PHD Down Gear

[Overshot]

Does anyone have the background or reasons why PHD does not list or give out the amount of down fill on its bags or jackets?  Down weight and fill power seem like baseline data points for making comparisons of different items.

[Geoff Caplan]

I contacted them about some clothing and they point-blank refused to tell me the fill weight (the fill power is usually included in the product description).

They told me that the fill weight was a commercial secret because it was the result of much testing and a competitor might copy their product!

This is a pretty bizarre reason for withholding such important information from the customer – especially as all a competitor would have to do is purchase a product and weigh the down…

They fall back on the explanation that they have long experience of the products in use, so their temperature estimates can be relied on.

If you buy a product through their configurators you can specify down quantity, quality and overfill. But for some ready-made products you’re in the dark.

So yes – their sales process is a bit baffling. But by all accounts their products are superb, so there’s that…

[baja bob]

For 925 pounds for a 0C/32F sleeping bag they should be providing more than fill weights.  What a joke. Might as well get Louis Vuitton to provide a monogram shell and liner.

[Geoff Caplan]

Bob –

Some of their products use the rarest grade of down on the planet – and it’s exotically expensive. If that’s what you want, you have to pay.

For us mere mortals most of their products are much more accessibly priced, and many of their designs are very interesting.

They have powerful configurators that allow you to design a bespoke bag to your precise requirements.

And the website is a unique source of information on how to mix clothing and bags for flexible and weight-efficient sleep systems in a wide range of conditions.

Their products have a stellar reputation with everyone from ultra-runners to high altitude mountaineers. We should welcome small, specialist makers like this who strive for the ultimate in quality.

I don’t think you’re being fair.

[Author]

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