How to care for a sleeping bag?

[MichiganMan25]

I just returned from a week long hunting trip. I purchased a Stone Glacier Chilkoot beforehand. The bag is awesome, I'm quite happy with it. I found it on sale at Scheel's. It is currently one of my most expensive pieces of gear. I have always used cheaper Coleman bags. I realized with this new bag that I really don't know the best way to care for it to make it last as long as possible. What do you like to do with your bag when you return from a trip? I know to keep it in it's loose bag, not the stuff sack anyway lol How often do you wash them? Does anyone keep it in a large tote to help protect it from humidity and bugs?

 

[*zap*]

Correctly launder as necessary. I think a large tote with a few mothballs is a very good storage solution. Certainly do not store compressed at all.

 

[ianpadron]

I wash my down gear as necessary with Nikwax Tek Wash, do not use a top loader. Dry on low/tumble with tennis balls until loft returns. This takes a full day for a sleeping bag so don't freak out when its still soaked after round 1 haha (been there)

Typically, a week long trip doesnt warrant a wash unless your bag was absolutely abused.

 

[feanor]

I usually unzip and turn it inside out and open the windows, drape it on the sofa to expose it to the sun for a day to air it out. This works pretty well to get any general funk out. Now if you had a long hunt and didn’t shower etc, maybe its worth it to wash it before storing for the season.

 

[zimagold]

Use a bag liner, significantly cuts down on need to wash the bag directly. This seems to be the single biggest thing I have done to improve longevity besides storing on a dedicated shelf to prevent any compression.

 

[LongWayAround]

Don't lay in it with bare sweaty skin. Air it out when you get home.

If it's getting funky wash in a machine with no agitator (front loading) with Nikwax Downwash. Dry on a light setting with about six tennis balls.

Try not to wash it much.

I keep mine in a rectangular tote about the same volume as the stuff sack. It's easier to store when it's stackable.

 

[cacklercrazy]

Don't lay in it with bare sweaty skin. Air it out when you get home.

If it's getting funky wash in a machine with no agitator (front loading) with Nikwax Downwash. Dry on a light setting with about six tennis balls.

Try not to wash it much.

I keep mine in a rectangular tote about the same volume as the stuff sack. It's easier to store when it's stackable.

I hang mine in my closet

 

[mainbeam pursuit2]

I hang mine also in a room in my house.

 

[TaperPin]

I just returned from a week long hunting trip. I purchased a Stone Glacier Chilkoot beforehand. The bag is awesome, I'm quite happy with it. I found it on sale at Scheel's. It is currently one of my most expensive pieces of gear. I have always used cheaper Coleman bags. I realized with this new bag that I really don't know the best way to care for it to make it last as long as possible. What do you like to do with your bag when you return from a trip? I know to keep it in its loose bag, not the stuff sack anyway lol How often do you wash them? Does anyone keep it in a large tote to help protect it from humidity and bugs?

I’m always surprised when someone actually washes a down bag. It will never be quite the same after washing in anything. Everyone I know ends up replacing the bag after washing it once. If you are going to “wash” it, consider just cleaning just the surface with straight water. Use a spray bottle of water and a low powered shop vac with fleece or terry cloth tied to the nozzle so it doesn’t glue to the fabric as bad and suck the dirty water off the shell for small spots. If you don’t think it’s working suck through a white rag and you’ll see how much stuff is coming off the surface.

 

[coloradoan]

You can absolutely wash a down bag. When done carefully it has absolutely no negative effect on the bag. There are instructions all over the internet. I'd contact the manufacturer if I was nervous about it, but something like this from REI will work. I went to a local laundromat and got it done in a few hours. It breathed new life into a bag that was looking rough. That being said, it's not something to overdo. You 100 percent need to check for jagged edges within the washing machines and dryers you use if at a laundromat. And like someone said, you don't need to do it often, especially if you use a liner or dedicated sleeping clothes.

 

[*zap*]

I have had no issues washing down bags. Follow the correct procedures and it is not an issue. Go to a laundromat that has good machines and bring a good book. Done in a few hours.

 

[EdP]

When required, which is very seldom, I handwash in a bathtub. To me you don't need to wash the down but the fabric, so it doesn't have to get soaking wet.