Here Is The Thing Nobody Tells You
You know what I did with my first expensive sleeping bag?
I wrecked it.
Paid almost three hundred bucks for this nice down bag. Used it maybe four times. Then I stuffed it back in that little sack it came in and threw it in the back of my closet. Did not think about it for like eight months.
Next trip I take it out and it is flat. I mean completely flat. Like a pancake with a zipper. I slept in it and I was freezing all night. My buddy had a cheap synthetic bag from Walmart and he was totally fine. I was so mad at myself.
That is when I learned that those stuff sacks are basically sleeping bag killers.
Stop Using The Stuff Sack
I know you probably shove your bag in there every time. I did too. It seems right. The bag came with it. It fits perfectly. Why would you not use it?
Here is why.
That little sack compresses your bag down to like a third of its normal size. That squishes all the insulation. The fibers or feathers or whatever is inside get bent and crushed and they lose their spring. They cannot fluff back up anymore.
And you leave it like that for months?
Yeah you are basically destroying your bag slowly.
The stuff sack is for travel. For throwing in your car or strapping to your backpack. That is it. Once you get home you need to get that bag out of there immediately.
Use Something Big And Breathable
So what do you use instead?
Something huge.
I am talking like comically big. You want your sleeping bag to take up as much space as a puffy winter coat. Maybe more.
Here is what works:
- Those giant mesh laundry bags from the dollar store. They cost like five bucks.
- A big cotton pillowcase.
- Canvas shopping bags that are oversized.
- The actual storage sack that some nicer bags come with.
The only rule is it has to breathe.
Do not use plastic. Do not use those vacuum seal bags. Do not use garbage bags.
I tried a garbage bag once. Figured it would keep the dust off. Opened it up three months later and my bag smelled like a wet basement. Plastic traps moisture. Even if your bag feels dry there is always some humidity in the air. Seal that in and mold moves in.
And mold in a sleeping bag? You will never get that smell out. Trust me I tried.
Where To Actually Put Your Bag
Okay so you got the big breathable sack. Now where do you put it?
Not the garage.
I know it seems like the obvious spot. Outdoor gear goes in the garage right?
Wrong.
Garages get hot in summer. Like really hot. That heat breaks down the nylon shell. It ruins the waterproof coating if your bag has one. And in winter garages freeze. The temperature swings mess with the insulation.
Basements are worse. Too damp. Always.
Attics are even hotter than garages.
You want your bag inside your actual house. Find a closet that stays cool and dark. Away from windows because sunlight breaks down fabric over time. Away from heating vents. Just a regular closet.
I know that sounds obvious but most people shove their gear in the garage or basement and wonder why their bags fall apart after a couple years.
What I Do When I Run Out Of Room
Here is my situation.
Me and my wife both camp. Then we had two kids. Now we have four sleeping bags. Four sleeping pads. Two tents. Coolers. Camp chairs. Stoves. All that stuff.
I cannot fit all that in my hallway closet.
I tried. Sleeping bags were stacked on top of each other. I was tripping over gear constantly. It was a mess.
So I rented a storage unit.
Nothing fancy. Small climate controlled space. I keep all our off season camping gear in there. Sleeping bags in their mesh sacks sitting on shelves. Tents. Winter jackets that take up too much closet space in summer. Everything stays at the same temperature.
Costs me like twenty bucks a month. Best money I spend honestly. Cleared out my whole closet and I know my gear is safe.
If you have gear for more than just yourself, or if you live in an apartment with no storage, think about it. It solved my problem completely.
Washing Is Tricky
Do you need to wash your bag before storing it?
If it is dirty yeah. If you sweated in it or if it got damp definitely.
But you cannot just toss it in the washing machine.
Top loaders with that agitator in the middle? That thing will twist your bag and tear the internal baffles. Baffles are those fabric walls inside that keep the insulation from shifting. Rip those and your insulation clumps up in one spot and the rest of the bag is empty.
And regular detergent? Way too harsh. Strips the oils out of down feathers. Feathers need those oils to stay flexible.
Here is what I do:
- Check the tag first. Some bags are dry clean only.
- If I wash it I go to a laundromat and use a front loader. No agitator.
- Buy special soap. Tech wash or down wash. Costs like ten bucks.
- Cold water. Delicate cycle.
Drying is where people really mess up.
You cannot just hang a sleeping bag on a line and walk away. It takes days to dry. The outside dries but the inside stays wet. Then the insulation clumps up into nasty wet balls.
You need a big dryer on low heat. And throw in some tennis balls.
Seriously. Clean tennis balls. As the dryer tumbles they bounce around and break up the clumps. Keeps everything fluffy. A guy at an outdoor store told me that and it works perfectly.
Make sure your bag is completely dry before you store it. Squeeze the insulation. Check the corners. No dampness at all. If there is even a little moisture you will get mold.
My System Now
Here is what I do every time I come home from camping.
I do not sit down.
Seriously. If I sit on the couch I am done. The bag will sit in the stuff sack for weeks. So I deal with it right away.
Walk in the door. Take the bag out of the stuff sack. Shake it out. Check if it is dirty or wet.
- If it is clean and dry it goes straight into the mesh sack and into my storage unit or closet.
- If it is dirty I wash it that weekend. I do not let it sit around dirty. Bugs and moths are real and they will eat your gear.
Once a month I pull the bags out and give them a shake. Air them out for a few hours. Probably overkill but my sleeping bags are like ten years old and still in great shape so I am doing something right.
The Bottom Line
Your sleeping bag keeps you warm because it traps air.
Those little pockets of air are what stop you from freezing.
If you compress that bag for months the pockets get crushed. The insulation loses its bounce. And once it loses that bounce it never really comes back.
So give it room. Use a big breathable sack. Keep it in a cool dry place. Wash it properly and dry it completely.
I ruined one bag learning this. Do not be me.
Take care of your gear and it will take care of you when you are out there in the cold.
0 Comments