UKC

Almost time to pack away the down jackets for the summer. After a clean is it ok to put them into one of those vacuum bags and shrink them down or would that damage the down (jackets are natural down, not anything synthetic)?

In reply to Stone_donkey:
Not sure if this is a serious question but down hear should be stored loosely where it can loft, leaving it compressed for long periods of time damages it and is warned against by all manufacturers afaik.

In reply to Stone_donkey:

When my PHD Hispar arrived it was vacuum packed. I released it from captivity and it spent a couple of hours gradually swelling on my bed, with a bit of encouragement from the occasional gentle shake. It was fine - but it would only have been vacuum packed for a couple of days during transit, and since then when it's not been out playing, it's lived in a large loose sack.

I wouldn't store my down vacuum packed for a summer.

In reply to Stone_donkey:

I wouldn't vacuum pack it, down needs to stay lofted to stay in good condition.

In reply to Stone_donkey:

Mine down bag came with a big mesh storage bag and the manual says to use it as such...

In reply to Welsh Kate:


Especially in the UK as you'll probably be needing it in June.

In reply to Stone_donkey:

Yes it was a serious question! Thanks - verdict seems to be leave it lofted and yes, it's May and I'm still using it after all..

In reply to RhysRolfe:


I know this is the recommendation, but just for info I've always stored my down things packed away. Its never made the slightest difference to the lofting when I get it out - by that I mean my lovely Rab sleeping bag is warm and toasty camping at minus temperatures when friends seem to be wearing thermals and hats in bed and the down jacket works a treat sitting around on cold campsites, which is when it mainly seems to be used now I don't drag it off to the Alps.

I also store all my Thermorests rolled up and packed away, against advice and they work just perfectly.

I do wonder if manufacturers over-egg this compression thing.

In reply to Stone_donkey:

I found this

"How to use compression bags for down or feathers without damaging them

Having said why you shouldn’t use vacuum storage for down and feather, we’re now going to tell you how you can do it anyway, as long as you understand that this is at you own risk, and you’ve read what can happen to the duvets.

Pack the bedding into a suitably large vacuum storage bag. Seal it properly and check the zip is fully sealed as normal. Attach the vacuum cleaner to the valve and start removing the air. Pat the bag as you do it to ensure the bedding is packing down evenly. Do not remove all the air. Stop removing the air when the duvet is reduced down in size, but before it has been compacted to the point that the down is being compressed or quills broken. This means leaving in 20-30% of the air.

You should determine how much air exactly to remove on a case by case basis. So, rather than take all the air out at once, do it in small steps, checking the bag and contents as you go to ensure that you don’t overdo it. You will still have a significantly reduced size and an easy way to store the duvets, but you shouldn’t have done any damage to the bedding.

When you take the duvet back out, ensure you fully shake it to get the air back in and re-ventilate the down."

In reply to Welsh Kate:


Fnarr, fnarr......

In reply to Babika:
"I also store all my Thermorests rolled up and packed away, against advice and they work just perfectly. "

Didn't even know that was a recommendation.