Love Your Sleeping Bag and It’ll Love You
April 2nd, 2008 Wade
Your Sleeping Bag is quite often your bed. For some who live a lifestyle that keeps them in the outdoors for long periods of time, it’s their only bed. But your bag isn’t like a regular mattress. It needs attention to keep it at its fluffy best throughout the years. SierraTradingPost has a great sleeping bag guide that contains all the information you’d need when buying or caring for your bag. We’ve listed their care suggestions below, along with ours to help you get the most life out of your bag. So here it is… How to Clean and Care for your Sleeping Bag…
From the Sleeping Bag Guide…
- Dry out your bag immediately after every use.
- Always follow the care instructions for your bag if washing it. If you misplace them, wash your bag by hand with a mild detergent and tumble dry on low heat, or wash in a front-loading washer on a gentle cycle.
- Store your bag in a cool, dry place and never leave it jammed inside a stuff sack, or it will eventually lose loft and will permanently become less effective. Use a storage sack if possible.
- Never pack away a wet sleeping bag for longer than it takes to drive home from your destination. Hang it out to dry or tumble dry it at low heat as soon as you get home.
Our Additional Sleeping Bag Care Suggestions…
- If your bag is down-filled and you don’t have your care instructions, but would like to clean it, you have options. Try taking a bucket with detergent and warm water and dipping a rag in it. Wipe your bag down with this rag. Antiacterial wipes are also a great way to do a quickie job on your bag before you store it away.
- Storing your bags in a large Rubbermaid style container is a great way to keep the mice away. Many of us store our gear in garages or basements and you never know when a varmit will be dropping in to see if he can find something to gnaw on.
- If you are traveling by plane and have to leave your bag stuffed in its stuff sack for long periods of time (days) try unpacking it when you get to your destination and letting it loft up. Often when traveling we have a day or so in a hotel or at a friends house before we hit the trail. This can give your bag a break from being stuffed away and will keep it lofty for your trip.
By maintaining your bag well you could pull a good 10 years out of it. There are probably many other ways you can keep your bag in top shape. If you have any of your own tips you’d like to add, drop a comment on us.
10 Comments Add your own
1. Jmac | April 2nd, 2008
I live in a small one bedroom apartment. If I don’t store it in the stuff sack, it would take up an enitre room of my apartment and constantly be in the way. Any thoughts on this?
2. Eric | April 2nd, 2008
Great post Wade. Guides like these will truly help us who need guidance when gearing up for a trip. I’m in the market for a couple of bags myself so this was a big help.
3. Wade | April 2nd, 2008
Jmac - If you store it in its small stuff sack it will lose its loft. Over time it will not keep you as warm as the rating shows.
Sounds like you need to upgrade apartments.
Or for a more practical answer you could put it in the big storage bag it comes with and stick it under your bed maybe? Maybe even let it sit in the corner of your bedroom or in the top of a closet. I know you though, and you are amassing alot of outdoor gear. You’re apartment is starting to look like a outdoor store!
That’s okay, chicks dig it.
4. Forts | April 2nd, 2008
Great site lots of interesting stuff. Thanks.
5. wkumtrider | April 2nd, 2008
Hang it on the wall.
6. Derek | April 2nd, 2008
Jmac- You could also hang from a closet or put it under something like Wade said.
As far as caring for sleeping bags- You can also toss some tennis balls into the dryer with your bag to restore some loft that’s lost when cleaning it or keeping it in a stuff sack too long.
7. Jmac | April 2nd, 2008
Hopefully I will be upgrading to a house soon.
8. endercore | April 2nd, 2008
Jmac
i had a TNF cats meow. I slept in in every night for 3 months, and often had to stuff it to get to the next camp site. Though I never left it stuffed for more than 10 hours or so It completely lost its loft. It was a 20 degree bag, but now its lucky to keep me warm on a 45 degree night! Get that bag out of its death sack if you want to keep it nice!!!
9. Jmac | April 3rd, 2008
Man, I better get it out of its “death sack”. I am not too worried if it has lost any of its loft. I have been thinking about getting another one anyway.
10. Buster | April 3rd, 2008
Jmac
Give me a call if you are looking for a place. There is one for sale in my neighborhood that might you might like.
Eric
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