-Loft

A polyester hollow fibre with a spring like shape which has more loft and is warmer than conventional hollow fibres. Also it is non allergenic, fast drying, and will retain its loft, adding warmth, and extend the life of your sleeping bag.

Microcell 3D Fibre

Microcell 3Dtm fibre is a new generation Micro fibre, which has excellent body heat retention and insulation qualities and packs down to a small space. Being easily portable makes it ideal for use in bags suitable for Extreme outdoor sports and Bushwalking. The fibre is non-allergenic and fast drying. Microcell 3Dtm is the closest fibre to down in compressibility and weight. Microcell 3Dtm is exclusive to Domex.

7D Xcell Fibre of the future by Domex

This fibre is new and exclusive to Domex. It is a blend of multi-denier hollow fibres. The blend (7D Xcell) produces an exceptional and is very compactable.

7D Xcell is treated with ULTRA FRESH which is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-microbial. This means the bag will maintain its freshness for the life of the bag.

7D Xcell will keep you warm if it gets damp. Regular washing will help maintain the loft.

90/10 Down

The Down is a washed White Duck Down, contains 90% Down and 10% feather fill, this Down has a 580-loft power. The Down is lightweight and has natural heat retention and water-resistant qualities; it also compresses into a very small bag.

95/5 Down

Our top quality Down is washed White Goose Down 95% Down and 5% feather fill. This Down has a minimum of 700 loft power which gives all the warmth, comfort and appearance for the most discerning buyer, without loosing the lightweight and cramming qualities of less prestigious Downs.

Ripstop 210T

This is a 210 thread reinforced Nylon/Polyester fabric. The fabric is CIRE treated to prevent fibre leakage and has a water-resistant coating. The fabric is designed to retain warmth while allowing air circulation to pass both ways, which keeps the body warm without causing perspiration. The fabric is soft and lightweight and crams down easily.

Wetlook 210T

This fabric has all the qualities of our Ripstop fabric, it is not reinforced, so we lose a little in strength, but it allows for better compactability. It is mainly used as our inner liner, but is also used as the outer fabric on our lighter weight bags.

Our Downproof fabric is a 300 thread construction and is double CIRE treated to prevent leakage of our top quality Down fillings, it is also water-resistant coated. The added density of the fabric gives extra warmth without compromising air circulation. The fabric is very soft and crams down well.

Our inner liner poly-cottons are of 35x35/76x56 construction, this gives a nice close weave appearance, yet is soft and cozy, easy to wash, ideal for those Summer weight sleeping bags.

Perseverance Mills have created a unique fabric which is water proof and breathable. This is designed to be used as an outer shell for down filled sleeping bags. It is based on a hydrophobic coating that keeps its excellent breathing properties when used under very cold conditions. Endurance is also wind proof which will improve the warmth retention of the sleeping bag.