Washing Down on the Trail

[Texico]

I have a question for those of you who have used down sleeping bags on thru-hikes in the past. How did you wash the bag while in town? I know of the techniques of using tennis balls or clean shoes to keep the down from clumping together, but what if those two methods aren't available? Do you just constantly monitor it and take it out of the dryer periodically to check for and eliminate clumps by hand? I would like to get a warmer bag for my thru next year (currently using MHW Ultralamina 32) but I don't want to pay too much of a weight penalty. I've only ever owned synthetic bags and I love how easy they are to care for.

[Pedaling Fool]

No I never washed it on the trail; I used a liner with the bag to make it last the entire thru. And of course I washed the liner everytime I did laundry

[LIhikers]

While I haven't done a thru hike, I use a different but similar metehod to John Gault's. I have a set of clothes I reserve for sleeping in. I don't wear them to hike in or around camp. I put them on right before climbing into the bag. And they get washed when I do laundry.

[Texico]

Ok, I already use a silk liner which I will bring on my thru. I just wasn't sure if the bag would still get dirty after prolonged continuous use. Now that this question is answered I just need to decide which bag or bags I want. Thanks!

[johnnyblisters]

Ok, I already use a silk liner which I will bring on my thru. I just wasn't sure if the bag would still get dirty after prolonged continuous use. Now that this question is answered I just need to decide which bag or bags I want. Thanks!

There's always more than one answer to any question asked on this sight, so be open minded. On my 1900 mile section this year I have washed my sleeping bag more than once and it wasn't a big deal. Early on I carried a down bag that got grungy real quick, so I took care of it in Damascus with a little woolite and a front load washing machine on delicate. Restored loft and dried it out big time. I frequently would take my down gear (jacket and bag) and just give them a good drying either out in the sun or in a dyer in town which helped a lot with the funk.

A bit of time to take care of my gear over the past 5 months has helped increase its lifespan overall.

[Chaco Taco]

I washed my down bag a couple of times. Front loader always, gentle cycle. Dryer on low with a few tennis balls. Never had any issue. Kept the tennis balls in my bounce box.

[Texico]

JB, too true. Did you do anything specific to make sure the down didn't clump up? I figured I would wash the bag if I felt like it needed the TLC. I just don't want to ruin it by doing so.

[Texico]

Damn that's a great idea. I didn't even think of putting some in a bounce box.

[Chaco Taco]

JB, too true. Did you do anything specific to make sure the down didn't clump up? I figured I would wash the bag if I felt like it needed the TLC. I just don't want to ruin it by doing so.

This is where the front loader comes in. It keeps the down from clumping

[garlic08]

I had to wash mine once, after a PCT hostel cat peed on it. Horrible little beast. It was easy enough to find a can of tennis balls in Ashland, OR (and some down soap at an outfitter) and sit in a laundromat for hours feeding quarters to the dryer. I would also manually break up clumps between quarters.

Do NOT use Crocs instead of tennis balls. They will shrink about six sizes in the heat.

I did not need to wash my bag during the AT hike. It was easy enough to keep clean by bathing nearly every day, and I stayed away from hostels with cats.

[ChinMusic]

Do NOT use Crocs instead of tennis balls. They will shrink about six sizes in the heat.

.... and I stayed away from hostels with cats.

I love this site for words of wisdom like this........

I had a friend put his Crocs in the dishwasher........bad idea.

[sbhikes]

This didn't happen on a hike, but once I was washing something down at the laundromat and knew I needed to put a shoe or tennis balls in the drier but I didn't have any. There was a used bookstore next to the laundromat. So I bought a big hard-bound very boring book and tied it closed with a rubber band or something and tossed it in the drier. Seemed to work.

[Texico]

Thanks for the responses! I don't wear crocs so no worries there. Cats treat me pretty well, too. Maybe they can tell I prefer cats to dogs. I think I'm gonna go with the tennis balls in my bounce box, and do my best at bathing while on the trail. That coupled with the liner should do me pretty well.