Stuffing Tents into Sacks

Of course I DELIBERATELY titled the thread 'Stuffing Tents into Sacks' when
it should have been sleeping bags. It is late, I have 'flu and I'm starting
to get old.
--
Gary Webster
Stafford, England.

"Gary Webster" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Following on from an earlier thread, have I understood it right that
synthetic sleeping bags need to be rolled carefully before putting them
into their stuff sacs?

I just bought a North Face Cat's Miaow, which comes with two stuff sacks,
one of which is insanely lardge and the other insanely small. The only way
I can get the sleeping bag into the small sack is by shoving it in in
handfuls.

Will this damage the sleeping bag?
--
Gary Webster
Stafford, England.

My understanding with sleeping bags is this. You should as the name
suggests stuff them in bit by bit. This prevents damage due to stress on
particular points if it is always packed in the same way.

Regards, Bob

"Gary Webster" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Of course I DELIBERATELY titled the thread 'Stuffing Tents into Sacks'
when
it should have been sleeping bags. It is late, I have 'flu and I'm
starting
to get old.
--
Gary Webster
Stafford, England.

From one oldie to an almost oldie!.....stuffing it in in handfuls is the
best way. If you fold it the bag can get permanent folds/creases which get
denuded of down/fibre. Shoving it in haphazardly guards against this mostly.

Gary Webster said:

Following on from an earlier thread, have I understood it right that
synthetic sleeping bags need to be rolled carefully before putting them
into their stuff sacs?

I just bought a North Face Cat's Miaow, which comes with two stuff sacks,
one of which is insanely lardge and the other insanely small. The only way
I can get the sleeping bag into the small sack is by shoving it in in
handfuls.

Will this damage the sleeping bag?

Try stuffing into big sack then easing that into the smaller sack? May
work.....

Gary Webster said:

Following on from an earlier thread, have I understood it right that
synthetic sleeping bags need to be rolled carefully before putting them
into their stuff sacs?

I just bought a North Face Cat's Miaow, which comes with two stuff sacks,
one of which is insanely lardge and the other insanely small. The only way
I can get the sleeping bag into the small sack is by shoving it in in
handfuls.

Will this damage the sleeping bag?

I've got one of these. The big sack is for storage. Best way to pack is
to just push handfulls of the bag into the stuff sack. Starting at the
bottom end seems to work best for some reason. Minimise the amount of
time the bag spends in the stuff sack - take it out as soon as you as
you get home.
I sometimes don't use the stuff sack at all, just pushing the bag down
into my sack liner first then packing everything else in afterwards
seems to squash it down nicely. Using a stuff sack doesn't seem to make
that much difference to what I can get in my backpack, probably because
the bag can spread out into the corners of the pack.
Tony

Gary Webster said:

Following on from an earlier thread, have I understood it right that
synthetic sleeping bags need to be rolled carefully before putting them
into their stuff sacs?

No.

Quoted message said:

I just bought a North Face Cat's Miaow, which comes with two stuff sacks,
one of which is insanely lardge and the other insanely small. The only way
I can get the sleeping bag into the small sack is by shoving it in in
handfuls.

Will this damage the sleeping bag?

Yes and no... storing synthetics highly compressed will reduce their
working life more than storing them loosely, but it shouldn't make any
difference if you stuff by the handfull or roll. If you store them
loosely that's fine for the cupboard, but would require a wheelbarrow to
get it anywhere which is not so convenient for backpacking...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

"Gary Webster" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I just bought a North Face Cat's Miaow, which comes with two stuff sacks,
one of which is insanely lardge and the other insanely small. The only way
I can get the sleeping bag into the small sack is by shoving it in in
handfuls.

Will this damage the sleeping bag?

Not really. The small stuff sack should be used as it's called, you stuff
the sleeping bag in handful by handful so it's really small to fit in your
rucksack.
The big sack is to keep the s/bag in when it's in storage, this after you've
aired it out. That way the fibres are kept loose and don't develop serious
longterm creases which could shorten their lifespan.

HTH,
Nick

Nick Pedley said:

Quoted message said:

Will this damage the sleeping bag?

Not really. The small stuff sack should be used as it's called, you
stuff the sleeping bag in handful by handful so it's really small to
fit in your rucksack.
The big sack is to keep the s/bag in when it's in storage, this after
you've aired it out. That way the fibres are kept loose and don't
develop serious longterm creases which could shorten their lifespan.

Would leaving a down back packed tighly for 3 or 4 days cause a problem?

Mr. Paranoid.
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk
http://www.wildwales.fsnet.co.uk

Paul Saunders said:

Nick Pedley said:

Quoted message said:

Will this damage the sleeping bag?

Not really. The small stuff sack should be used as it's called, you
stuff the sleeping bag in handful by handful so it's really small to
fit in your rucksack.
The big sack is to keep the s/bag in when it's in storage, this after
you've aired it out. That way the fibres are kept loose and don't
develop serious longterm creases which could shorten their lifespan.

Would leaving a down back packed tighly for 3 or 4 days cause a problem?

Only if it's really damp. In the field in the UK you would probably be OK
though as it would be too cold for mildew to get a hold (just make sure you
air it out when you get home)

Quoted message said:

Mr. Paranoid.

Chris Street said:

Quoted message said:

Would leaving a down back packed tighly for 3 or 4 days cause a
problem?

Only if it's really damp. In the field in the UK you would probably
be OK though as it would be too cold for mildew to get a hold (just
make sure you air it out when you get home)

No, it wasn't damp, just forgot to unpack it for a few days. Maybe I'm
just imaging that it isn't lofting quite as much. Maybe just paranoid.

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk
http://www.wildwales.fsnet.co.uk

Paul Saunders said:

Would leaving a down back packed tighly for 3 or 4 days cause a problem?

