We have recently moved to Vermont and are anticipating brrrrrrrr :) My husband and I have a down comforter on our bed which is so warm no matter the temp. I have 3 kiddos and have one more twin size down comforter. I need to get 2 more and prices as they are, I'm wondering about "down alternative" Is it as warm and cozy? Is it washable? Would you warn me to stay away from it and save up more $$ to afford the real down?
Just looking for your input/advice/opinions/etc. Thanks so much for sharing!! :)
I would probably base my judgement on the age of the kids and maintenance of the comforters.
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts
Posted - Oct 23 2010 : 2:46:40 PM
Sheila- I have had both. It really depends. The down alternative is basically the poly fill that you get in most comforters- just with more loft. It can be warm and cozy- but no where near as much as real down in my opinion. It is a plastic so it will outgas if you are concerned about that. I also found mine to be just as bulky as a down so it was just as hard/easy to launder as my down.
The nice thing about the alternative is that it doesn't have the wet feather smell when you are laundering, feathers don't work themselves out and poke you, and it doesn't aggravate allergies like feathers can for some people.
That being said I love our down pillows and feather bed. I want to get a down blanket one of these days but it has to wait until our dog is no longer with us for other reasons.
For the winter here we have the micro-fleece sheets (like polar fleece) for the beds. I think Costco carries them if not Wal-Mart probably does or any bedding shop for that matter. These are very cosy and are great if you just have polyfill comforters.
"There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world"
I have an electric matteress pad on my bed. We turn it on about a half hour before bed to heat the bed up. Then we turn it off but you can leave them on. we just don't. I have a down blanket that I love. I have had down alernates in the past but when I finally could afford one I swore I would never go back.
Hallie
Video Sister
79 Posts
Hallie
Pullman
WA
USA
79 Posts
Posted - Oct 29 2010 : 11:00:13 AM
Sheila, I tried a down alternative comforter about five years ago because I thought I might have a feather allergy. In my experience, no, it's not as warm for the same weight so you have to go a little heavier.
Two things frustrated me about the down alternative: it doesn't breathe as well and gets hotter than down, which I could use almost year round, and it also wears out a LOT faster. After about three years my down alternative was getting really lumpy and thinning out. I ended up replacing it with the old down comforter which is now going on its 15th year and is still lovely. I think down is the way to go. :) Maybe someone is making a better quality down-alternative these days, but beware of the cheap ones if you decide to go that route!
Down vs down alternative?
Posted - Oct 23 2010 : 10:44:42 AM
