How do you store a sleeping bag?

[Cypher]

From what I understand if you leave the bag in the compressesion sack it will lose it's fluffyness and won't insulate as well. How do you store your bag to prevent tha tfrom happening? Is it ok to put it in a larger bag that doesn't compress it as much or do you have to hang it up like they do in a store?

If it is left compressed for a long time does that ruin it or just require you to fluff it and leave it out a little bit and it's back to normal? I see them boxed and compressed in the stores all the time. How long does it take to cause a loss of insulation from compression if it is stored in a compression sack?

[Partisan1983]

That's the first time I have ever heard of this.....

[Kadmos]

It was more of an issue with the older bags. I just store them in the stuff sack and then take them out a day or two before heading out and let them breath/air out a bit.

Another option, if it's safe on your bag is to put them in the dryer on low or fluff for a little while. Some people add in those dog toy looking fluffer things to bounce them around a bit more in the dryer.

[Schuetzenman]

I too have never heard of this problem. Then again my mummy bag is 100% Prime Northern Goose Down. I've had it since I was 15 years old in Scouts. It seems to fluff up just fine when I pull it out for use.

[Goodman]

I store mine in a pillowcase.

[coppertales]

in a box in the back of my truck.....It is probably 25 years old.....chris3

[Cypher]

I'm looking for a few sleeping bags now, I was going to around spring of this year but decided to wait because there weren't a lot of low temp bags. From reading a lot of the reviews several people mentioned that the instructions that came with the bag said not to store it in the compression sack but didn't give any more details than that.

Two people told me the same thing last night, one at a camping specialty store but I didn't get into the details.

[bum_whisperer]

Take it to your local ows movement or send it to lagc. LOL!!

[Cypher]

Take it to your local ows movement or send it to lagc. LOL!!

Ha, I'll send them a nice steamer in a box.

[Kadmos]

I'm looking for a few sleeping bags now, I was going to around spring of this year but decided to wait because there weren't a lot of low temp bags. From reading a lot of the reviews several people mentioned that the instructions that came with the bag said not to store it in the compression sack but didn't give any more details than that.

Two people told me the same thing last night, one at a camping specialty store but I didn't get into the details.

You should email the company that makes them and find out why. Most companies are actually pretty great about answering questions

[TheMrMitch]

To dry OR fluff anything....put a couple of tennis balls in the dryer with it. Dryer can't get hot enough to hurt the balls and clothes, vests, bags etc will come out VERY fluffy.

[Cypher]

I'm thinking about getting one of the US military sleepiong system bags. Anyone have a set like this? How does it work. I like the idea of a set that will work in a huge range of temps depending on what you take.

One worry from what I have heard is it is heavier than a commercial bag. Is it much harder to take backpacking?

[O.S.O.K.]

I have been using sleeping bags ever since I was a small child. We always rolled the old style ones up after they were aired out and dried.

The down versions that I had next got hung up for storage - on a clothes hanger and we have stored all of them since regardless of type in this manor and they are all in good shape.

And they have gotten lots of use in the boy sprouts.

For what it is worth.

[Flinter]

You shouldn't store them in a stuff sack for the reason you mentioned. They will lose loft.

If you wash them, put them in the dryer on air or low heat with a few tennis balls.

Most bags now come with oversized storage sacks for long term storage. I still hang mine...just like you see in the camping stores.

Synthetics break down naturally over time. You won't notice it, the rate they lose insulating ability is slow enough that your body won't register it. My 20 degree bag is about 20 years old. It may get me by to about 40 now. I really don't know. What I do know is that it's no longer a viable option as a 3 season bag. I just replaced it with a 20 degree North Face down filled bag.

[binky59]

I'm looking for a few sleeping bags now, I was going to around spring of this year but decided to wait because there weren't a lot of low temp bags. From reading a lot of the reviews several people mentioned that the instructions that came with the bag said not to store it in the compression sack but didn't give any more details than that.

