Tesco sleeping bag

[stu1979uk]

Just thought i would let anyone who is looking for a new sleeping bag, that Tesco's has a duck downed filled bag with compression sack, 0.8Kg, ripstock and extreme rated to -10 at only £35.
Not sure how good it would be but worth a try at that price, very small and compact it certainly ticks some boxes
I obviously just received a new bag this afternoon (previously ordered a kyham micro 800 and bivi bag) after seeing that one this morning- doh!

 

[janiepopps]

Don't know if you're aware how down is, ummm, gathered??

Its a pretty horrible process of plucking the down feathers from a living duck, up to 10 times throughout it's life. Please google it before you run out to grab a bargain.

Sorry, this is a personal rant of mine....

j

 

[Wayland]

Surely that depends on the down.

Eider down is collected from nest sites for example.

 

[janiepopps]

I would hope that live plucking doesn't happen in the UK, but it certainly does in China and also in france I believe.
Sadly I doubt that the down in a cheap Tesco sleeping bag is hand 'harvested', but more than likely mass produced.

It is a subject I haven't read up in a while so apologies if my info is out of date!

If you're interested have a read of this article; http://www.poultry.org/down_article.htm

j

 

[Deleted member 4605]

Just thought i would let anyone who is looking for a new sleeping bag, that Tesco's has a duck downed filled bag with compression sack, 0.8Kg, ripstock and extreme rated to -10 at only £35.

Was this in store or online?

 

[Apac]

Shocked!! to say the least, i will never buy a down product again! after reading the comparatives that alone has put me off, but the fact of the manner in which its collected is barbaric inhumane and dam rite shame full..

 

[Mikey P]

Great. I now have a moral crisis.

As a climber, I rely on quality down jackets (Rab) and sleeping bags (Alpkit) for cold dry conditions. I love my synthetics but, in the right conditions, performance-to-weight ratio is better with down.

Is this maybe something where a 'logo'/standard could be used to tell you where/how the down is sourced?

Anyway - I've already got my down stuff so my (poor) excuse is that I didn't know at the time.

 

[janiepopps]

Mikey, it may be worth geting in touch with your favourite clothing company's to find out where thay source their down. As wayland rightly said, some is collected from nesting sites (which admitedly still isn't great) or collected from carcasses that are killed for food (which is perfectly acceptable). I would imagine there is more chance that a high end, quality product is going to have more ethically sourced materials than a £35 sleeping bag

At the very least this would show the company that their customers want to know traceability of their down and could push them into promoting awareness for this subject. If you do take this further, please let us know how you get on.

Cheers
j

 

[saffy]

Was this in store or online?

They are in my local Tesco superstore here.

 

[Spikey DaPikey]

People have the right to choose what they buy, no matter what other people think. It is good to know where the goods come from, but at the end of the day, people will buy what they want.

Just my thoughts on it.

 

[gregorach]

If you're worried about the animal welfare implications of down, I really hope you don't buy any non-organic dairy produce... And it's not like people replace their down kit very often.

But hey, I love foie gras, so who am I to say?

 

[Mikey P]

Frankly, like somone said above, you don't change your down gear often (can't afford to!) so I've already bought my kit and I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.

However, I might be a little more curious should I need to get anything else in a few years time.

 

[Zodiak]

my kit and I'm not going to lose any sleep over it

Thats the whole point of a sleeping bag isn't it

 

[British Red]

For me, I'd like to sincerely thank janiepopps for that information. I wasn't aware of it before (and I'm fairly up on most animal issues). I have no intention of starting a furore as to my position with the information, however, knowledge is power. I now know what to look for, where to source from and the right questions to ask. I can choose to act on the information, or not, as my conscience dictates. As I said, knowledge is power and I have gained some. Thanks janie

Red

 

[bothyman]

Completely off topic, but what are we complaining about??



>> http://www.miniature-earth.com/

 

[stu1979uk]

Well that was an unexpected can of worms, obviously struck a nerve there with janiepopps.
I didn't know how these products were produced and i'm not the kind of person to harm animals but as gregorach stated there is a hell of alot of products out there that may cause some kind of suffering of animals.
Eggs for example, watched a programme on tv about the conditions chickens are maintained in not to mention the dyes they put in to get the HEALTHY yellow colour- shocking! I now buy free range.
The bag was in store schwuk

 

[Bhod]

>> http://www.miniature-earth.com/

:notworthy Tis true, people scream and shout louder about the mistreatment of animals than they do about the mistreatment of fellow human beings.

 

[Dougster]

I am grateful I can afford to live 'ethically' when so many can't afford to live.

I just looked a little oddly at the cupboard with the down bag though.

Thanks for the info Janiepops, without it, we don't have the ability to make any decisions.

I think it was Howies who said there is nothing cheap; someone, somewhere always pays more for it.

 

[Tadpole]

I am grateful I can afford to live 'ethically' when so many can't afford to live.

I just looked a little oddly at the cupboard with the down bag though.

Thanks for the info Janiepops, without it, we don't have the ability to make any decisions.

I think it was Howies who said there is nothing cheap; someone, somewhere always pays more for it.

I’m not able to live as ethically as I would like, I rely on second hand things, most without a history that I can trace. But I live my life as ethically as I can, I recycle anything I can, I walk where I can. I shop at farm shops or from true organic suppliers. Not wanting to start an argument but cheaper is never cheap. Be it a knife with a plastic handle or a down sleeping bag. All any of us can do is do as I conscience dictates, I do not shop at Tescos nor Asda not Somerfield, I do not like the bribes that they force farmers to pay, before they are allowed to supply the said markets. Since I stopped shopping in a supermarket, I’m saving 50% on my food bill, ok my local shops only have the one brand of baked beans, unlike my local Tesco which has 14meters of baked bean brands (I kid you not I measured it) but I am saving £40 a week, soon it will be even more as I plan start buying vegetables from a veg-box scheme.

Please remember that supply and demand is a two way street. If we, as individuals, demand more, and stick to our guns on what we will or will not put up with, then the supermarkets will have to supply us. Shop locally and your local shops will always have what you want. Shop in a supermarket all the time and in a year or so you local shop will not be there.

 

[Dougster]

I’m not able to live as ethically as I would like,

I would love to meet the man who is! One step at a time, but at least we're moving.

You may not know the full history of the second hand item, but at least you know the future will not be an imminent drop into a landfill.

I have found that the veg box scheme has removed 3/4 of my shopping trips, thus further reducing my shopping bills. My biodiesel also saves me 20p per litre.

What's good for my conscience is also good for my wallet it would seem.

My synthetic jacket seemed quite warm tonight too.