The Care and Storage of Your Sleeping Bag

Professional Washing:
Check the yellow pages listing under Camping, Backpacking, or Mountaineering Equipment for those who specialize in cleaning outdoor products. Some cleaners can wash (NOT dry clean) your bag, but be sure to ask if they specifically wash sleeping bags.

Home Washing:
Machine Wash— Wash in a front-loading machine. Wash warm, rinse cold. For down bags, use a mild soap or special down soap available at outdoor stores. For synthetic bags, use a mild detergent or special synthetic cleaning product. Use the minimum amount of cleaning agent. We recommend that you scrub the head and foot sections before you wash the entire bag. Get ALL the soap or detergent out of the bag. Use AT LEAST two rinse cycles.

Hand Wash— Wash in warm water in your bathtub using the same cleaning agents as above. Knead water through the bag THOROUGHLY. Again, we recommend scrubbing the head and foot before doing the whole bag. Rinse THOROUGHLY, making sure ALL of the cleaning agent is out of the bag. Use AT LEAST two rinse cycles.

Drying:
Tumble dry in large commercial dryer on MEDIUM-LOW heat. The dryer must be large enough for the bag to flop freely around. Be patient and dry slowly and THOROUGHLY.

No-Nos:
DO NOT use a top-loading washing machine. DO NOT use strong soap or detergent. DO NOT use your home dryer. DO NOT lift your bag from one end when wet (lift the entire bag all at once). DO NOT store in small stuff sack (use a larger storage sack). DO NOT dry in the sun (the UV will damage the nylon).

Storage:
You can extend the life of your sleeping bag by storing it loose, cool, and dry when not in use. All of our sleeping bags have hang loops near the foot end. They also come with a large mesh or cotton sack for storage. You depend on your bag when you’re out in the backcountry. A little extra care will keep it dependable for a long time.

The secret to making your bag last is to wash and store it properly. Careful, correct care will add years to the effective life of your bag.

Synthetic Bags
Versatility & Warmth with Shingle Construction