View Full Version : Keeping your Sleeping bag dry ?
I see a lot of folks using different bags but no one has really said the best way to keep one 100% dry.
I'm new to back packing and am trying to learn from others mistakes, I make enough mistakes on my own :)
thx
River Runner
03-03-2010, 03:08
The best way to keep it 100% dry is to leave it at home, stored in a dry place in a sealed plastic container with moisture absorbers.
On the trail, kikely you will not be able to keep any bag 100% dry at all times - on cold nights condensation will usually at least dampen a bag. Strive to keep it as dry as possible, by the following:
store it in a plastic bag inside a stuff sack of some sort - perhaps a dry bag type. Sleep in a hammock with a generous sized tarp, or use careful campsite selection to keep water from running into your tent or tarp. Make sure your shelter has good ventilation to keep condensation to a minimum. Make sure your water bottle lid is on snugly if you keep it close at hand during the night. Stay away from other people with water bottles close at hand.
daddytwosticks
03-03-2010, 08:33
With my hiking style, I tend to get into camp earlier than most hikers. After obtaining water (#1 priority), I string a clothesline and begin airing out/drying damp/wet clothing and my sleeping bag. An hour or two in direct sunshine does wonders for a damp down sleeping bag! :)
As River Runner said, if you use your bag, it will get damp, even "wet" at times. Your best hope is to minimize this. All good advice above. I would add: daddytwosticks beat me to the post button!
- Do not sleep with your face buried in the bag, each breath will add moisture directly into your bag.
- Do not overheat. Increased sweating will add moisture directly into your bag. Unzip and ventilate your bag. I find a silk bag liner is good in these situations as, even when your bag is partially unzipped, the silk liner will keep the chill night air from directly blowing in on you and feeling uncomfortable. Overall you can regulate your body temp easier, without getting chilled spots.
- Take precautions to prevent your bag from touching wet surfaces inside your tent. Almost all tents will develop condensation in the right (wrong) conditions, even double wall tents.
- Take every opportunity to dry out the moisture that does make it into your bag through normal use. Hang the bag in the sun each morning before packing if your schedule allows. If not, hang it at lunch if the weather allows. Hang it in camp when you first arrive, let it dry while you do your other camp chores.
- In real damp weather, keep you bag packed until just before you use it. Yes, it's a good thing to allow your bag time to "fluff" before you use it, but this is a double edged sword, as it also allows ambient moisture to enter the bag. Gotta play it by ear on this one.
- If you have your bag hanging, get it into the tent/shelter before the evening dampness sets in. Do not destroy all your drying efforts by letting it collect the evening damp.
- On real cold mornings, if you don't have time to hang your bag for an hour or two, pack it immediately after getting out of it. This will force the warm, moist air out of the insulation before it has a chance to cool and condense inside the bag.
- Whenever you get the chance while in town, take some time to run your bag through a dryer cycle or two (very low heat). This will remove the moisture that you don't even notice is there. If your bag is noticeably damp, it may take a couple extra cycles.
All this said, keeping your bag dry isn't all that difficult. Just have to think about it a bit at first, then it all becomes second nature. The suggestions given here are important for any bag, but extra important for a down bag. They reflect the fact that getting a bag wet isn't an "Opps, I screwed up" one-time event, but a gradual wetting of the insulation, over several nights, or even a week of use. Learn to counter this slow, steady onslaught, and your bag will keep you toasty warm every night, just like it did your first night.
Hope some of this helps.
Good Luck and HAVE FUN!
i just use a silnylon stuff sack (double 'waterproof' bag when canoeing), wrapped in a kitchen trash bag, and then placed in my pack, which is lined with a larger trash bag. never had a problem.
btw, I once tested the "waterproof" stuff sack in a garbage can full fo water. bag got soaked after 1/2 hour underwater. hence the double bagging when i canoe.
During lunch breaks, on sunny days, lay out the sleeping bag and let the sun dry it out. Helps a lot.
During those lunch breaks, great idea to dry bag. However, if you have nice down bag, make sure it is anchored somehow, the wind can come up at any time and launch your bag. This sage advise free of charge, from someone who had to SWIM to retreive his bag that was airing/drying out from some condensation. Needless to say, it needed a little more drying after retreivng from lake, lol.
Blissful
03-03-2010, 10:27
Helps to have a good bag too - like the outer covering on the Montbell bags shed water nicely.
Daddy makes a good point. Don't wait until the last minute to set up camp. Use some daylight to your advantage.
Anybody try the Nikwax Downproof down protector that Backpacker magazine listed as a recommendation in this year's April gear issue? Suppose to keep feathers from absorbing moisure. I have not seen it anywhere yet but wanted to check into it.
JustaTouron
03-03-2010, 11:26
IMHO, you should not learn how to keep a down bag dry........
Your first bag should be a synthetic, which although heavier is more forgiving if it gets wet. Once you master keeping your sleeping bag dry you can consider upgrading to lighter down bag.
