When you order a bag online

[hootyhoo]

How can you tell if it was stored in its little stuff sack or if it was stored in a manner that did not compress it. I just got a Montbell alpine burrow #3 in the mail. It looks okay to me, but its the first Montbell I have ever seen up close.
It is an 08 model - how would I know if it was stored in a compressed manner?
I am a real freak about taking care of my stuff - even my cheap stuff.
What if an exeloft synthetic bag was stored in a little stuff sack for several months - would that be detrimental?
I would love to hear from Bearpaw on this one or someone that is in the business.

[daddytwosticks]

Oooo, good question! I bought my WM Caribou from Mtn. Crossings. They took it right off the top shelf for me to crawl in and try out. It was stored in the big cotton storage bag. Hope you get the answer to the question. Good luck.

[George]

damage is worse to syn from being compressed

[Panzer1]

I wouldn't worry about it. If they make sleeping bags for a living they can probably be trusted to store a bag properly.

Panzer

[wrongway_08]

Ive bought 4 montbells now and never had a problem.

Dont know if you could tell if its been damaged, I'd imagine you would need two of the same bags to compare side by side, this way you would be able to tell if the loft on one of the bags has suffered a shortend life.

[RedneckRye]

Here is an interesting Montbell synthetic bag fact.
When they show up at the shop where I work, their down bags are in large cotton storage bags, the synthetic bags arrive in their compression sacks.
Other than the cheapest bags that come from a company whose initials are TNF, these are the only bags I've seen shipped that way in 10 years of working at an outfitter.

Western Mountaineering ships their bags rolled and stuffed into plastic bags that are about half the size of their big storage sacks, we usually pull them out of those bags and put them into their cotton storage bags once they get received and price stickered.

[Nightwalker]

Western Mountaineering ships their bags rolled and stuffed into plastic bags that are about half the size of their big storage sacks, we usually pull them out of those bags and put them into their cotton storage bags once they get received and price stickered.

Those shipping bags don't compress them much at all. I've seen them when they come out. The storage bag is seriously huge.

[hootyhoo]

Here is an interesting Montbell synthetic bag fact.
When they show up at the shop where I work, their down bags are in large cotton storage bags, the synthetic bags arrive in their compression sacks.
Other than the cheapest bags that come from a company whose initials are TNF, these are the only bags I've seen shipped that way in 10 years of working at an outfitter.

Western Mountaineering ships their bags rolled and stuffed into plastic bags that are about half the size of their big storage sacks, we usually pull them out of those bags and put them into their cotton storage bags once they get received and price stickered.

If it ships in a small stuff it may end up stored in one as well - until someone buys it. If you purchase from an online store that does not have a retail outlet -- it may just be a small operation that does not have room to store bags on hangers or in large storage sacks. And the Montbell synthetic does not come with a large storage sack.
I let the bag relax after I unpacked it - then threw it in the dryer on low heat for about 7 minutes to fluff it. I then measured the loft and it was 3.5 inches. According to online specs of other 30 degree synthetic bags, the 3.5 inches was comparable.
I think the bag is fine and the retailer has a good reputation - but after I ordered it, I got to thinking and it hit me that could be an issue when ordering a bag site unseen.
Oh well -- I thought it was a good question. When I test the bag at its limit I will post a follow up. It is gonna be about 10* too cold for that bag this week --
Oh, and I tried like hll to send my wife on an erroneous errand at 4:00 yesterday - but could not get her out of the house - she was home when the bag arrived - Chew, Chew, Chew myazz. All part of the fun I guess.

[sbennett]

Oh, and I tried like hll to send my wife on an erroneous errand at 4:00 yesterday - but could not get her out of the house - she was home when the bag arrived - Chew, Chew, Chew myazz. All part of the fun I guess.

Give me a ring when your wife divorces you a** for stuff like this! Too funny, I'm too scared of my g/f's reaction if I tried a similar covert maneuver.

[skinewmexico]

Oh, and I tried like hll to send my wife on an erroneous errand at 4:00 yesterday - but could not get her out of the house - she was home when the bag arrived - Chew, Chew, Chew myazz. All part of the fun I guess.

Worst advice a coworker ever gave me - ship it to work, she'll never know. That has cost me thousands of dollars. Bad SAC!!

[hootyhoo]

I called Montbell. They put me on the phone with a very knowledgble and firendly person. He said don't worry about - even if the bag was stored in the little stuff sack for months it would not be detrimental to the synthetic. He went on to say that if it were like that for years it would permanently deform the synthetic and it would not re-loft. He further pointed out that if this were a down product it would have been issue - apparently the fibers of the down will crush - especially the higher fill ratings, since they are more delicate.
Bottom line - buy from a known good source and/or confirm that the bag has been properly stored prior to sale. Perhaps worry more about down than synthetic.
I did not buy this directly from Montbell- but he went on to add that if I had any more concerns to call back and they would take care of it - wow.

And about the bag - I have been using WM for quite a while. It was so nice to unzip this Montbell bag and not have to fight the frickin' zipper all the way down, plus #1. It was nice (I slept in last night, of course) to not have that scratchy velcro patch in my face, plus #2. It will be nice to get my credit card statement and not fall out on the floor 'cause I paid so much for a bag, plus #3. If I continue to enjoy this bag I will definately be buying Montbell over WM in the future.
Woohoo!

[YoungMoose]

its wont be much of a problem.

[Egads]

Ive bought 4 montbells now and never had a problem.

Dont know if you could tell if its been damaged, I'd imagine you would need two of the same bags to compare side by side, this way you would be able to tell if the loft on one of the bags has suffered a shortend life.

Wrongway, which of your MB bags gets the most use?