Two people told me the same thing last night, one at a camping specialty store but I didn't get into the details.

Hi, It really depends on the type of bag you have, ( Down, poly-fill) With Poly-fill you can roll them, or use a stuff sack, the fill has a little memory so it will
fluff back up in the dryer. Down bags are different because the down compacts when rolled, it falls to the bottom of the sewn gussets when hung, and lose
most of there thermal efficiency when wet. If you are looking for a -10,-20,-30 degree bag, check to see how many gussets it has and how they are sewn
(straight accross, diamond pattern, how full the compartments are with feathers? If you are looking for an excellent down bag made in the USA you really
can't beat Western Mountaineering. I bought one of their -30 bags in the early 90's and still use it, I keep it stuffed loosely in a 30 gallon sack ( not rolled or folded)
In extreme conditions you can also use an overbag or bivy sack to get more insulation.

[Aedan]

well
I collect many thing for eating.
Thanks.

[Cypher]

I'm trying to decide on a good bag for my wife and I, main uses are going to be camping and for emergencies.

The main two I'm looking at is the US Military Sleep System and a Marmot Trestles 15 (Me) and 0 (wife). Worst case scenario my area might get to -10 in the coldest part of winter.

The USMSS seems like the best overall since you can divide it up and use the bivy. The Marmot is lighter but on the other hand for camping with the USMSS I can just use the Patrol bag or the black bag so I don't have to carry the whole thing around. If the weather is warmer than 15 I could sleep with the Marmot open or just use a liner.

From what I have heard the USMSS is really tough quality and works well for what it is.

Anyone have any suggestions on the USMSS compared to the Marmot or other brands. Either way I will have a silk liner and a thermal pad also. My wife is extremely sensetive to the cold so that is one reason I like the really good temp rating and waterproof shell on the USMSS.

[Flinter]

Here is a good article that should cover 90% of sleeping bag storage/care.

http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/caring+sleeping+bag.html

My only other 2 pieces of advice are;

1) Pay more attention to whats under you than what's over you if you want to stay warm. The ground will suck way more heat than you will lose through the air.

2) Read the part in this article about EN ratings. http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/sleeping+bag+backpacking.html
This is a huge improvement over the old system of manufacturers assigning their own temp ratings to their bags. Now you have a number that allows you compare one bag evenly to another bag.

I haven't used a military sleeping bag in 25 years. My experience with them was so horrible that I haven't used one in 25 years.... They may be better today. I dunno.

Ok, I know I said I only had 2 things to say, but let me add one more;

I like down bags. The warmth to rate ratio is fantastic. I also like the "feel" of a down bag better. The typical arguement against down is that it loses it's insulating ability when it's wet. That's true. Guess what though, if you are sleeping in a saturated sleeping bag in the middle of winter then you are going to be cold and miserable no matter what it's insulated with. You'd be better off staying dressed and sleeping beside of the fire. Or hiking out before dark.

That being said, use a contractor trash bag over your stuff sack and it won't be a problem either way.

[Cypher]

Here is a good article that should cover 90% of sleeping bag storage/care.

http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/caring+sleeping+bag.html

My only other 2 pieces of advice are;

1) Pay more attention to whats under you than what's over you if you want to stay warm. The ground will suck way more heat than you will lose through the air.

2) Read the part in this article about EN ratings. http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/sleeping+bag+backpacking.html
This is a huge improvement over the old system of manufacturers assigning their own temp ratings to their bags. Now you have a number that allows you compare one bag evenly to another bag.

I haven't used a military sleeping bag in 25 years. My experience with them was so horrible that I haven't used one in 25 years.... They may be better today. I dunno.

Ok, I know I said I only had 2 things to say, but let me add one more;

I like down bags. The warmth to rate ratio is fantastic. I also like the "feel" of a down bag better. The typical arguement against down is that it loses it's insulating ability when it's wet. That's true. Guess what though, if you are sleeping in a saturated sleeping bag in the middle of winter then you are going to be cold and miserable no matter what it's insulated with. You'd be better off staying dressed and sleeping beside of the fire. Or hiking out before dark.

