Down Bag Packing - Timing

“At home, I store my down bag in the big cotton bag they provided, so it stays fluffy when I'm not using it. When I get to camp, I unstuff it from my pack ASAP to get the loft going. But is there a rule of thumb regarding when to stuff it in the pack? I like to pack up my stuff a couple of days before a trip - will stuffing and packing my down bag 2, 3, or more days before departing have a major affect on loft (and warmth)? Or is it OK as long as I unpack early in camp?”

“I usually wait till the day I leave to stuff mine - but I’m slightly compulsive so don’t ask me.”

“I've already found that the less time a down bag stays compacted the better. If it stays packed for a few days, it takes a long time to fluff it out properly. Its a Marmot Hydrogen, by the way.”

“Only slightly compulsive?”

“OK - I'm pretty much a textbook case.”

“I usually stuff mine in the stuff sack at the trailhead. I'm sure that's over the top, but that's me.”

“Man you guys are really anal!

I stuff mine to pack my pack and then unstuff it until i am ready to leave for the trip.”

“In my experience a couple of days is no problem. I hate packing up the same day as I leave.”

“Mine was stuffed for nearly a month before the Savage Gulf trip, and I didn't have any trouble with it fluffing back up. I did unstuff it as soon as I got my tent set up the first night, though, so it had about 5-6 hours to fluff.

I don't recommend this, of course. Normally I store mine hanging.”

“Thanks so far, everyone!”

“And pack the night before, or maybe two at the most.”

“I'm another one who packs my bag that morning....and that usually means at 5:00 am.



But then, I have one zero degree, down bag thats over 22 years old, and it's still in great shape...Hikerchic used it during Winterfest.”

“I a few years ago I took this guy on a winter trip. One of the first questions I asked him was if he had a good winter bag, he said he had camped on a glacier in Norway with it (or something like that)about 4 years before.

While I was cooking, my buddy laid out his bag and I heard this long, Ohoooooo noooooo. When I peeked into the tent his bag had lofted up to about an inch....and stayed there. I asked him when the last time he had used the bag and he looked a little sheepish and said, "about 4 years ago". When I asked how long it had been in the stuff sack he almost cried as he said..."about 4 years"

He asked me "what am I going to do"

I told him he was going to die.


OK, he didn't die, but he had the most miserable night I have ever seen someone have and NOT die.”

“OK, you're scaring me now, mtnsteve. I think I will leave my bag hanging comfortably in the spare room until about 11:59 Friday morning (my pals are due to pick me up at noon)....”

“LMAO mtnsteve!”

“Its best to leave it stuffed as little as possible.

They are packed tight at the factory a sometimes remain that way for months.

A few days or even a week is OK.”

“This often becomes a subject of debate in our household. I'll be interested to see what the consensus becomes.

I have noticed that when I stuff my bag the night before a trip, that I sleep warmer the second night out than I did on the first night. When I stuff it at the trailhead I sleep equally warm each night.

I'm sure G00SE interprets this to mean he is RIGHT. Whatnever.”

“LMAO, Mtnsteve, the Brits say there are two stages of suffering: Stage 1, You're afraid you're going to die. Stage 2, You're afriad you WON'T die.

My winter bag is lying inside out on the second couch right now. Then it will go on the shelf in my bedroom closet in its BIG stuff sack with the VBL and the compression sack inside. My summer bag is still there in a pillow ticking.

BTW, I got the summer bag from Campmor in 1988. It's an El Cheapo Slumberjack. I wash my bags after every outing and store them well. Both are Slumberjacks and I am completely satisfied with them.

I can't see a couple of days in the pack as a problem, however.”

“I keep mine stored in the giant cotton sack that came with it...

I pack up my whole backpack well before leaving for a trip (wellllll...usually) BUT I don't stuff my bag until I get to the trailhead and am ready to hit the trail. After returning from a trip, I take the bag out ASAP and hang it up, fluffy to completely air out, etc for at least a day.

I just love my Western Mountaineering bag. It's my precioussssssss.

>;D”

“I call my WM Big Horn, Puff”

“I usually hang mine until i'm expecting pple over then i put it in the big laundry sack...and then will hang it back out when i'm planning a trip....kinda motivates me to start packing...but i did come home one day and see it hanging off the hall closet and almost $h!t myself cause i thought it was someone”