Keeping Down Sleeping Bag Dry

imported
#1

I want to get a down sleeping… but the thought of it getting wet is keeping me up at night.

What do those with down bags do to ensure that it stays dry?

Johnny Quest

#2

I have a down sleeping bag that I just love. I would suggest it to anyone. For me, keeping it dry isn’t too hard, I just make sure to keep it in a water-resistant packingbag. Making sure it is dry doesn’t even matter when you think of the pros of down. I trust down much more than synthetics; they tend to have a longer life and keep you warmer.

Tala

#3

The new fabrics these days are water repelent.Look at the Mountain Hardware line.I’m carring a down bag for the first time for our fall/earley winter hike this year.Good luck.:happy :happy

tattoogranny

#4

We used down bags for our thru-hike. My husband was VERY hesitant, same worries as you. However, as Tattoogranny said, the new fabrics keep moisture out.
Make sure you are not sleeping in a puddle of water all night and you won’t have any problems. Our bags could get condensation on them from the sides of our tent, but it wiped off with a bandana. Our bags (the down) never got wet.

Cobra

#5

Hey Cobra! How are you and Splash doing?

I’m a fairly recent down convert, looking forward to some cold weather so I can play with my new WM bag. The current shell fabrics are truly amazing, very water repellant while still air permeable to let the down loft up. Keeping any sleeping bag dry isn’t really all that hard. Pick a campsite with good drainage (high ground, preferably that will absorb water) and pack it in a waterproof stuff sack as others have mentioned. Have fun!

Skittles

#6

The only time I got my bag wet (Western Mountaineering Highlight) was during a wicked-nasty rain storm, where my tent floody. Because I had 3/4 matress, the bottom of my sleeping bag got soaked.

To my suprise the bag dried only after a couple of hours of hanging from a tree during a sunny morning.

I usually throw it into a normal garbage bag before it goes into my back.

Jeff T

#7

I have hiked through cold, ice, sleet, and snow and love my BLue Kazoo 20 degree bag. It never got wet enough to matter. You can pour a glass of water over it and it just runs off-not even damp. Like the post above mentioned, you’d have to lay in water for an extended period of time to really matter.

Zydecajun

#8

HEY CAJUN!!!

Jeff T, I have a question 4 u. I’ve experienced bad weather with a pretty bad synthetic bag and it was a miserable night. when you soaked your bag were you able to sleep through it or did you suffer. you mentioned you hung your bag out, did you have good weather the day after ? I’ve never used down but I’ve researched alot.

magic

#9

It was a very warm night, so the wet bag didn’t suck heat away. So it wasn’t all that bad. What did keep me up was the constant, and I mean constant thunder and lightning, and the wind blowing the tent walls in. (I wasn’t expecting the storm and should have used the guylines). Got to sleep after the storm died down, even though my bag was well. This was early July in PA near Harrisburg.

Ya, it was sunny the next morning.

Jeff T

#10

When I first switched to down I have the same concern. I tested my bag before setting out on a hike. I poured a nalgene bottle full of water on top of my bag and let it set there for quite awhile. I then wiped the water off and noticed the inside of the bag was completly dry. I would image you would have to be in a severe storm were your bag was submerged all night in water for it to be a real issue.

guru

#11

i lined my pack with a garbage bag and never had a problem keeping it dry. If you are interested, i’m selling a Western Mountaineering Ultralite(25 degree/1 lbs 11 oz) for $200. I used it from springer to damascus, and is in like new condition. Send me an email if you are interested.

freeze

#12

Your going to be wet in your bag all the time. I just got done with a thru hike, and mine was wet all the time. The trick is, each time you go into town you throw it in the dryer for a few minutes. That will get the mosture out of it. I got screwed coming out of Caratunk in a down pour. I had to wring my bag out, and sleep in it. I was so use to it by that point it didn’t even mater. I think it is fun sleeping out cowboy style in the rain. You get to the point it doesn’t even bother you. So suck it up, and realize it is a fact of trail life.

hustler

#13

Wringing out a down bag? Let me know how long that bag lasts…

And sleeping wet might be ok in some parts of the country during some seasons, but if it’s a “fact of trail life” for you, you’ll eventually wake up dead.

Jeff