Caring for Down Sleeping Bags

by Dave Gantz. 

In October of 2005, I purchased an 800-fill down sleeping bag.  This beauty only weighed 2 pounds, but it was rated to 15 degrees and packed down into a small stuff sack.  The retail value for this bag was $400.

9 years later, through tons of use and abuse, my down sleeping bag still keeps me warm at night.  There was one summer alone where I used this bag for 118 nights in a row!

The key is proper care.  While I don’t often wash my sleeping bag, it does happen once every year or so.  Last week, I snapped some photos of my bag as I was washing it and thought I’d share my washing method with you.

Down will lose its loft and warmth when wet and dirty.  Oils can especially be a problem for down feathers.   When your bag loses its loft, it needs to be washed.

1. Buy down wash.  This is a specific washing detergent that does not leave residue behind on the down feathers.  There are several brands of down wash available for sale.  Add the proper amount of down wash into either a front-loading washing machine (the agitator in top-loading machines can damage the bag) or a clean bathtub:

2. If you’re using a machine washer, set it to the gentle cycle with cold water and set as many rinse cycles as possible.  Similar rules apply for washing by hand: cool water, be gentle but thorough, do not ring the bag, but squeeze if necessary.  Soon enough, the dirt and oils from the bag will change the color of your bath water.

3. Most importantly might be the rinse cycle.  The bag needs to be rinsed several times to ensure that all of the oils and residue are gone.  A shower works well for this step if you’re washing in the tub.

4. After several rinsing sessions, the bag is ready to be dried.  Although the bag is extremely small when saturated, it will also be heavy.  I try to set my bag outside on a warm sunny day for a bit of pre-drying if possible.

5. To get your bag puffy again, it’s time to dry.  All we need are three clean tennis balls and a few hours in the drier on very low heat.

Note:  It may take at least 3 hours in the drier before the feathers completely dry and fluff again.  Be sure that the drier is able to maintain a low heat — high heat will destroy and melt the nylon outer material of your bag.

In turn, do not let your bag sit in the drier after the cycle has ended.  Metal zippers become very hot, even if the temp setting is low.  If the drier stops and the metal zippered is allowed to lie on the nylon fabric, it will melt a hole in your bag.

6. The last step is to admire your work, and then plan for your next outing!  Your clean bag should now be lighter, warmer, and more packable!