A couple of years ago I made a mistake when I bought a hypoallergenic
comforter for the winter. I thought like many people here in the
Northeast that I wanted to be toasty warm in winter, and so I bought
the Hypodown
"Arctic weight". This hypoallergenic goose down comforter
will certainly keep you warm against the elements, and as I came
to learn even when your furnace breaks down and the house is 45ºF,
but in normal circumstances because of its superb thermal properties,
you can overheat.
I have ended up throwing this comforter to one
side in the middle of the night feeling so warm like I am about
to ignite into flames! Lest you think this is a gender issue, even
my husband who feels like a lump of ice in bed in winter, has complained
at times that he is too hot. So unless you keep your bedroom at
about 60ºF or below, then a Classic weight would be much more
comfortable. I also bought an "Oversize King" and would
never do that again, as off-the-shelf duvet covers do not exist
in that size and the custom one I had made seemed to add about 10lbs
of weight on top of me, which as the last thing I intended to do,
having just indulged in purchasing the cloud-like 800-fill top-of-the-line
comforter.
One thing you should realize is that while you can
avoid down allergies with Hypodown
Comforters you will still have to use a dust
mite encasing if you are allergic to dust mites. To me personally,
that adds an annoying amount of weight to my comforter, which is
why I have been experimenting in recent years with both wool and
silk comforters as alternatives.
Down comforters appeal to people who like the "puffy"
look, and the Hypodown
line is as good as it gets for those of us who are allergic to down.
It is a fusion of down and Syriaca which in part explains its unusual
hypoallergenic properties. I would always buy an 800-fill regardless
of weight, but economize on the covering, as you still must keep
this comforter in a duvet cover. Think about it, once a comforter
is in its duvet cover you will never know the difference in the
fabric shell. If you are in a southern climate the "Summer"
weight is the one you should get, but the rest of us are best off
with "Classic." While not the cheapest comforter you can
buy, these are warranted for a lifetime of 75 years, so are clearly
made to last. (Prices start at $306.95 for the Hypodown Monarch
Down Comforter.)
For those who are just shamelessly self-indulgent
our premium Siberian down comforters fit the bill. Hypoallergenic
properties aside, our Opulence
and Venus Siberian goose down comforters are simply gorgeous, and when we
do "show and tell" with samples at our office, these get
many "oohs" and "ahs" from our staff who dream
about owning one some day. (The Opulence Queen Size Goose Down Comforter
starts at $1025.95.)
When we heard about the TempraKON line of bedding,
it sounded too good to be true. Originally designed by NASA, the
Temprakon
hypoallergenic comforter is the world's first temperature regulating
comforter made with Siberian Down. This amazing comforter absorbs
excess heat into the comforter, and then releases the stored heat
when you need it. So you will improve your REM sleep cycle and sleep
better. By now you should be expecting to hear that this comforter
costs a fortune. Here comes the good news, this is one of the competitively
priced comforters that we offer. A note of caution; we did compare
the Temprakon to our existing Venus and Opulent Siberian Down comforters
which are three times the price, and they are clearly not the same
league but in my opinion represent excellent value for money and
the comforters are a nicely fabricated product. (From $379.95)
The unsung heroine of the hypoallergenic comforter
line is surely the silk-filled. A silk filled comforter when taken
care of properly, will last about 5 years or more, is light as a
cloud while being surprisingly warm (remember your silk thermal
undies?). The silk has a disconcertingly flat look to those who
are used to down, but it is very luxurious to the touch and surprisingly
affordable. For the allergy or multiple chemical sufferer The Ming
Dynasty and Imperial
Delight silk comforters are both very well made with high grade
mulberry floss. Silk comforter can be an all year round choice in
warmer climates. For those of us in the North East it is the summer
comforter between May and October. (Prices start at $289.95 for
the Imperial Delight Silk Comforter and $369.95 for the Ming.)
However a silk comforter is dust mite and mildew resistant,
needs no dust mite encasing so go ahead and splurge for the silk
duvet cover which will end up as a luxurious duo at a reasonable
price. Be warned, once you buy a silk duvet cover you will be smitten
and spoilt for life. They are light and have a sensuous feel to
them that cannot be beat. (Prices start at $259.95 for the 3-piece
silk White Cloud Print Duvet Cover and Sham Set.)
My own personal and unexpected favorite is the Euphoria
Organic Wool comforter. I always thought that wool comforters
would be heavy as my mind always flips back to the infamous heavy
wool blankets in boarding school days. The Euphoria comforters are
a complete surprise with the answer to their lightness yet warmth
stemming from the region in which the sheep are reared, and the
cleaning process the wool goes through. The lanolin in the wool
discourages the dust mites as well as the dry environment of a wool
comforter.
Sleeping under a wool comforter is a very different experience
and is hard to describe. You are never toasty or sweaty hot, nor
are you chilly. Wool maintains a very comfortable body temperature year round. For those of us females who run hot, a wool comforter is a great alternative to sleeping without bedclothes, as it quickly absorbs excess moisture and quickly wicks it away Best of all, this comforter is lighter than most down
comforters, so the warmth is achieved without weight. Use a light
weight wool comforter in Southern climates and a "medium"
for everywhere else for a year round comforter. Pair it with a silk
duvet as I have done, for a really luxurious and light weight finish.
I have fallen in love with the Euphoria comforters so completely,
that in a new summer home I am building this is my personal comforter
of choice for the bedrooms. (From $325.00)
First Published: Late-September, 2004
Updated: May 2007
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