A Tip on Storing Your Sleeping Bags

[BSquared18]

Hi,

I came across this tip online, and it's something I had never thought about before.

The suggestion is that when storing a sleeping bag over a long period, store it loose and uncompressed because otherwise the air, which helps keep you warm by providing insulation, is forced out and the material becomes compacted.

Then, of course, compress it into its storage bag when you are ready to use it.

Interesting idea.

Bill

[briansnat]

This shouldn't be a surprise to anybody. The care instructions for nearly any sleeping bag you buy will tell you not to store it compressed.

I used to store my sleeping bags unrolled, under my bed. Now that I use the under bed area for other storage I use cheap cotton laundry bags to store my sleeping bags.

Some outdoors retailers sell large cloth bags for sleeping bag storage, but they cost 2 to 3 times what a laundry bag costs and there is no discernible difference between them and a laundry bag, which runs about $3-$4.

[wvbreamfisherman]

I just roll the cheap fiber filled ones up loosely to store. My mil-surp down/feather bag gets stuffed loosely in a large garbage bag.

[Grandpa]

My newest came with its own storage bag, and it is mesh just like a cheap laundry bag. I use 50 lb onion sacks to store mine. I used to hang them, even built a special closet just to hang sleeping bags and air pads but noticed over time, a down bag had the feathers settle down to the next baffle stitching, leaving a thin (read cold) band near the baffles upper stitching. Since it's last washing and tennis ball drying, the cold bands have filled somewhat but the feathers are still not evenly distributed.

If you are using a plastic bag for storage make sure that everything is very dry before tying it up.

[wvbreamfisherman]

I don't tie the top of the bag so it can breathe.The onion sack is a great idea! I think I'll look around for one. A mesh laundry bag might to the job too.

[Refrigerator]

Originally Posted by Grandpa

My newest came with its own storage bag, and it is mesh just like a cheap laundry bag. I use 50 lb onion sacks to store mine. I used to hang them, even built a special closet just to hang sleeping bags and air pads but noticed over time, a down bag had the feathers settle down to the next baffle stitching, leaving a thin (read cold) band near the baffles upper stitching. Since it's last washing and tennis ball drying, the cold bands have filled somewhat but the feathers are still not evenly distributed.

If you are using a plastic bag for storage make sure that everything is very dry before tying it up.

Grandpa...do you know what fill Down you have...ie,....700, 800, 900 fill???

[SpencerT]

So I guess I shouldn't buy the bag in the infomercial that tells you to store any kind of thing like this in the bag and then vacuum suck all the air out to make it smaller. I guess that commercial bombs when it comes to a sleeping bag suggestion. :P

[Grandpa]

Originally Posted by Refrigerator

Grandpa...do you know what fill Down you have...ie,....700, 800, 900 fill???

Old one was 650, new one is 850. Old one had about 400 nights of use over about 10 years.

[pastywhite]

My "good" bags came with a cloth storage bag. For the kid's bags I bought some cheap, mesh laundry bags from Walmart. About $4 or so.

[Theosus]

My north face bag came with a huge mesh bag. I hung it up in the closet.