That being said, use a contractor trash bag over your stuff sack and it won't be a problem either way.

Thanks for the info. From what I gather the USMSS has been drastically improved? I've read a lot of good reviews about them.

One thing about down I wondered is, I sweat a lot when I get hot so lets say I was super cold when I went to bed so I got in, zipped up and went to sleep, if I wake up 2 hours later drenched in sweat will that cause the down to not insulate right or does it have to be more saturated than that? Do they dry out pretty quickly if they do get wet?

For the pads what works best the foam type that fold into a block or the air matress type that roll up and have foam inside and you can also manually blow them up a inch or two?

[Flinter]

Thanks for the info. From what I gather the USMSS has been drastically improved? I've read a lot of good reviews about them.

One thing about down I wondered is, I sweat a lot when I get hot so lets say I was super cold when I went to bed so I got in, zipped up and went to sleep, if I wake up 2 hours later drenched in sweat will that cause the down to not insulate right or does it have to be more saturated than that? Do they dry out pretty quickly if they do get wet?

For the pads what works best the foam type that fold into a block or the air matress type that roll up and have foam inside and you can also manually blow them up a inch or two?

I have to say that I know nothing about the USMSS system. Anything I'd say about it would be pure speculation.

When I first started backpacking I had one of the old "Intermediate Cold" military sleeping bags. That thing was a nightmare. It was cold to sleep in, heavy and huge to pack. There was no way to roll it properly and impossible to stuff into any sack smaller than a truck bed.

I would imagine that the new ones have been totally revamped.

Since you mention backpacking I would strongly encourage you to look into the commercial market. They specialize in warm, lightweight bags.

You can buy a 20 degree bag that weighs 2lbs. As a matter of fact, if you live near a Gander Mountain you may want to look there first. The one near me has the Cat's Meow and the Hotlum (both 20 degree North Face bags) on sale. Or at least they did 2 weeks ago. The Meow was 80 bucks and the Hotlum was 120. If you look at backpacking sites you'll realize that a Meow for 80 bucks is a steal. They retail around 200.

As to your questions, unfortunately if you sweat like that then down may not be the best choice for you. I don't believe that you'll get it damp enough to affect it, but the oils from your body will cling to it and ruin it over time. They attach to the down and weigh it down, decreasing loft.

Drying....sorry man. Down doesn't dry fast. Also, if you get it really wet and dry it in the sun it's going to want to clump.

Pads...I have always used a Thermarest. In all honesty they do ok. It does a good job of creating a dead air space between you and the ground. One thing to look for in a sleeping bag is attachment points along the sides. You can clip the bag to the pad and dont' have to worry about sliding off of it during the night. This is a problem with the Thermarest type pads.

The rectangular folding ones are a new one on me. I used one for the first time about a month ago. It insulated well and I had no problem with my sleeping bag sliding off of it. However, I hated carrying it. It tended to snag every branch I passed on the trail.

There is another one that looks like the old Ridge Rest...don't know the name for it though. It rolls round and has a reflective material on it that is supposed to reflect the heat back towards your bag. That's the one I'll buy next.

Sorry about the length of this post. I know that long posts are a pain to read.

[Cypher]

Thanks for the advice I like long posts.

I think I would like down the best but in an effort to combine camping with a goog survival bag I may go with a synthetic bag, silk bag liner and a pad of some sort. I guess if I want a 40 or 50 degree bag I could get a cheap Coleman or something like that, th ecold temp stuff is where I want good quality.

I'm going by a Gander Mountain next week so I'll have to check it out.

[stevelyn]

I just fold mine over a couple times loosely and toss it in a corner of the room where I store all my gear. It doesn't go into the stuffsack until a day or so before I head out on an outing.