longevity of a down filled s-bag/peapod

**stevebo** · 11-14-2009, 13:43

One more question................with a down filled product, such as a peapod, what kind of life span can I expect before it would have to be replaced? Does the insulation degrade with time?

**beep** · 11-14-2009, 16:51

Originally Posted by stevebo

One more question................with a down filled product, such as a peapod, what kind of life span can I expect before it would have to be replaced? Does the insulation degrade with time?

While I don't have specific experience with a peapod, in general any good quality down product has a VERY long life so long as you keep it clean (washing and drying properly as needed (and that is much less often than I expected)) and store the item uncompressed.

I have a Holubar sleeping bag bought almost 40 years ago that it still as good as when I bought it...along with the Gerry down sweater that was part of my 1970's kit.

**Hawk-eye** · 11-14-2009, 16:57

Got a 40 year old Camp Seven bag that's still in great shape ... however ... I had a NF bag about 35 years ago that met with a untimely brutal death after failing me miserably in a freezing rain down pour in which I learned the weakness of down ... feathers and water don't mix. There is no wringing out the water and getting loft and warmth back ... when you need it. But I was young and immortal back then.

Long story short ... take care of it and maybe it looses some loft but if you keep it clean and store it properly ... I know it'll last at least 40 years! From personal experience.

**HappyCamper** · 11-15-2009, 08:07

Main secret is store uncompressed. They never told us that decades ago!

**deadeye** · 11-15-2009, 10:01

Ditto on the store uncompressed. My Gerry sleeping bag dates from 1969, and is as serviceable now as it was then.

**stevebo** · 11-15-2009, 16:18

When you say "store uncompressed", do you mean hanging loose, or just in a bigger stuff sack? What about storing it in a large plastic box, kept under the bed etc? Where do you guys store your down items?

**BillyBob58** · 11-15-2009, 16:32

Originally Posted by stevebo

When you say "store uncompressed", do you mean hanging loose, or just in a bigger stuff sack? What about storing it in a large plastic box, kept under the bed etc? Where do you guys store your down items?

I think that will be fine. A lot of down items are stored slightly compressed by the manufacturer for a long time before we get them. I usually hang mine in a closet, but sometimes in the storage bag provided by the manufacturer. I prefer something breathable,just make sure it is bone dry!

BTW, I ACCIDENTALLY stored my Patagonia vest tightly compressed in it's stuff sack for a really LONG time. I was sure I had ruined it. It took it a while, but now it looks, again, like the Michelin tire man, but green.

**TeeDee** · 11-15-2009, 17:14

Originally Posted by BillyBob58

I think that will be fine. A lot of down items are stored slightly compressed by the manufacturer for a long time before we get them. I usually hand mine in a closet, but sometimes in the storage bag provided by the manufacturer. I prefer something breathable,just make sure it is bone dry!

BTW, I ACCIDENTALLY stored my Patagonia vest tightly compressed in it's stuff sack for a really LONG time. I was sure I had ruined it. It took it a while, but now it looks, again, like the Michelin tire man, but green.

I'm very conflicted on compressing down.

We've had huge overstuffed down comforters (9 lbs of down in a King comforter) on our beds for over 30 years. They are still as lofty as the day we had them made. When we store them for the hot months (april/may to oct/nov), we just stuff them in heavy canvass bags that reduce the size to about 1/4 the un-stuffed size. The stuffing takes 2 people and about 10 minutes to accomplish per comforter.

Every year when we take them out, in about 5 to 10 minutes they fluff right back up to their original loft.

We started this decades before anybody told us not to compress down. Since somebody told us not to store them like this, I have always been nervous when we take them out again. So far, since 1972, there's not been a problem.

Now we could compress them a little more, so they are not ultra-compressed.

But still .?.?.?

We have washed them twice. Don't like to do it because it takes days hanging in the summer sun to dry them out and they simply will not fit in any dryer at the laundromat.