Posts Tagged ‘Sleeping Bags Care and Maintenance’
How to Take Care of your Sleeping Bags
Together with your tent and other camping materials, your sleeping bag is your reliable partner in your camping adventure. Like all other camping gear and equipment your camping pal deserves proper care and maintenance in order to maximize its purpose. From usage, storage, washing and drying, every backpacker should know how to take care of their sleeping bags.
In order for you to have the ultimate insulation capacity in your sleeping bag, it is proper for you to let it expand an hour before you go to sleep. Your sleeping bag surely has moisture and unwanted smell stored on it during the camping trip. It is but proper for you to let it dry under the sun and help your bag smells fresh again.
The sleeping bag’s zipper system is a feature that each serious camper takes into consideration. It is because it has a great impact on the bag’s insulation. You should treat your zipper with extra care. If you happen to have a bag with zippers that meet at the middle, balance the workload of each one to avoid chances of it jumping off the track. Just in case you encounter rough spots or stuck zippers, the graphite of the pencil can serve as a lubricant when you rub it along the zipper’s teeth. The bottom line is that you should get a sleeping bag that offers a great zipper system like Marmot Helium Bag .
Unless you went out for a month-long camping, it is not necessary for your sleeping bag to be washed after they were used. Nonetheless, you still have to make sure that you follow strictly the directions for washing. Make sure to use only mild soap in to wash sleeping bags made from down materials. Use only lukewarm water and as much as possible use bathtub or something that you can completely submerge the sleeping bag in water. Rinse thoroughly until all water and soap are completely removed. Let the sleeping bag dry in the sun. Make sure you shake it occasionally to help remove water faster.
Proper storage will help your sleeping bag lasts for years. Do not compress the bag before storage as this will lose its loft and thus losing its insulating ability. Sleeping bag should not be rolled up or stuffed tightly in a compression sack. It should be given enough time to air out and store loosely in a breathable sack usually made of canvass. Never store your bag in the stuff sack when it is wet. You may store your sleeping bag by laying it loosely in a shelf or just hang it at the foot in the closet. If you stored it in the stuff sack, make sure to take it out and fluff it every three or six months in order to maintain its loft.