We were constantly requested by our patrons to make or source good quality goose down jackets and sleeping bags. We always hesitated and sourced (little used good condition) second hand gear from Nepal for these mountain guides. However, we searched and searched for a sustainable solution for this demand. We then learned of the Big Impact second hand gear market in India. Here second hand clothing is imported as Rags from foreign countries and then repaired, washed, ironed and sold to the Indians. These Indians are the ones who can't afford an authentic UniQlo jacket but need it more as they work at -10°C. The issue which we faced here was the fact that not all jackets that came in could be repaired and had to be discarded. We worked with these sellers and started sourcing our down from them. 

This down since it is harvested from different brands and sources is not consistent in quality and fill power. We then put together an ecosystem where people refurbish this down by passing them through blowers. This is then segregated according to their fill power and transported to us. We then put it into sleeping bags and jackets to be used by our patrons. There are advantages and disadvantages of doing what we do. The top advantage is pricing, as we have made Goose down products affordable for Indians. The top disadvantage is packing size, the packing size is not the same as a top brand 800 FP down sleeping bag, as we have to use more to attain the same temperatures. 

One thing is for sure, we sleep easy and have a clear conscience. That's the story of your Goose Down sleeping bag made by Adventure Compass.

Dehradun - Pratibha Ji (9897940424)

How do humans get down, there is a lot of debate regarding this question. Some companies say they use ethical down. This means that when a bird makes a nest to lay eggs it plucks (using it's beak) the very down under it's feather to line the nest. This makes the nest warm and soft and ready for the chick to hatch. Another purpose served by this painful activity is that the mommy bird makes a patch of skin naked to provide warmth to the egg. After the chic starts running here and there and does not sleep in the nest anymore, the ethical down collectors then collect this handful of down and clean it. As is clear from the process there is very little down collected in this manner but the market demand is really huge for this material. What some others do is, they force feed these chicks and pluck the down off them to be sold in the market. The Chinese go a step further, they kill the bird, use the down and feather to fill sleeping bags and eat the bird.

There are three types of down available in India. Chicken feather is the cheapest source, filled in jackets and sleeping bags which are cheap replica of famous brands and sold blatantly in the open market. You can know this variety by pressing the fabric between your fingers, you will feel the hard feather bone. This bone is usually sharp at ends and comes out of the fabric by puncturing it. Products ranging between 900 to 3000 Rs. are filled with this material courtesy your local butcher. Then there is the duck down which is found in products coming out of China. There are enough videos available on the net showing how this is achieved. Many famous European and American manufacturers sourcing their products from China are selling this stuff due to cost effectiveness. Products of this variety range between 3000 to 12000. Then there are Goose down products originating from Europe. These are the top quality products used by mountaineering expeditions and sold by really famous brands. These cost a bomb and few Indians own it. Products start at 12000 and go upto 1 lakh. We Indians are known for Jugaad, we created another market for our needs. Indian Army which do not have lack of funds, buys the Goose down products for its officers and jawans. After the life of the product, they auction the products to the highest bidder. These enterprising businesses discard the shell, clean the feather and down, refill it in products and voila you have goose down at affordable prices. If you are well connected and lucky you may also get your hands on a second hand product coming from Siachin or Everest.

Feather and Down (Ratio indicator): (100% Down), (90% Down 10% Feather), as the name suggest, these figures signify the percentage of down used in combination with feathers to make it more affordable. Higher percentage of down means better quality and more money.

Fill Power: 500 / 600 / 700 / 800 fill power, higher fill power means better performance with 800 being the best in the world. Down is a cluster of fibers, higher fill power means longer length of the fiber and comes from an older bird.

Please be advised that Down / feather needs special care and maintenance. If you ever buy one after paying through your nose, we are sure you will learn to care for it too. Oily hair, moisture, washing machine all these can destroy your down product.

Today the scenario has changed. China has made these shoes affordable and Decathlon ensures there is a regular supply in all sizes. If you are thinking you will manage the small Himalayan trek in your sneakers / sport shoes or your tough Woodland's, you are in for a lot of trouble. We Indians love to save money and are the Jugaad race, but there is no alternative to a good pair of waterproof trekking shoes. If you ask any Pahaadi what you can get them as an exchange for the favor they did to you or their honesty, they will ask for a good pair of shoes.

What to look for in a trekking boots. A few pointers:

Sole: Soles are the soul of a shoe, these are what can keep you safe or result in broken bones. Sole of the shoes need to provide traction so that you don't slip on wet surface and moraine. It needs to be flexible to take off some pressure from your tired feet and let the feet move naturally with every step. It should have big lugs for more traction for the same reason that tractor tyre is more suitable for off-roading than the Maruti tyre. It also needs to be sticky, natural rubber is suitable but PU molded one can result in you having broken teeth. Vibram has the technology that makes them the market leaders where soles are concerned and come at a higher price. Though, others are doing a pretty decent job too.

Support: We personally prefer high ankle shoes as they provide ankle support. You know, that one careless step in the mountain can result in a twisted ankle resulting in shooting ankle pain, swelling, spoiled trek and very frustrated trek mates. High ankle shoes will forgive that careless step. More rigid ankle support means stronger support for your ankle but ensure there is ample cushion on the inside as well.

Inner Sole: It should have lot of cushioning, needs to hug your feet and spread the pressure. With new technology you can go in for gel padded soles and contour them as per your feet requirement. 

Waterproof and Breathable: What makes your trekking shoe waterproof is a membrane that does not allow water to go in, but the same membrane needs to allow sweat to come out in form of water vapors or your shoes are going to smell really bad. Another reason for the smell could be repeated use of same pair of socks without washing. The tongue of the shoe needs to be stitched to the sides like a web or the water will go in from there. Gore-tex are the market leaders in waterproofing and breath-ability, with others trying to catch up.

Last but not the least, always BREAK INTO THE SHOES. What it means is, do not take a new pair to the hike. Wear it for a few days beforehand so that your feet and the shoe have some time to become good friends. A fight between these two in the mountain will mean painful blisters and may also result in a shorter trip than planned.

Keep hiking and LEAVE NO TRACE so that others can enjoy it too.