What can possibly go wrong?

[Deleted account 240831001]

I was having a bit of a sort out earlier today and noticed my old Helly Hansen down sleeping bag that kept me warm on a lot of mountains and even a fair number of caving trips when we were underground for 3-4 days and decided to wash it and see if it stops smelling as if an unwashed climber or caver has been sleeping in it numerous occasions. It’s also 40 years old and has never been washed properly

This bag is a proper old fashioned thing with no zip to let me down and it probably needs throwing away but I’ve given it two cycles on a warm wash with the correct cleaning liquid and it’s now rumbling around in the tumble dryer with three of the spikey balls you get with the cleaner.

Place bets now on whether it ends up being usable again.

 

[bod]

Clumptus Fucktus is the Latin word I'd use.

 

[Deleted account 240831001]

Clumptus Fucktus is the Latin word I'd use.

That’s the biggest risk really. It’s a 4 seasons bag but it had lost most of its loft so was really only any good for using inside a lightweight bag as a top up and if it ends up a disaster I’ll not shed any tears.

I used it inside a summer synthetic filled bag when I was caving because of the damp underground and it was fine for that and to be honest I’d probably only use it in a bivvy bag where I was likely to get into it with my clothes on these days rather than fuck up a good bag but it’s worth a go.

 

[bod]

I baulked at the price of these a few years back when they were under £500

Torpedo 900 | Crux UK | Clothing | Backpacks | Tents | Sleeping Bags

www.crux.uk.com

Hydrophobic down with an eVent shell ... should have bought one at the time, really.

Strange how top end gear always seemed miles out of reach, whether it be climbing, scuba, caving etc ...
Then for a bit it all seemed quite reasonable. Now it has become unjustifiable again, and wouldn't get used properly for fear of damage.

 

[Northern jock]

With the correct down wash stuff I reckon it'll work.

I'm just not going to commit as to which climate it will work in.

 

[Barnoe]

I honestly think the sleeping bag/setup is the most important kit and we should always pay the maximum we can.

At the end of any day, good or bad there is no better feeling than climbing into a good quality sleeping bag
and on the other end of the scale, there is nothing worse than climbing into a shit sleeping bag uncomfy and cold

How you fare the following day depends all on the above.

 

[Deleted account 240831001]

The Helly Hansen bag that’s currently in the tumble dryer cost me more than a weeks wages even after a girl I knew got me a decent staff discount. To say I was traumatised is an understatement, I asked her for a price so she ordered one then asked her boss the cost when it arrived and he told her it was a special order and couldn’t be returned.

I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said the amount of nights I used it ran into the hundreds so I got value for money in the end.

 

[Barnoe]

Just wondering Andy if your better drying it on a low heat for longer?
It might come out kiddie sleeping bag size

Any camping trips coming up with Warwick Davis?

 

[Deleted account 240831001]

Just wondering Andy if your better drying it on a low heat for longer?
It might come out kiddie sleeping bag size

Any camping trips coming up with Warwick Davis?

It’s on low heat and I’ve just checked to see how it’s doing with the news being so far so good

I’ve just turned it right way out after starting with it inside out so the cotton inner dries first, the bottom looks and feels damp as does the collar/hood section where it’s got a bit more down.

 

[Udders]

Fill power is where it’s at nowadays. Anything less than 800 is not making it into my collection. None of this synthetic stuff either. Packability is also very important. I can take more snacks if my kit size reduces.
Good luck with your old bag.
I‘m trying my best at not spending a large fortune with these people!

PHD | Sleeping Bags and Mountaineering Clothing | Made in England

www.phdesigns.co.uk

 

[bod]

I‘m trying my best at not spending a large fortune with these people!

I'm not even going to look!

 

[Deleted account 240831001]

I was fully expecting to be buying a new bag this year but I had the zip repaired in my ‘winter’ bag so I’ll not be bothering. I’ve used it to camp out when it was -20c in Norway and though I cheated and used a fleece liner I was able to sleep well wearing just my boxers.

If I can resurrect this one from the depths then it’s probably still adequate for all but the harshest conditions we get in the UK, especially if I use the fleece liner and Exped mat. I’ve just had another look and so far it’s coming out better than I expected.

I hate being cold but not as much as I hate being too hot at night so I’m happier using a slightly lower rated bag with a liner than take the beast and sweat my way through the night.

 

[Udders]

It’s always better being too hot than too cold. Cooling down is a lot easier than trying to warm up.

 

[AustinW]

I used these people https://www.mountaineering-designs.co.uk/cgi-bin/trolleyed_public.cgi?action=showprod_CLEAN to clean our Exped down duvet a couple of years back and to add a bit of extra down at the shoulder level panels. Great service made even better as one of the directors lives not too far away so collected and dropped off the duvet.

He said drying is absolutely key and our duvet was first tumbled for hours in an industrial sized tumbler then hung up in an industrial size airing cupboard being shook and turned regularly for a week before we got it back. Talk about fluffed up when we opened it up. Lovely.

He also said down is nearly always recoverable and really good down is worth reusing in another bag. Apart from dampness the other thing that most often degraded down is sweat, grease, dribble and other body stuff plus deodorants, make up, hair products and so on (said directed at my wife). He said always wear PJs or at least a T shirt as armpits are the worst culprit.

 

[Northern jock]

It’s always better being too hot than too cold. Cooling down is a lot easier than trying to warm up.

Except when its very hot. July in the Sahel can be hard work. On the roof of your 4wd so in a hoped for breeze and above the worst of the dust under a water soaked sheet.

 

[Udders]

Personally I’d rather sweat my nuts off than get hypothermia and frostbite.

 

[Deleted account 240831001]

Obviously I’ve not tried the bag out yet but the process does appear to have been a success. What was previously a rather grubby and for want of a better description ‘limp’ sleeping bag has recovered most of its loft and now fills the tumble dryer. There are a few clumps that need breaking up a bit but they’re only small and I’ll give it another 30 minutes at low temperature to see if the balls break them up. I think the thing it’d benefit most from is a morning hanging out to air when there’s a fair bit of warm, dry breeze about. That’s not this time of the year then

It feels as if it would certainly be warm enough at about 0c though how much the down would compress when using the bag is something that only use will tell me. Would I use it in conjunction with an Exped sleeping mat in winter? Yes but I’d take a liner as a back up.

 

[Deleted account 240831001]

With the correct down wash stuff I reckon it'll work.

I'm just not going to commit as to which climate it will work in.

You win the prize for the correct guess. If I make it up to Strontian you can collect the prize which is being allowed to be the first to try the new, clean sleeping bag

 

[Northern jock]

You win the prize for the correct guess. If I make it up to Strontian you can collect the prize which is being allowed to be the first to try the new, clean sleeping bag

I thought beer was a more traditional prize?

 

[Deleted account 240831001]

I thought beer was a more traditional prize?

Get with the times, this is where we’re at as we approach the end of 2023.