cheap down for MYOG

After my initial debacle of filling my quilt in the bathroom, I now keep the bag of down in the bath tub while filling things.

This keeps most of the down that spills out in the tub and then I just vacuum it up with the vacuum (with noseeum on the extension tube so I can reuse the down).

Bob, my sympathies! Thanks for being a lesson for us all!

Since my down hasn't come yet (seems like a long time…) my measuring experimenting will have to be next weekend. I don't need any kind of accuracy, it would just be nice to know it is in fact slightly different, so people in the future know what they're getting.

On the WR coating, I 2nd the point about this being a wholesale type of setup, they probably just run it under a sprayer. Since it isn't advertised as one of the DryDown or other 'brand' I imagine it isn't too complicated.

Update on DownLinens customer service.

After a weeks' time I decided to track down my down. It was sent to a wrong address (a single-digit typo on my part) and was en route back to CA. I called them and they apologized (again, likely my fault) and said when they got it they'd overnight it to me no charge. Had an email an hour later saying they were able to reach the carrier and reroute it to the correct address and I should have it in 48hrs. This beats 2-3 day trip to cali and another overnight back here.

A lot of companies would have handled that differently, likely charging me for the extra shipping.

I haven't forgot about all of this, my down came last wk but any MYOG was postponed for an actual trip (trips always come first!)

I haven't even opened the bag so I'm not sure best how to go about this comparison yet. I should have my quilt stuffed by the end of the weekend and the leftover down repackaged.

Unfortunately, I've used up every last gram of my left over down making hoods. Made seven total. I'm all burned out on making hoods for now. Working on my backpack now that all my materials are here.

Oh well, I'll still try to make a repeatable measurement for later. Actually the first thing I want to do is re-bag it in 3-4oz packets so that I don't have an explosion of 16oz like Bob!

I saw your hood threads, they look great. Did you use a pattern I could get to? If not I'll trace a jacket hood onto scrap. I will make one out of my scrap quilt materials, might even make it attachable to the quilt, for a quasi-mummybag.

I don't know what's next, I actually think I'm going to go down in complexity and make a tarp/shelter. Maybe MYOG Cuben gatewood cape? Definitely want a day-hike/nice weather forecast simple shelter to toss in the bag.

"Actually the first thing I want to do is re-bag it in 3-4oz packets so that I don't have an explosion of 16oz like Bob!"

Who had an explosion of 16 ounces? Not me.

–B.G.–

oh, ok. My mental picture of the event has been updated! I'd assumed you'd bought a pound because it's most often sold that way

SO they definitely give you a bit over 1lb.

I repackaged into ziplocks and ended up with about 16.5oz of down, plus half an ounce in my bathroom, and clung to the ridiculous bag it came in.

That is not a fun experience. If you have the funds to buy smaller-packaged down, do it.

After actually working with this stuff, I'm going to leave testing to the pros. There is no way I'm going to get repeatable results in my bathroom with a scale and a nalgene. Sorry for the thread drift with no results.

After my initial debacle fulling my quilt, I found it very easy and little to no mess using a regular vacuum, with noseeum mesh over the hose and an extension placed overt/on it. Perfect for smaller jobs like making hoods and such.

The vacuum/mesh was good for cleanup, I used your "hamfist" method with annoying but useful results to stuff. Quilt is done, writing up the finished post with pictures now.