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A sleeping bag is a very important part the camping gear needed for anyone who loves outdoor camping and hiking. If you love camping, then you must go for the best sleeping bag that will give you the comfort and performance you require. When I mention best sleeping bag, this is to point out to the purchaser there are different levels of quality in sleeping bags to be aware of. After you return home from your camping trips, its important to learn how to maintain a sleeping bag to keep it in tip top condition!
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Look for those sleeping bag brands which have earned a good reputation, feedback and reviews and the customers have confidence in them. Once you find the best sleeping bag for you, the next thing to do is looking at the best ways to maintain it. Remember, if you want to enjoy this bag for a long time to come, then its important you maintain it well.
Here are the 4 main tips on how to maintain a sleeping bag
How To Maintain A Sleeping Bag During Camping
A sleeping bag is designed to make camping comfortable. The best rating sleeping bag should provide you with a warm and well-fluffed (loft) first class sleeping bag for a great night’s sleep. For you to enjoy this bag for years to come, these are a few ” to do” things to maintain a sleeping bag in good condition while camping.
- You must always keep the sleeping bag dry and clean. The worst thing that can happen during camping is setting up your camp in a damp place, or when it happen to rain at night. This can be a horrible experience and to avoid this, it is important to keep your sleeping bag in a waterproof outer bag. This will help keep moisture out of the bag and stop mildew growing.
- Air the bag for at least 15 minutes every morning. This will help remove a lot of moistness which could have been collected overnight from body perspiration.
- Line your sleeping bag with a specially designed sleeping bag inner liner before sleeping in it. This is an very important step in how to maintain a sleeping bag since your body’s perspiration and oil are likely to degrade the bag from inside. The inner liner will absorb all of this, leaving the bag safe.
- Store the bag properly after enjoying your camping time away. It is very important to store the bag according to the manufacturers guidelines. This will help a lot in how to maintain a sleeping bag in top top condition.
How To Maintain A Sleeping Bag: Keep The Bag Clean!
It is very important to clean your bag always, this is will very much determine the life span of the bag and also improve your personal hygiene. Camping is often associated with dirty conditions as in camp conditions and access to having showers… These are two main ways clean and maintain a sleeping bag.
- You can have the bag dry-cleaned. This is the easiest way to have your bag cleaned. Once you have dry cleaned the bag, it is very important to air the sleeping bag thoroughly to make sure that you have removed of all dry-cleaning solvent smell. If this not done, you might not have a nice night sleep due to the nasty chemical smell.
- You can wash and dry the bag at home by hand washing. Make sure that you have used the best detergents for cleaning your sleeping bag. A laundromat is the best place to machine wash your sleeping bag as the machines are big enough to handle a sleeping bag. Keep the temperature gentle and cool while washing. This is the best way to clean your sleeping bag without chemical solvents. Buy good quality clothes detergents for your bag. This best thing about this wash and dry method is, it can be done by anyone, anywhere.
Maintain A Sleeping Bag By Drying After Washing
The way you dry your sleeping bag will determine the longevity. It is important to use the best drying method. Here are some tips for the best way to maintain a sleeping bag by thoroughly dry your sleeping bag. Please make sure your bag is DRY before storing!!
- Drip drying method is the best way you can dry a sleeping bag easily. Setting up in a nice airy place to drip dry, e.g. clothes horse will serve the purpose very well. You can also hang it on a clothes line where water can freely drip.
- You can use a tumble dryer. It is very important to read the label carefully and make sure that you have set the tumble dryer at the correct setting. Check the bag is not too wet, making it easier to tumble dry. This will guarantee no moisture has been left behind to grow mold or mildew and destroy the bag.
- Drying outdoors is a very efficient to quickly dry and maintain a sleeping bag if there is plenty of wind and sunshine.
Maintain A Sleeping Bag By Storing Correctly
Storing your bag correctly is vital part of how to maintain a sleeping bag. Once you are sure the bag is completely dry and you are not about to use it soon, then good storage is important.
- Make sure that the bag is completely dry. You should never store the bag while it is wet.
- You can maintain a sleeping bag by storing your bag in hanging position. This is the ideal way of keep it safe from flattening of the feathers or the fill.
- You can store it in a flat position under your bed so that it can lie flat.
- Keep your bag in large cotton sack is a choice as it will be loosely put in.
- It is important not to store your sleeping bag in its stuff sack. The long term compression will reduce the loft considerably over time.
These are the main 4 tips of how to maintain a sleeping bag. There are the many sleeping bags in the market but if you looking for the best one, we are here to provide you with reviews of the best sleeping bags available. Visit our website and browse the wide selection of top rated sleeping bags to choose from. If you are looking for more sleeping bag maintenance tips, click here