View Full Version : Sleeping Bag (Down) question
Is it common for small pieces of down to come out of you sleeping bag
take-a-knee
07-02-2008, 14:57
Is it common for small pieces of down to come out of you sleeping bag
Little feathers, yes. The quills separate the fabric weave and push their way out.
Most down garments and bags that I have had have leaked some down. The higher quality of shell material, the less loose down. Shouldn't be a significant loss.
jaywalke
07-02-2008, 15:03
The things that stick through are pin feathers, which are mixed in with the down. The higher quality the fill, the fewer of them you will get.
I still try to keep them in there. You can usually reach from behind, get hold of them through the inside of the fabric and pull them back into the garment/bag. Then rub the nylon to get rid of the tiny hole, and voila!
gold bond
07-02-2008, 16:47
I have a NF Blue Kazoo.....sometimes when I wake up I swear a chicken got loose in the tent!!
Appalachian Tater
07-02-2008, 17:01
Yes, even in a high-quality down piece a feather will occasionally come through the shell. Don't pull it through, it can pull other pieces with it. If you can't reach behind and pull it back in, clip it off. I always rub the spot with my fingernail to make sure the little hole in the fabric is sealed and that nothing is still sticking out.
I have noticed this happens more when something is new but this may be my imagination. Only if you have a real hole or if you are getting a lot of feathers coming through and it is supposedly a very high quality down should you be concerned that perhaps the down was overrated.
Like the man said, don't pull it thru, you can start a conga line of feathers if you enable a teeny hole to expand.
Feral Bill
07-02-2008, 18:53
Those little quills make dandy stove jet cleaners, for those with old school SVEAs Optimists, etc.
sliderule
07-10-2008, 00:18
Those little quills make dandy stove jet cleaners, for those with old school SVEAs Optimists, etc.
At the old school I attended, they were Optimus stoves. (Optimists carry MSR stoves!!!)
My friend has a North Face bag, and he sent it back to be re-filled with down for a pittance. I forget the exact price, but I think it was $50. They also cleaned the bag for him. I was impressed.
I own a Marmot Atom 40 degree bag. It loses some feathers here & there.
NICKTHEGREEK
07-10-2008, 16:41
At the old school I attended, they were Optimus stoves. (Optimists carry MSR stoves!!!)
Masochists carry MSR stoves
Masochists carry MSR stoves
Which would have to include probably 50% of successful AT thru-hikers between, say, 1985 and 2000.
bigcranky
07-11-2008, 07:52
You can pull the little feathers or down clusters back inside. Just reach through from the other side of the bag and pinch until you catch the down, and pull it back. This can take some effort if it's near a seam or baffle -- which is where mine usually are. But it's worthwhile.
NICKTHEGREEK
07-11-2008, 08:54
Which would have to include probably 50% of successful AT thru-hikers between, say, 1985 and 2000.
And your point would be? (and probably about the same number of unsuccessful thrus and happy sectioners and ......)
I have heard that when a down sleeping bag gets wet it loses all warming qualities. Is this true? So if I am sleeping in a down bag and it gets wet I will be cold?
drastic_quench
07-26-2008, 18:03
I have heard that when a down sleeping bag gets wet it loses all warming qualities. Is this true? So if I am sleeping in a down bag and it gets wet I will be cold?
When down gets wet it loses its loft - the space between all the down that traps warm air. Little loft, little warmth. If you're talking about a little condensation on the outside of your sleeping bag, you'll be fine. If you get it soaked in the rain or something, yeah it'll lose its air trapping ability until it's dried.
Christmastree
08-02-2008, 22:29
I just received my Campmor 20* down bag. I bought this bag because so many people on this site have made positive comments about this bag. This is the first down bag I've owned. I plan on storing the bag on a hanger or in the large canvas bag that Campmor shipped it in, but how much can I compress it while out on the trail? I've been using synthetic bags for years. I always compress them as much as I can while the bag is in the pack. I'm unsure if cinching down so much on the down is harmful.
Compressing the bag while in your pack to hike is fine... you just don't want to leave it that compressed for long periods of time (say, storing it throughout the winter). But, that's a benefit to having a down bag, it compresses smaller than synthetic so take advantage of that characteristic! One recommendation though, is to take your down bag out of it's stuff sack as soon as you arrive at camp so it as time to loft up and fill with air before your climb in.
I just received my Campmor 20* down bag. I bought this bag because so many people on this site have made positive comments about this bag. This is the first down bag I've owned. I plan on storing the bag on a hanger or in the large canvas bag that Campmor shipped it in, but how much can I compress it while out on the trail? I've been using synthetic bags for years. I always compress them as much as I can while the bag is in the pack. I'm unsure if cinching down so much on the down is harmful.
Aim1030 tells it like it is. Compress it all you want while hiking. Decompress it at every opportunity, and in particular during long-term storage. When you get to camp and get your tent or tarp or hammock set up, take the bag out of its stuff sack to give it time to loft.
Aim1030 tells it like it is. Compress it all you want while hiking. Decompress it at every opportunity, and in particular during long-term storage. When you get to camp and get your tent or tarp or hammock set up, take the bag out of its stuff sack to give it time to loft.
Good advice and what I do whether using down or synthetic. The only exception to this is if it is a VERY humid, damp day - say all-day rain. Then I unpack my bag no more than a half-hour before using it. Common sense says it will stay dry better in it's stuff sack. Once your body is in the bag and warming it, you will drive much of the moisture right on through the bag.
Another variation depending on temp/conditions:
In warm dry weather, let the bag air as long as possible in the AM, prior to packing. Even place it out in the sun for a while. This will help evaporate the moisture that has accumulated overnight.
In cold, wet conditions, stuff it as soon as you get out of it. This will drive the moist air out of the bag before it cools down and condenses on the inside of the bag.
Have fun with your new bag, I'm sure you will become very attached to it. :sun