February 2, 2001


Do I need to hang my sleeping bag when it's in storage?

When I bought my sleeping bag the salesman said that if I could hang it up in a closet or on a wall, it would help keep the maximum amount of loft for the life of my bag. Is it better to do this than just stuffing it into a loose bag?

— Bryan Dunn Birmingham, Alabama

Well, in an ideal sense, the sales guy is right. Compressing a sleeping bag's insulation even slightly for a long period of time will damage it. Worst, of course, is to leave it in its stuff sack (which also can lead to mildew if the bag was stored at all damp). Next best, and my usual recommendation, is to store the bag loosely in a large cotton bag, and indeed many makers now supply such a sack with the bag. From a practical standpoint, storing a bag in that manner will ensure something close to its maximum theoretical life span.

Still, hanging the bag is the perfect solution, provided you have a dry, tall closet in which to do that. On most bags you'll find hang loops at the foot end —- run a clothes hanger through these, or stick the loop over a wall hook or through a dowel that can be suspended at each end. Then, after each trip, shake the bag out to remove any dust or dirt, and hang it. I'd also leave in unzipped to ensure airflow all around and through the bag, the better to keep it dry and mildew-free.