How Do You Store Your Sleeping Bag?

“We all think we know the right way to store a sleeping bag. However, do we know the right way of storing a sleeping bag? For me it has all ways been just leave it in the stuff sack and forget about it until next trip, but I have heard that storing sleeping bag in that manner kills the insulation. So now, I hang it on a hanger in my closet. Please elucidate for me on how to store my sleeping bag correctly.”

“I store my sleeping bags the same way I always have.”

“me 2”

“For every one that has read my previous threads. I have use Microsoft Word 2000 as spelling and grammar checks. Microsoft Word showed thatevery thing was correct, and I did not use any Abbreviated Coded Rendition Of Name Yielding Meanings (ACRONYMS).”

“I stored my old (older than you, Ice Tea) sleeping bag in the stuff sack and over the years it did lose its loft and insulation. What was once a 20 degree bag is now probably barely a 35 degree bag. Not that it got any lighter in the process!

My new sleeping bag I store properly -- in a large breathable cotton storage bag. It actually came with my Feathered Friends bag, and it's at least 4 or 5 times larger than the stuff sack.

Alternately, hanging it on a hanger is a good idea.”

“I know that i used the wrong "Store" but i hope you can let that slide.”

“Actually, I keep one folded on a closet shelf, and the other one kinda serves as a housewide comforter thingy. I wash the comforter thingy, like, alot. Well, I've washed it several times. Okay, I haven't washed it lately - but I promise to real soon!”

“I hang mine from a hanger like many of the gear stores.”

“I hope that the rest of your gear is not supper ranky as that blanket. LOL (oops that was an Abbreviated Coded Rendition Of Name Yielding Meaning(just being a wise @$$)
Laughing Out Loud”

“Unfortunately, my closet is not large enough for me to hang my bag. I keep it (out of its stuff sack) behind my futon.”

“Drop the grammer and spelling pissiness Ice Tea or nobody will answer your questions. We get your point.

I always take mine out of its compression sack when I get home. Then it goes in a larger mesh bag that stores easily yet does not compress the fill.

Is this a problem only with synthetics, or down too?

Also, I keep my bag as clean as possible. However, when the time comes, what is the best way to wah it? Any special instructions?”

“Well never put it in the dryer (it will melt the shell), I would advise using an unscented detergent, because you could a track a bear or some thing that you do now wish to wake up next to. I usually vacuum it out after every use.”

“I have put the bag in a dryer once and the shell did melt.”

“I hang mine from the ceiling on hooks in the bedroom, (girlfriend hates this, she thinks it's the gearheaded male way to decorate).
The way to wash them is woollite and large capacity front loader washer. Do not use a top loader they stress the bag to the shredding point.”

“Iced Tea, I'm not the spelling police, and I don't make a big deal about people spelling wrong, but since you bring it up, you have spell words wrong in your previous post. Try reading some good books; that helps.

I hang my sleeping bag over the hanging rack in my closet.”

“Yea reptiles,
way to be. Put the life of your gear ahead of the looks of your bedroom. ACtually I think that may be the best way to do it. The only other thing I have heard is to make sure it's not stored in direct sunlight because in a case like that, any UV rays could deteriorate the shell in time. I hang mine on a hanger in my closet. It works pretty well.”

“Lipstick Hiker: that is what my Trail talk grammar post was all about, and now i think i have corrected my self.”

“I store my sleeping bags in oversized cotton bags supplied by the manufacturer. A large laundry bag will work.”

“One is stored in a oversized cotton sack designed for sleeping bag storage and the other, the oldest and the most used, is either on the bed or in a this bag with a broken zipper.

Hey speaking of UV rays, do any of you cover your tents with a UV protector or shield it from the sun with a cheap tarp when it is going to be out in the sun for days maybe weeks on end? This past summer while in Alaska, I covered the NPS loaner(V-25) with a tarp to protect it and give me some darkness.”

“I've been using my front porch as my gear room. I store my packs in there with everything except the stove and fuel bottle. I have my thermarest layed out because that also should not be stored in a stuff sack. Unfortunately, I've had my sleeping back draped over an antique chair in direct sunlight. I guess I should go hang it up in a closet. *sigh* But I like to walk in my porch and admire all my gear and dream of trips to come. Oh well, into the closet it goes. :o(”

“I keep all my gear in plastic bins, and i keep them up in my attick. It may be hot up there but i have never seen any meltage”

“I got all my Stuff in a walk-in close. I made the shelves wider to to store my sleeping bags, tents, sleeping pads, etc. I fold my bags in half and lay them on top so they stay lofted up.”

“Iced Tea, you made another spelling error. Myself is one word.