Chris T has posted on this before: IIRC he said current thinking is that
with down it's the act of being packed that will cause any degree of
degradation, and once you /are/ packed then the duration doesn't really
matter.

It's worth storing them loose as this will ensure they're well aired,
but once they are then they can be packed small. Chris reported one
that had been vacuum packed for years and seemed fine on release.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch said:

Quoted message said:

Would leaving a down back packed tighly for 3 or 4 days cause a
problem?

Chris T has posted on this before: IIRC he said current thinking is
that with down it's the act of being packed that will cause any
degree of degradation, and once you /are/ packed then the duration
doesn't really matter.

So it actually causes more harm to unpack it and later pack it again if
it doesn't need to be unpacked in the first place?

Quoted message said:

It's worth storing them loose as this will ensure they're well aired,
but once they are then they can be packed small.

So if it's already well aired it's better off not unpacking it?

Thanks for this. Not sure I really believe yet though, after all my
experience of synthetics.

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk
http://www.wildwales.fsnet.co.uk

In article <[email hidden]>, Paul Saunders
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Peter Clinch said:

Quoted message said:

Would leaving a down back packed tighly for 3 or 4 days cause a
problem?

Chris T has posted on this before: IIRC he said current thinking is
that with down it's the act of being packed that will cause any
degree of degradation, and once you /are/ packed then the duration
doesn't really matter.

So it actually causes more harm to unpack it and later pack it again if
it doesn't need to be unpacked in the first place?

Quoted message said:

It's worth storing them loose as this will ensure they're well aired,
but once they are then they can be packed small.

So if it's already well aired it's better off not unpacking it?

Rab still say store down uncompressed.

http://www.rab.uk.com/pages/care/care.html

I go along with that and keep my down bags loosely stored in cotton
pillow cases. Two of the bags are approaching 20 years old and are still
going strong.

--

Dominic Sexton
http://www.dscs.demon.co.uk/

In message <[email hidden]>, Paul Saunders
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Peter Clinch said:

Quoted message said:

Would leaving a down back packed tighly for 3 or 4 days cause a
problem?

Chris T has posted on this before: IIRC he said current thinking is
that with down it's the act of being packed that will cause any
degree of degradation, and once you /are/ packed then the duration
doesn't really matter.

So it actually causes more harm to unpack it and later pack it again if
it doesn't need to be unpacked in the first place?

Not necessarily. If you stuff the bag gently it shouldn't do any harm.
Stuff it in roughly and you could tear the down. Down is pretty tough
stuff though. I've used down bags on six month trips and the down has
been fine at the finish.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

It's worth storing them loose as this will ensure they're well aired,
but once they are then they can be packed small.

So if it's already well aired it's better off not unpacking it?

I'd still unpack it. Even well aired down could have a little moisture
in it. Also, down has a "memory". After prolonged stuffing it takes a
while to regain it's loft.

Quoted message said:

Thanks for this. Not sure I really believe yet though, after all my
experience of synthetics.

There's no comparison. Down is much, much more durable than synthetics.
Synthetics start to lose loft immediately, their own weight compresses
them. Store them stuffed and much of the fill stays compressed. Ideally
synthetics should never be stuffed but always carried in a large roomy
bag yet most are stuffed in the factory and then stay stuffed in the
store. GoLite tried to overcome this by buying synthetics that had never
been compressed and then selling bags and garments in large sacks. It
was impractical though. I only use synthetic sleeping bags when testing
them. I use synthetic filled garments much more often. I always carry a
garment at the top of the pack, stuffed in loosely so it isn't very
compressed.
--
Chris

http://www.auchnarrow.demon.co.uk

Paul Saunders said:

So it actually causes more harm to unpack it and later pack it again if
it doesn't need to be unpacked in the first place?

So seems to be current thinking from the UK down folk that Chris spoke
to. Have a Google with him as author to check.

Quoted message said:

So if it's already well aired it's better off not unpacking it?

Doesn't appear to be much point.

Quoted message said:

Thanks for this. Not sure I really believe yet though, after all my
experience of synthetics.

My brother has kept his stored long term in its stuffsack for years and
it doesn't seem to have done it any harm.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

On Fri, 1 Oct 2004 00:49:52 +0100, "Paul Saunders"
<[email hidden]> wrote:

[...]

Quoted message said:

Would leaving a down back packed tighly for 3 or 4 days cause a problem?

Mr. Paranoid.

I'm afraid so. It'll be absolutely knackered now.

Save yourself the misery of seeing what you've done to it. Just pack
it up fast and send it along to me...

;-)

Best wishes,
--
Peewiglet

"Peewiglet" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Fri, 1 Oct 2004 00:49:52 +0100, "Paul Saunders"
<[email hidden]> wrote:

[...]

Quoted message said:

Would leaving a down back packed tighly for 3 or 4 days cause a

problem?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Mr. Paranoid.

I'm afraid so. It'll be absolutely knackered now.

Save yourself the misery of seeing what you've done to it. Just pack
it up fast and send it along to me...

I packed my sleeping bag up so tight it disappeared...and my
rucksack....and my binoculars. Ahhh, the joys of moving house!

Graham

Peewiglet said:

Save yourself the misery of seeing what you've done to it. Just pack
it up fast and send it along to me...

ROFL!

vG

Chris Townsend said:

Not necessarily. If you stuff the bag gently it shouldn't do any harm.
Stuff it in roughly and you could tear the down.

Ah! Gentle stuffing...

Quoted message said:

I'd still unpack it. Even well aired down could have a little moisture
in it. Also, down has a "memory". After prolonged stuffing it takes a
while to regain it's loft.

But it will eventually? If not damaged?

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk
http://www.wildwales.fsnet.co.uk