down or synth with tarp?

Hi Chris,
Your question:
Should I get a down or synthetic bag with this system?

I would suggest a bivy if you are going to be in any kind of hard rain (spray) or colder than 40 degrees then.
Your sleeping bag is fine unless it is just time to purchase a newer one. Remember just because Eureka and Slumberjack are not mention very often does not mean they do not work and function well :) but if you are going to be in colder weather, with windy conditions and rain I would chose a
bivy which also adds a tiny bit of warmth.

I recently purchased both a down bag and a down quilt…but I do not plan to use them here on the islands. So I mostly stick with syn bags. Bulky…yes, but I also have a GoLite Polarguard Delta bag that compresses almost as small as my down bag.

A 8 x 10 is a pretty big tarp for just one person, I would think you set up in the middle and both you and your bag would be protected.

It is a personal choice, and where you are going to be that would define which bag you need.

Sad to say most of us have to have two set ups…Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer.
Or that could be the gear head sneaking in…lol

Chris,

Complicated question, with stong opinions on both sides. Some will say down is okay anywhere. Others will argue synthetic is necessary at the hint of rain or humidity. Some use mummy bags, but others will recommend quilts – sometimes with extra insulated clothing, and almost always with a UL bivy with a DWR finish. Ultimately, knowing the conditions that you are using it will be necessary for an adequate recommendation.

Down is still smaller and lighter, and works well for most climates and temperature ranges. Extra precautions are warranted for any insulation in damp coastal enviros or prolonged below freezing conditions. You might look at bags or quilts from Western Mountaineering, Feathered Friends, Montbell, Marmot, GoLite, BPL, and Jacks'R'Better to get you started.

With an 8×10 tarp, you would have to be doing something seriously strange to get rain spray on a bag. That is one big tarp for one. Personally, I have always used a bivy under a tarp. This is my favourite form of shelter. I do this to block wind, give me a ground sheet and provide bug protection. I would go for a bivy that has only insect mesh at the end to reduce claustrophobia, such as some of the ones sold on this site. At 6 ounces, it's a very light solution.

The bivy is a great idea. And then you can opt for a quilt, such as the Golite Ultra. The bivy helps trap in heat and prevents drafts.

With this setup, you'll be able to drop to a much smaller tarp in the future without sacrificing stormworthiness.

Personally, I use almost all synthetic stuff these days, but I also live in the Pacific Northwest where it is always wet. I used down for years (and still do in the winter) with few issues.

One thing to consider is mixing insulations. If you have a down bag, use a synthetic puffy jacket- that sort of thing.

Have fun Chris!
Doug

I figured that a 8×10 tarp (sometimes for 1 and 2 people) would be good most of the time. I am 6'6" and when I lay down under it, I can stretch out completely and still be covered.

My only concern was when the rain came sideways from every direction. I guess I'll weigh my options and pitch it very close to the ground when percipitation is near.

Thanks again for the opinions.

If a bag gets wet under a tarp it is usually the foot end that has slipped out from underneath during the night when one is not sleeping on totally level ground. Adding a bivy is one solution, but a bivy also adds heat which means you could be too hot in the bivy. Another solution is to have a waterproof ground cloth like spinniker fabric that has a folded over section at the bottom end that forms a pocket for the lower section of your sleeping bag. Many new bags have shells that repel water to some degree, so it takes a good dunking before water gets through to the down. Lighter than synthetic and much less bulky in your pack, down works best for me. I also have a beak that covers the open end at the higher end, much like the one made by Granite Gear for their tarps. It is not permanently attached to the tarp, and makes a nice windblock as well as rain protector.

Wow, that didn't even cross my mind. I like the idea of the ground cloth with a pocket in the bottom. Use it when it looks like rain, don't when you don't need it and it will fold flat. I was thinking about the granite gear beak. Area they pretty easy to integrate with your tarp? Looks like they just hook on with your trekking pole and then stake to the ground. Thanks a ton! That's my solution.