Storing down/gear in humid environments?

[Rolo]

Got a future thru hiker cooking in the wife's oven and need to make room for the nursery. Closets pretty much as capacity so that leaves the attic. Living in Charleston, SC it can get brutally hot and humid up there. Is it recommended throwing all of our backpacks, tents and synthetic/real down sleeping bags...etc, up there or am I asking for mold or quality breakdown issues?

Thanks in advance.

[illabelle]

If you won't be using your stuff from time to time, maybe try to store at a friend/family's house. On the other hand, maybe you could use that gear to decorate for your future thru-hiker. You know, brainwashing, I mean conditioning his/her mind for what's coming later.

[bigcranky]

Yeah, I don't know that I'd keep my gear in an attic in the summer in the South. That's pretty brutal. I guess you need to buy a larger house to store all your gear...

In our house the garage stays cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, certainly more so than the attic. I'd probably store the gear in big plastic bins with good lids, trying not to compress the bags too much. Or figure out how to hang some of it up in closets? Dunno, but good luck, and major congrats on the future little thru-hiker. Awesome news.

[Connie]

I purchased big UHaul cardboard boxes, and have a few items stored in the garage.

I crack open the garage door, on hot days, because there is no ventilation.

I would never put down in the attic, and Montana is considered dry country. The attic gets all the summer heat and humidity, in spite of the fact the attic is ventilated.

[Yellowhammer]

I would store it climate controlled at all cost. I stored my gear in the attic in south Alabama for a year or two and the laminate peeled off the inside of my dry bags and rain jacket. This was years ago so maybe the materials have changed...

[MuddyWaters]

Well, attic can get to 130+ degrees.
It wont hurt the down
It CAN hasten breakdown of fabrics, coatings, adhesives.
Ive had some things stored in attic completely deteriorate over 20 yrs
Others are totally unnaffected.

My down are in huge plastic storage bins stacked up in closets and garage.

[rocketsocks]

Use to store all my gear in the garage, till I found one of my packs one day had completely turned to sticky cotton candy hands, now I keep the good stuff "in the house" My no gear buyin' buds can borrow the crap in the garage.

[bigcranky]

Just had an idea - how about those wide under-bed storage boxes? I'd think a fair amount of gear would fit in those, and you might have room under the bed(s).

You could decorate the kid's room with outdoor gear, make it look like one of the old fashioned little mountain shops. Displays of gear, hang a tent from the ceiling, bags on the walls, etc.

[Huli]

Be sure to get desicant packs if you pack in a box. My dad packed away his down bags... The mildew smell never came out.

[swisscross]

I don't own much down so it is not much of an issue.
I would never put anything that I wanted to own long term in an attic.

I lightly stuff my sleeping bags in the back corner of the closet.
Under the bed in a plastic bin with a top would be a good option as well.

All other gear goes into the garage.

[b-square]

Whatever you do - don't put them in an uninsulated attic. Especially gear with seam sealant...I've lost a great BA tent that way. Everything delaminated.

[egilbe]

Does anyone else find the special care afforded to equipment used to sleep outside somewhat ironic?

[rocketsocks]

Does anyone else find the special care afforded to equipment used to sleep outside somewhat ironic?

not at all, we spend much time picking out shoes taking in consideration the materials only to step on em for hundreds of miles.

[left52side]

I myself have wondered this as I am in Florida,so thank you all for the reply's.
Currently my down bag is in the shed which is not climate controlled but will be moving into the tiny home now along with my down jacket and vest as well.