Rocket Jones
03-03-2010, 12:11
As River Runner said, if you use your bag, it will get damp, even "wet" at times. Your best hope is to minimize this. All good advice above. I would add: daddytwosticks beat me to the post button!
- Do not sleep with your face buried in the bag, each breath will add moisture directly into your bag.
- Do not overheat. Increased sweating will add moisture directly into your bag. Unzip and ventilate your bag. I find a silk bag liner is good in these situations as, even when your bag is partially unzipped, the silk liner will keep the chill night air from directly blowing in on you and feeling uncomfortable. Overall you can regulate your body temp easier, without getting chilled spots.
- Take precautions to prevent your bag from touching wet surfaces inside your tent. Almost all tents will develop condensation in the right (wrong) conditions, even double wall tents.
- Take every opportunity to dry out the moisture that does make it into your bag through normal use. Hang the bag in the sun each morning before packing if your schedule allows. If not, hang it at lunch if the weather allows. Hang it in camp when you first arrive, let it dry while you do your other camp chores.
- In real damp weather, keep you bag packed until just before you use it. Yes, it's a good thing to allow your bag time to "fluff" before you use it, but this is a double edged sword, as it also allows ambient moisture to enter the bag. Gotta play it by ear on this one.
- If you have your bag hanging, get it into the tent/shelter before the evening dampness sets in. Do not destroy all your drying efforts by letting it collect the evening damp.
- On real cold mornings, if you don't have time to hang your bag for an hour or two, pack it immediately after getting out of it. This will force the warm, moist air out of the insulation before it has a chance to cool and condense inside the bag.
- Whenever you get the chance while in town, take some time to run your bag through a dryer cycle or two (very low heat). This will remove the moisture that you don't even notice is there. If your bag is noticeably damp, it may take a couple extra cycles.
All this said, keeping your bag dry isn't all that difficult. Just have to think about it a bit at first, then it all becomes second nature. The suggestions given here are important for any bag, but extra important for a down bag. They reflect the fact that getting a bag wet isn't an "Opps, I screwed up" one-time event, but a gradual wetting of the insulation, over several nights, or even a week of use. Learn to counter this slow, steady onslaught, and your bag will keep you toasty warm every night, just like it did your first night.
Hope some of this helps.
Good Luck and HAVE FUN!
Thanks for one of the most informative and useful posts I've seen here on WB.
Thank you all for a great suggestions. Lyle, u mentioned a lot of things a new backpacker needs to know.
Thanks again for some good heads up problems
Many good tips here, and i'll add another... You'll read lots of people explaining how they dryed their wet hiking clothes or socks in their sleeping bag overnight. This is not a good idea in a down bag. All the moisture will be sucked into your down.
Besides, i've tried this in synthetic bags, and it worked minimally at best... Nothing works better for drying than direct sunlight and a light breeze. Take advantage of clear sky's when you can to dry wet gear.
Nuthatch
03-03-2010, 20:07
Anybody try the Nikwax Downproof down protector that Backpacker magazine listed as a recommendation in this year's April gear issue? Suppose to keep feathers from absorbing moisure. I have not seen it anywhere yet but wanted to check into it.I dont think I'd trust anything:
a) recommended by BM :rolleyes:
and
b) designed to coat down feathers with anything. Anything that coats feathers is bound to reduce their loft and warmth. You don't see geese spraying any of this newfangled shiat on themselves do ya? :D
In cold weather, when I opened the tent in the morning, condensation would freeze on the outside of the bag leaving a layer of frost. It would then melt when I shoved it in the stuff sack. I now put one of those cheap sleeping bag liners over the outside of the bag. Keeps the condensation off the bag and on the liner.
In cold weather, when I opened the tent in the morning, condensation would freeze on the outside of the bag leaving a layer of frost. It would then melt when I shoved it in the stuff sack. I now put one of those cheap sleeping bag liners over the outside of the bag. Keeps the condensation off the bag and on the liner.
Good tip.
Also, with a down bag especially -
If you get a part of it wet (I mean very wet), wring (lightly) out the wet spot before putting it in the stuffsack. If you don't, the wet spot tends to spread making the whole bag (or a good portion of it) damp - not pleasant.
KnittingMelissa
03-04-2010, 00:10
Always place the bag in a stuff sack. Yes, a water resistant one is best, but always remember: nothing is waterproof.
If you know you are going to be hiking in the rain, have a cover for your pack/bag. This will help keep the rain off.
If your bag is wet, dry it out in the sun. You might lose some walking time, but it's better in the long run to have a dry bag than those miles. Nothing is worse than sleeping in a wet bag.
I keep my bag in a Sea to Summit stuff sack, and I use a rain cover on my pack ,and have never had my bag get wet while in the pack. Occasionally, water leaks into my tent, but I always sleep so that the lowest part of my tent floor is by my feet, so hopefully only my feet will get a little wet.
If the sun comes out, the roofs of shelters are great for drying out your gear.