Forum Index > Gear Talk > Compressing down - how bad is it?
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mbtigger
Sherpa Da



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mbtigger
Sherpa Da
PostSat May 21, 2011 3:41 pm 
I have a 20 degree feathered friends down bag that is almost 20 years old that I have stuffed but not compressed and I keep hanging in my closet when not in use. Still seems to have it's loft and can be be real warm in the summer time.... Last year I bought a Marmot 40 degree down bag on closeout from STP for (which my wife has made a nice coupler for!). But the stuff sack it came with was real loose. I was thinking of getting a compression sack for this. Thre is some argument out there about how bad compressing your down sleeping bag is, but I wonder how much and how long it takes to notice. Roughly How many times would people suspect I could compress my 40 degree bag before it no longer keeps me warm at 40 ?(ok - this assumes it keeps me warm at 40 NOW). If I can compress it a dozen times a year for many years before I notice, it might be worth it to compress the bag. Although since the FF bag is about 3x the price of the marmot bag I doubt I would ever feel comfortable compressing that one...

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Slugman
It’s a Slugfest!



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PostSat May 21, 2011 4:23 pm 
I never fully compress down. I'm not sure it helps, but I do have a 35 year old sleeping bag that's as lofty as the day I got it (mid-70's, from EMS). And it was my everyday bag until a couple of years ago. I put my bag in the bottom of my pack, and let the stuff I put in after compress it as much as needs to happen. That also means it's never compressed more than it needs to be. I'm sure there are others far more knowledgeable than I am, so I'm also curious as to what they will say.

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Riverside Laker
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Riverside Laker
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PostSat May 21, 2011 9:17 pm 
Feathered Friends is pretty knowledgeable about down sleeping bags. You can contact them at (206) 292-2210.

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Backpacker Joe
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Backpacker Joe
Blind Hiker
PostSat May 21, 2011 9:32 pm 
REALLY BAD! Keep your bag in its BIG bag or on top of a bed or in a closet floor.

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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mbtigger
Sherpa Da



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mbtigger
Sherpa Da
PostSun May 22, 2011 7:34 am 
I'm just talking about compression bags for trips - I always storre them hanging loose in a closet when ot in use.

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Backpacker Joe
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Backpacker Joe
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PostSun May 22, 2011 12:17 pm 
That really isn't an issue. On a trip the bag isn't compressed long enough to harm it.

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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Ziploc
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Ziploc
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PostSun May 22, 2011 12:34 pm 
I've thought about using a strapped compression sack for my down bag and was told by WM that it would be fine. But packing a cannon ball shape into the backpack probably wastes just as much space as it's trying to save.

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Allison
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Allison
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PostSun May 22, 2011 12:43 pm 
Ziploc wrote:
I've thought about using a strapped compression sack for my down bag and was told by WM that it would be fine. But packing a cannon ball shape into the backpack probably wastes just as much space as it's trying to save.
ITA on this. Been carrying my sleeping bag (and tent and fly) loose and uncompressed in my pack for years.

www.allisonoutside.com follow me on Twitter! @AllisonLWoods
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Bedivere
Why Do Witches Burn?



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Bedivere
Why Do Witches Burn?
PostSun May 22, 2011 3:16 pm 
I thought one of the big advantages to down bags (besides weight/loft ratio) was that they could be compressed many more times than a synthetic bag before losing their loft...??? I just bought a Feathered Friends 30 degree "Osprey" bag. Can't wait to try it out. It packs down smaller and is a pound lighter than my Mountain Hardwear 20 degree bag.

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mike220
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mike220
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PostSun May 22, 2011 5:15 pm 
Sorry for the thread drift, but did you get one with the new material, (pertex UL), and the new cut to the bag? I ordered mine today, (30 degree bag) waiting the two weeeks to get it. The folks at the store said it has been along time since they changed the cut or materials.

"Natural stupidity trumps artificial intelligence every time"
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mbtigger
Sherpa Da



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mbtigger
Sherpa Da
PostSun May 22, 2011 9:03 pm 
I am sure you will love it Willie. While my new Marmot bag is significantly lighter, the FF bag incredibly well built. The whole idea behind the Marmot bag was that we were pretty sure we could make a coupler and then be able to carry 2 bags for4 people ( since our FF puffin bag is already coupled) on trips. It makes the Sherpa Da thing a lot easier! Which is why if I can compress the marmot bag on trips over the next 10 years and still have it work I will call it good even if I have to say sayonara to the bag after that point. And If I can compress it on trips over he next 10 years it will be a bt easier.. P.S. On packing I usually stuff tents and sleeping bags and fill the interstitial spaces with my clothing and such. It never occured to me to used my tent o bag as space fillers- I jst assumed they would take up to much.... MB

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Bedivere
Why Do Witches Burn?



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Bedivere
Why Do Witches Burn?
PostMon May 23, 2011 12:54 pm 
mike220 wrote:
Sorry for the thread drift, but did you get one with the new material, (pertex UL), and the new cut to the bag? I ordered mine today, (30 degree bag) waiting the two weeeks to get it. The folks at the store said it has been along time since they changed the cut or materials.
Nope, they never mentioned those options. Mine is the Epic fabric, same bag they've been making for years. They had it in stock when I went down there so brought it home the same day. I really like the continuous baffles so that you can shift the down around to make the bag warmer or cooler. Only other place I can (or am willing) lose any significant weight now is my pack itself but since I'm not working that's not going to happen this year. I could go with an alcohol stove and iodine tablets and save more weight that way, but who wants to do that?

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mbtigger
Sherpa Da



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mbtigger
Sherpa Da
PostMon May 23, 2011 2:49 pm 
It takes very little to make a home made alcohol stove and test it out. With space and weight at a premium since I carry just about all the gear for 3 people when I play Sherpa Da, I have become an alcohol convert for my 2-3 jaunts with my kinder.

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Allison
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Allison
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PostMon May 23, 2011 2:56 pm 
Chainsaw_Willie wrote:
iodine tablets and save more weight that way, but who wants to do that?
Especially since iodine won't protect you against Crypto. giardia.gif

www.allisonoutside.com follow me on Twitter! @AllisonLWoods
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Bedivere
Why Do Witches Burn?



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Bedivere
Why Do Witches Burn?
PostMon May 23, 2011 5:36 pm 
mbtigger wrote:
It takes very little to make a home made alcohol stove and test it out. With space and weight at a premium since I carry just about all the gear for 3 people when I play Sherpa Da, I have become an alcohol convert for my 2-3 jaunts with my kinder.
Alcohol stoves suck. Sorry, JMO. I want to be able to cook and get water to boil sometime this century, especially if it's cold and windy. Also like being able to turn the stove off when I'm done, control the temperature during cooking, and not have any worries about it running out of fuel in the middle of the cooking/boiling process. I've watched "converts" fiddle with their alcohol stoves and it just aint for me. It's one of those things where I'm willing to carry a few extra ounces for the utility and convenience.

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