MMMMM-like I wrote b4....to each there own. I run both synthetic and down. It is true the down is superduper light, compressible, and has great longevity if treated right. The thing of it is, due my personal experiences, I prefer synthetic on the water trips. Yes, they are a bit bulkier and heavier, and you do have to replace them more often because they wear out...It is worth it to me because a down bag would be utterly worthless on an wet evac-think of a hurt person in the bottom of a canoe on a cold wet day , hypothermia can be rapid-I have seen a 12-13 boy go from normal to a sub 89F temp inside of 10 minutes-very enlightening experience, and I like that peace of mind that it gives me....it is totally experience driven for me. But I love down too-they are terrific on backpacking dessert and mountain trips and wintercamping....My summer synthetic bags compress to a 7" sphere, and they are 32F bags-short models mind you-and they are light-and when I put them into my 20 year old Marmot 0F down bag it is a bomber winter bag system......-40F no tent on a deck and I slept like a rock not a baby ;) I do understand all of the pros and cons and I have my experiences....to each their own....Synthetic or down I choose both but I'll stick with synthetic when the water is soft.