Best Summer Down Comforter: Cooling Comforters, Blankets & Throws

Best Summer Down Comforter: Cooling Comforters, Blankets & Throws

cozy feather all season down comforter

Finding an all seaon down comforter that gives you the luxurious loft of a down comforter without sweating you out is HARD to find. For me I find the best down comforter for summer nights to provide the luxury of loft without the heat is the All Season comforter created by Cozy Feathers available here.

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Down Comforters For Summer And Warm Weather

Everyone agrees on a warm thick comforter for winter, but come spring and summer, the opinions and options seem endless.

Some people prefer the barest whisper of a light sheet.  Others need a bit more warmth and opt for a light blanket.  Yet another group will miss the heaviness and thickness of their winter comforter.

So what's the best goose down comforter for summer?  Is it possible to feel like you're wrapped in a thick goose down comforter without dying from the heat in the summer?

A reader recently asked for tips on how to stay cool as she suffers from insomnia. Being a hot sleeper, regular bedding and comforters cause her to overheat and wakes her up at night. I responded to her question with everything I've learned on how to stay cool from living in the tropics in South Asia. Here's my reply to her and I hope my answer helps you too.

Hello Lisa,

I know exactly what you're looking for. We have the same problem with bedding when we're in the tropics in S.E. Asia. We're used to sleeping with soft fluffy comforters and feather beds from our time in Europe, but the stifling heat, humidity, and sweat drive us crazy and keep us up at night. Until we found the right combination of bedding we barely survived on 3-4 hours of sleep every night as we'd wake up drenched in sweat at 3am every night.

It's still above 90F degrees with 80%-100% humidity here so I really feel your pain right now!

So far we've settled on a combination of:

  1. A thinner down blanket with special stitching to create "fluff" & loft without the extra weight of lots of down feathers. We use this one from Pacific Coast. It's as thin as a blanket but each section of the blanket is stitched/tufted so it puffs up like little pyramids. This way it feels fluffy like a comforter, but it's not heavy or overwhelming. We're using the Queen size, but their King size measures 112"x98" so it should work with a Cal-king bed too. The other great option is an all season down comforter from CozyFeather you can buy on Amazon Here.
  2. I know everybody says that cotton is the best fabric for hot weather, but we've found that in Asia people favor silk as the smoothness feels cooler than cotton against your skin. I figure people here would know better than we do since they do live in the tropics! The material does have to be real "mulberry silk" though and not satin since satin traps heat and moisture. You can get real silk sheets for around $150 as long as you're not looking for fancy patterns.
  3. As for the mattress, we avoid anything with latex or memory foam because those materials just don't breathe! There's no need for special mattresses as all you need to do is to elevate your body off the mattress so you can get some cool airflow between your body and the mattress. A thin bamboo or tatami mat like these really helps a lot. The mat can go under or over your bedsheets. I feel a bit like my grandparents whenever I roll out the mats as this is what beds and pillows are traditionally constructed of over here, but it really does work! I still slip the mat under my sheets because the mat will bunch and shift otherwise.
  4. I see you already use a fan, but I'm going to include this since other readers might find it helpful. A fan aimed at our stomach/feet to create air flow in the room works wonders even if you already have the AC on. It's amazing how much this helps with my breathing and sweatiness even though it doesn't decrease the temperature of the room.

I hope this helps!

The Secret To Feeling Cocooned But Not Too Hot

The answer is a resounding YES!  You just have to find the right weight that's not too warm but not too light.

A down comforter that's marked as light or warm weather is perfect for spring and summer.  Light down comforters are cheaper than warmer comforters too so you'll save some money there.  A good light weight comforter for summer should cost under $150.

Pacific Coast has some of the best quality light weight down comforters I've ever come across.  A lot of brands use cheaper materials for their light comforter lines since the products cost less, but Pacific Coast maintains their quality standards.  Before buying your comforter make sure that it is filled with pure goose down and not a mix of down and cheaper feathers.

My favourite comforter right now is the best goose down comforter by CozyFeathers.

If you keep the air conditioning on you might even get away with using a medium or year-round comforter.  My favorite all season comforter is made by Pinzon.  You can read my review of the Pinzon Pyrenees comforter here.

But I Thought Down Comforters Trap Heat?  Won't I Be Sweaty Using A Down Duvet In The Summer?

Down feathers actually keep you warm in the winter by keeping a zone of insulated air around your body.  Because there is a layer of air between you and the air in the room, the moisture coming from your skin evaporates into the circulating air, wicking away sweat.

In contrast, synthetic blankets made from polyester trap in moisture and air.  This is what causes the nighttime sweats that so many people dislike about heavy blankets.

A light down comforter will keep you warm and dry and let you snuggle under the weight of a blanket without feeling like you're baking in a sauna.  The fluffiness of the goose down gives you the feeling of being surrounded by a lot of blanket when it's mostly air.

Even A Light Weight Comforter Is Too Warm! What Other Comforters Can I Use When It's Hot?

pacific coast down blankets

If you're really afraid you'll get too hot under a light down comforter, then try a down blanket instead.  Down blankets are even thinner than light weight comforters. They are so thin that you can tuck them in just like bed sheets!

But don't let that thinness fool you.  They are very lightly filled with just enough down for the thickness and heft for that heavy blanket feeling.

If you hate the thought of buying something that's only usable for one season, then take heart!  A down blanket can be used as an extra layer under your regular winter comforter in extremely cold weather.

Since down filled blankets and throws are such a specialty item, Pacific Coast is one of the only brands that manufactures them.  They have several lines ranging from $79 all the way up to $159 for the deluxe model with Egyptian cotton and superior down.

If you want a more detailed review, I've created a side by side comparison of the best down comforters for summer and for hot-sleepers.

cozy feather all season down comforter

Finding an all seaon down comforter that gives you the luxurious loft of a down comforter without sweating you out is HARD to find. For me I find the best down comforter for summer nights to provide the luxury of loft without the heat is the All Season comforter created by Cozy Feathers available here.

Buy Now