This is not a put down. We all make spelling errors, but it's not to your benefit to let the computer correct your spelling. When there is a word you don't know, just take a few seconds to look it up for your own sake. Keep the dictionary by the computer. Usually, no matter what you do for a living, you end up spelling :{}”

“Lip: what if I want to become a lumberjack, or just a plan old hick, and then I do not have to spell any thing. However, unfortunately I am not yearning to become any of them.”

“LOL”

“LOL Sunshine. That's great. If I had a front porch (or even a second room for that matter) I'd probably end up doing the same thing.”

“I have TWO closets in my very small bedrom. I hang my sleeping bag and tent and pack on hangers in the one that also houses the hot water heater.
The rest of my gear is in plastic bins in the other closet. :)”

“like bacpac said, i store mine in a large cotton sack.

i store my tent in the same-sized, large sack.”

“Iced Tea, everyone needs to do tax returns, and other things that require reading even if you have the most basic job.

Maybe you should consider lumberjack or a hick, because you spelt anything wrong. It's one word, lol. Get out your dictionary young man. It may be a small hassle, but you will be proud of the results.

There are more non-reading jobs you could have, but they involve doody. You could clean elephant doody at the circus. You could clean toilets for rich people. You could walk dogs & clean up doody. There's a lot more doody where that came from, so study up.”

“hey! he knows "elucidate".

that is somewhat nifty!”

“Rad, Wait until he turns doody-something, when he won't be able to learn as quickly, lol.”

“damn, i hope i never turn doody-something.”

“lipstick hiker is absolutely right. Even hicks need to know how to spell. And if you are on a job that involves picking up doody, you must know how to spell doody so STUDY UP! I quit trusting spell check when it corrected my spelling of Wal-Mart. UGH!

I just got a new bag and didn't know that storing it out of the stuff sack was a good idea. Thanks guys/gals for the heads up.”

“ok..so hang your tent and inflatable mattress too?
good reason to throw the husbands clothes out the door..THANKS !!!!”

“put yo bag in a sack, fool!”

“Rad's bag isnt hung..either is the rest of him...”

“the truth scares her.

as well it should!”

“LOL...

Its not the truth that scares me Rad..its YOU..”

“I'm so confused. Hang it or bag it?”

“whatever you want!

i put mine loosely in a large bag, some folks hang it, some just throw it and leave it where it lands! just don't leave it stuffed in it's stuffsack.

hike your own hike!

bag your own bag!”

“OK, now I've got it. I would have left it in the stuffsack but now I know better. I'm slow but sure. ha!”

“It depends on the type of bag it is. I store my Sierra Design down as loose as possible. I could my Wiggy under the wheels of a truck and not lose loft. The bag maker can give you the best information on storage.”

“I have a TrailTalk Room at my house. It's a room which the previous owners used as a nursery beside the Master bedroom. All I have in that room is a desk,at which I set my laptop when at home and my gear.Ihave 5 fartsacks hanging over a chair and the rest of my gear is on some built into the wall shelves.My wife hates it and when she complains about it I just put another map on the wall in there. I call it my war room with all the maps but it's really a room for daydreamin when I can't get out on the trail.”

“I see a lot of you have stuff in the closet.

We all know cotton kills!

One of ya even keeps it in the ATTIC(the correct spelling)!

radagast, I suppose you want us(or at least the girlz) to believe that you throw that sack over your shoulder......like a continental soldier.....do you ballz hang looooooowwwwwwww?

I keep my fart sacks in cotton sacks.
And not in a closet......on shelves in the basement.....so's they can collect dust.

lipostick, I got my dictionary handy too!”

“I must confess, we have a gear room. Yes, an entire room for gear. Well...it also houses my son's exercise equipment. What can I say? We have a ton of gear. Car camping gear, backpacking gear, paddling gear and fishing gear.

The sleeping bags are hung in the closet along with the packs. The Therma rests are standing upright at the back of the closet.”

“Elucidate is a SAT vocabulary word, that is why I know that word. I can spell well but i have a large vocabulary.”

“Where are you from?”

“Loose cotton bags are the best for sleeping bags. When a sleeping bag is hung for a long time, gravity can collect the down together in clumps in some bags, and can help some artificial lining come loose from their backing.

I find that dryers are OK if set on "air" and are usually OK on the lowest heat settings (check them often as a precaution).

Sleeping bag liners are useful for extra warmth (or using with the sleeping bag mostly open on hot nights) and keeping the bags clean.”

“NY, NJ, PA, area.”

“NY, NJ, PA, area. That is one thing I will not tell ( what state I am from).”