It is important to keep your sleeping bag clean and dry for the duration of your hike or travel trip to aid in the product’s longevity and performance. The technical performance (insulation, comfort and breathability) is affected by excess moisture (e.g. rain and condensation) as well as from grime (e.g. body oils, perspiration and spilt beverages) which all contribute to clogging up the insulating fibres. When this happens, the lofting ability of the filling is reduced and thermal insulation is impaired. It is therefore important to protect your bag by sleeping in clean clothing and taking adequate precautions to protect the bag from contamination.
An alternative to stocking up on clean clothing is to employ a sleeping bag liner, but it is important to use the correct liner for the intended purpose. Lightweight silk liners are perfect travel companions while warmer thermal liners are best suited to winter hiking conditions. The real value of sleeping liners is to be found their convenience. It’s very easy to wash a removable liner but much more complicated to launder a sleeping bag – especially a down-filled bag.
It is always a good idea to air your sleeping bag every day on your trip as this will help to keep the bag dry and lofty. This is done by turning the bag inside out and laying it in a well ventilated area to ensure all perspiration is removed from the previous night. It is important to avoid direct sunlight as long exposure to UV rays could damage or bleach the shell material.
Washing:
The most important consideration to note is that sleeping bags should not be dry-cleaned, especially not down sleeping bags. Neither should they be washed too frequently. When washing your sleeping bag, ensure that you use a gentle, non-detergent soap such as Nikwax Techwash for synthetic sleeping bags, or Nikwax Down wash for down sleeping bags. The safest way to wash both types of sleeping bags is by hand in a bathtub, following the washing instructions of the above recommended cleaners and ensuring that all excess soap is rinsed out before drying. Note: Never attempt to lift a saturated sleeping bag out of the bath as the weight of the water can damage the delicate internal channelling construction. Always squeeze excess water out of the sleeping bag before carefully transferring the bag from a bath or industrial washer.
Drying:
Air-drying, away from direct sunlight, is the best method to use. Normally this requires warm weather and low humidity and it takes quite a bit of time. We suggest avoiding tumble drying unless this method is carefully controlled. Generally a larger drier with a slow cycle and the lowest heat setting should be used. Note: Using a heat setting that is too high or a spinning cycle that is too fast or a tumbler that is too aggressive can cause irreparable damage to your sleeping bag.
Storage:
In order to prolong the life of your sleeping bag, we suggest that your bag is removed from its stuff bag in between trips so that it is allowed to regain its natural loft. The bag can them be stored loosely in a large fabric bag or left to hang in a dry, well ventilated cupboard. A bag left for long periods in its stuff bag will be unduly compressed and this will hinder the lofting ability of the filling when the bag is next used.
All K-Way technical apparel and gear is exclusively available at
Cape Union Mart.
Locate your closest Cape Union Mart by clicking
here, or visiting
www.capeunionmart.co.za.