Posts Tagged ‘warmth’
The weight of down can add up significantly
Fill power can be a hard term to understand, so I will try to explain the amount of weight difference that would be associated with two products with the same loft. The down used in a goose down comforter with a 550 fill power would weigh up to 50% more than the down used in one with 800 fill power.
Warmth is provided by layers of air that separate a cold side from a warm side, whether it is down or some other form of insulation. When a thicker layer of air is trapped it will insulate more, which is called loft. The greater the loft the more it will insulate with less weight.
How much fill power is enough to keep me warm?
When considering the purchase of a quality down feather comforter the application should be considered. If you need the bedding for use in your home, it may not be necessary to get more than a 650 fill power.
If you intention is to use comforters for backpacking, where the weight and warmth are both important, you would consider a 700 fill power or more to keep it on the light side. Backpackers try to keep their packs as light as practicable and every ounce of weight saved would add up.
Comparing high and low fill power for warmth.
Fill power is a measure of the quality of down used as a standard in the industry. A way to tell the difference in high fill power versus low fill power is that to get the same warmth from say a goose down comforter, the high fill power down will weigh less and the low fill power down will weight more.
Conversely, another way to tell would be to take something made of down that both weigh the same and compare how warm it keeps you. The higher fill power would keep you warmer when compared to the lower fill power comforter.
Turn the thermostat down and sleep in warmth.
With fuel prices expected to rise and with the possibility of a cold winter looming, turning the thermostat down lower at night may be necessary. A cold house while we sleep is not as uncomfortable if you cover ourselves properly.
Down is an excellent insulator that is a natural regulator, keeping warmth in and cold out, without causing discomfort from being too heavy. Quality down comforters have a way of keeping the temperature under the covers just right and rarely will the term too warm or cold be a problem.