Ok, Sleeping bags, How do you care for them? Well, that is important to know because there is a whole lot of material in a sleeping bag. You don’t want that investment that you spent on a good bedroll to go to waste. It will if you don’t take care of your sleeping bag. After a couple years of negligent care that $300 sleeping bag wont be worth squat.
So how do you care for a sleeping bag?
The guys at Outdoor Vitals give you lots of pointers on how to keep your sleeping bag functioning at top performance.
While out in the wilds you want to turn your bag inside out and let it air out. THis helps to dry out the fibers so that the following night you will be nice and warm.
The Biggest pointer is… Don’t leave it rolled up after you get home. Don’t leave your sleeping bag stored in its compression bag. Unroll the bed and let
Next is use a sleeping bag liner which is basically a sheet for your sleeping bag does the same thing as a bedsheet. That is it wicks the sweat and oils produced by your body so that your Sleeping Bad or mattress becomes dirty as fast.
If you do need to wash your bag then. There are some specific points to know about especially if you are using a down filled bag. The super-secret ingredient to keep your down soft and fluffy is to use tennis balls. They bounce around and beat the feathers loose so that they are fluffed up correctly.
Drying that huge mound of material can be challenging. And Outdoor vitals says you will be drying the bag on low most of the day. They also mention that you may want to wash your bag in the bathtub if you do not have a front loading washer. The agitator will destroy your sleeping bag.
So there you go. You now have the very basics of caring for your sleeping bag. Hope this helps you stay nice warm and comfortable as you go out camping the coming spring.
