Glenn,

It sounds like you are a touring cyclist. If you are not already, I would recommend you sign up for the Bike Touring email list (Phred). There is so much bike touring knowledge there it will make your head spin.

You can sign up here: Touring List

Not that the gang here doesn't know their stuff, but bike touring is a little different from backpacking and hiking.

FYI I prefer synthetic bags as well, mainly because of down's issues with moisture. Using arm and leg warmers allows for a lot of flexibility both on and off the bike, and they roll up very small.

Good luck!

Greg
(fellow tourist)

The synthetic bags are definitely better in conditions where the bag may get wet. For years, I carried a synthetic for just that reason. Then they came out with internal frame packs, into which my bulky synthetic bag just won't fit. I bought a down bag.

It's pretty darn cool when you can compress your bag down to the size of a loaf of bread. Also, my down bag weighs less than half of my old synthetic bag.

Of course, you do have to be really really careful not to get a down bag wet. I keep it in the dry sack until I've got my tent fully up, and then I unroll the bag inside the tent. I've got a Big Agnes Sunnyslope 2 tent. I've gone through serious thunderstorms with nary a drop getting inside.

But as Greg pointed out, I'm a hiker not a touring cyclist. You know what they say, "take what you liked and leave the rest."

Happy trails (happy tours?)...

Thanks everybody for the Info., comments, and suggestions. I still would peref a synthetic bag over a down bag. Mainly because on bike camping if it gets wet and there are miles to do, it would be very hard to dry properly. One other reason is they take cleaning better, more damage is done to down bags with imporper cleaning than by improper use. Another thing is I distroy pillow cases because of oily skin, the wife is always on to me about it, but washing only makes it worse it seems to turn on the "weep oil" light. I know a bag liner would help, but it's one more thing to carry.

I really don't see much use for a bag that is a bright color. Sometimes you want to loft it and air it out before turning in, so it gets time outside the tent, besides that, to me it's the equivelant of a visual "boom box"; If I'm trying to get away from the loud, bright, flashy, crazy world why carry it with me? I'd much rather enjoy the mutted and subtil hues of this wonderful God made world. Just my way of looking at it.

The problem with Bikeing and camping is that the requirements for riding and campind are at the opoiste ends of the spectrum
on the road you need to do everything possible to be seen, and stealth camping everything to blend in. I love to camp, hike and bike, but there is nowhere around here to hike to, so biking is the best way to "get there".

From what I can figure, there are two ways to do this thing, one is to Bike so I can camp, the other is I can camp so I can bike. The one means distance, the other a longer stay. In either case a good light weight nutral color bag would be a great asset.

I like the snugpak, and the drybag idea thats a big help to me. I've tryed the Phred thing, but could not get it to work, I'm going back for another try. I just wanted to say thanks to everyone here for their input. See ya down the road.

Glenn