Any tricks on waterproofing a down bag?

[thefunnyguy]

I bought a down bag and took it on a shakedown hike the other day. While I was asleep it rained. The moisture turned my sweet 2 1/2 pound 20 degree down bag into a 15 pound wet bodysock. I would like to some how make it handle moisture a little better. Any ideas?

[RedneckRye]

A great trick for waterproofing a down bag (or even a synthetic bag) is to buy some type of covering for it. Maybe a tent or a tarp. :-?

[thefunnyguy]

The only thing about getting a covering would be that the bag still absorbs moisture. I use a rainfly and hammock setup so I'm not worried about straight getting rained on. It just sucks in moisture. In just fog, the humidity still gets into the bag. I was thinking of using that nikwax. I just dont know if that would work.

[Hooch]

I bought a down bag and took it on a shakedown hike the other day. While I was asleep it rained. The moisture turned my sweet 2 1/2 pound 20 degree down bag into a 15 pound wet bodysock. I would like to some how make it handle moisture a little better. Any ideas?I hate to say it, but that wouldn't have been a problem in a hammock. There, I said it. That is all. Carry on. :D

[thefunnyguy]

Uh thanks for the update Hooch. But I was in a hammock and it did happen. there I said it. on it has been carried.

[trouthunter]

If you are experiencing moisture problems you need to switch to a synthetic bag, and / or get a waterproof bivy. If your bag got that wet in a hammock there is something wrong. Waterproofing your bag with a surface treatment can cause problems such as mildew.
I've done a lot of what you are doing, and hang around very experienced guys. The consensus is to use a synthetic bag and put the bag in a bivy if you're having moisture problems. Bags with Primaloft have a great weight to warmth ratio and work good in hammocks.
To stay really warm in a hammock you need a bag rated 10 - 20 degrees below what you expect to see on the trail since most bags are rated for tent camping.
You will always be warmer in a tent than a hammock (using the same bag) since you are not insulated from cold air/wind chills as well in a hammock.
I do however love my hammock in warmer months.:D

[thefunnyguy]

Thanks man. That's pretty much what I figured I just didn't know if there was some niffty trick I wasn't thinking of. I just really like my down bag. And didn't want to shell out the bones for another bag. Probably should try to just stick to dry areas.

[The Old Fhart]

If all else fails, try Depends.:D

[weary]

Thanks man. That's pretty much what I figured I just didn't know if there was some niffty trick I wasn't thinking of. I just really like my down bag. And didn't want to shell out the bones for another bag. Probably should try to just stick to dry areas.
I've carried the same down bag April through October for 25 years, including my walk from Springer Mountain to home in Maine in 1993. I have never had a serious moisture problem. The bag picks up some moisture during humid nights, but not enough to cause problems, nor enough so that it couldn't be dried in a few hours of sun, or a few minutes in an laundromat dryer.

Adding a waterproof coating probably would increase the problem. All bags pick up moisture escaping from the sleeper, especially on chilly nights. A coating would increase condensation from the sleeper, not eliminate it.

Weary

[Wolf - 23000]

There are a couple things you can do. The first is turn your sleeping bag inside out every other night to let you body moister out. Other wise, the moister will collect inside because it can not get out.

Also treat your down sleeping bag. It never fails to amaze me that hikers will spend several hundred of dollars on a good sleeping bag but will not spend an extra $8 - $10 to treat it. When you wash it, do so by hand inside of a bath tub.

http://www.altrec.com/nikwax/downproof-fabric-care-10-floz

Finally have a respectable shelter system. If your going to use down, you can’t skimp on your shelter system and rely on crawling up in the fetal position. It doesn’t work and your only looking to get yourself in trouble.

Wolf

[Toolshed]

Uh thanks for the update Hooch. But I was in a hammock and it did happen. there I said it. on it has been carried.
Wow!! You don't know enough how to keep a down bag dry under a tarp and inside a hammock, nor how the phyiscal properties of water vapor act upon nyllon shells and you're calling Hooch a Hooch. ????????????? :-?