A few things in this podcast were new to me.
– Body heat and moisture helps down loft up and insulate better. That’s why down sleeping bags and quilts are puffier after sleeping in them overnight, not just because they decompressed a little more.
– There are no regulatory requirements for the “water repellent” part of DWR-treated down. But most manufacturers pay to test water repellency on a scale of roughly 15 to 1,000, where 15-30 is untreated down. I can’t recall seeing that number for any down product. I also don’t know if in real life 1,000 is 66 times better than 15.
– Washing improperly is the #1 killer of down. Follow the label instructions. Don’t substitute detergents, use hot water, or dry with heat. I postpone washing down stuff as long as possible.
– Down is a byproduct of raising geese and ducks for meat. If down doesn’t go into a sleeping bag or other product, it goes into the trash. And down has been re-used for new garments for hundreds of years.
Thanks for the enlightenment.
— Rex
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