Sleeping Bags & Pads
Sleeping bags should be cared for much as you would care for your favorite outerwear. You can wash and apply DWR (Durable Water Repellent) treatments to make sure your sleeping bag stays comfortable and warm all year long.
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Cleaning
Restore Water Repellency Between Washings
Cleaning Sleeping Bags
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Restore Sleeping Bag Loft & Warmth
Synthetic & Down insulated sleeping bags should be cleaned when dirt and grime begin to interfere with loft. Most manufacturers recommend washing your spleeping bag after 20 nights of use. In general: if it’s dirty, losing loft or smells – wash it!. Wash by hand or in a front loading commercial washer using ReviveX® Synthetic Fabric Cleaner or ReviveX® Down Cleaner. Dry the bag unzipped on a clothesline
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Down Bags
Wash Your Down Sleeping Bag
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Restore Loft & Warmth to Down Bags
Down sleeping bags should be washed when dirt and grime begin to interfere with loft. Most manufacturers recommend washing your spleeping bag after 20 nights of use. This is also a good rule for synthetic sleeping bags. In general: if it’s dirty, losing loft or smells – wash it!
To wash your sleeping bag, head to your local laundromat and use a large front loading washing machine.
Step 1:
Add ReviveX® Down Cleaner to the empty washer.
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Step 2:
Close zippers. Pull bag out of its stuff sack directly into washer to minimize loft. Bags with waterproof-breathable shells should be turned inside-out. Use warm water and the gentle cycle. Before drying, run an extra spin cycle to remove excess water.
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Step 3:
Now is a good time to apply a fresh water repellent treatment. Hang wet bag and spray with ReviveX Spray-On Water Repellent on the bag’s exterior. Carefully move the wet sleeping bag into the dryer. NOTE: the bag will be very water logged and the down plumes will be clumped together – this is normal! The loft will be restored in the dryer.
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Step 4:
Dry bag in a large commercial dryer on the permanent press (medium) heat setting. Clean tennis balls may be added to break up down clumps.
NOTE: Home dryers aren’t big enough to let sleeping bags tumble freely. The bag needs to be lifted and then free-fall to dry properly. High heat or small home dryers can melt synthetic fabrics. Always use a commercial dryer!
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Step 5:
Check progress periodically. Feel the insulation—if there are clumps, the down plumes are still wet. Be patient, it’s essential that the down is dried thoroughly. When completely dry, bring your sleeping bag home, unzip and allow to air overnight.
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Synthetic Bags
Wash Your Synthetic Sleeping Bag
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Sleeping Pads
Sleeping Pad Repairs
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Home Repair:
Clean and dry area to be repaired. Apply Seam Grip® to cover the hole and spread 1⁄4” (5mm) beyond. Allow to dry level overnight.
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Field Repair:
To speed the cure time, mix a few drops of water into Seam Grip before applying to the hole. Seam Grip cures faster when it’s wet (use patch backing for mixing). Apply mixture and allow to cure level for 30 minutes (It will be fully cured in 2 hours). Note: Mixing Seam Grip with water will make repair cloudy. For a clear repair, mix with Cotol-240™.
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To use the repaired pad at once, center the Clean Tape™ peel-and-stick Patch and apply over uncured Seam Grip. The patch must extend at least 1⁄2” (10mm) beyond the Seam Grip. Press patch firmly onto pad. Your sleeping pad is ready for use! Allow the peel-and-stick. patch to remain for 3 to 4 days, then remove. The Seam Grip will have permanently sealed the hole underneath.
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Seam Grip seals small holes and leaks in the nozzle area. Seal with Seam Grip and stand upright overnight.
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Storage
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Sleeping Bag Repairs
How to Thread A Needle
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Step 1:
Cut the end of the thread at a 45 degree angle. Stiffen the thread with saliva or bees wax. It will be easier to control through the eye than a limp thread. Hold up the needle so the eye of the needle is open toward you. If you are unable to see the eye of the needle, place a contrasting color behind the needle.
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Step 2:
Slip the thread into the needle and pull the thread until ends are even. Knot the ends of the thread together (see Knotting The Thread). Straighten the threads and begin sewing. Pull the thread after each stitch to prevent the thread knots.
Knotting the Thread
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Step 1:
After threading the needle, wrap the ends of thread around the pointer finger. Make an “X” whith the tread.
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Step 2:
Place your thumb over the “X”. Roll the thread back and forth a couple of times between you pointer finger and thumb.
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Step 3:
Slide the knot off your finger with your thumb, rolling the threads together towards the end of your pointer finger while pinching the thread.
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Step 4:
I Slide the knot to the end of the thread by gently sliding the knot to the end of the thread using the end of your pointer finger and thumb.
Replace A Broken Zipper Slider
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Step 1:
Select a slider that matches the one you are removing. The letters that are printed on the slide tell you what size you need. With a seam ripper, carefully remove stitching around lower ends of zipper tapes. Pry off metal stop at bottom of the zipper, careful not to tear the tapes at the base of the zipper teeth
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Step 2:
Remove old zipper foot. Take new zipper slider and guide track tapes into the top grooves of the slider, pushing them through to the bottom. Use a pin if needed to work the track tapes through. Pull tapes gently to make sure slider is sitting evenly on tracks. With both tapes threaded through slider, gently pull slider up until locked track teeth appear at bottom.
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Step 3:
Sew a new stop at bottom of the tracks with needle and thread. Sew zipper back onto garment where stitching was removed for repair.
Basic Sewing Stitches
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Running Stitch
The running stitch is used to make simple seams in fabrics. It is easily completed by passing your needle in and out of the fabric at equal distances of approximately 1/4”. The stitches on the topside of your fabric should be the same length of the stitches on the underside of your fabric.
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Backstitch
The backstitch is one of the strongest types of hand-sewn stitches. The back stitch is used for making small, tight seams that will not leak filling (sleeping bags).
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Step 1:
Start out by sewing a couple of stitches over the same spot, and then sew a stitch with a space. Insert the needle from the underside of the fabric layers 1/8” to the left of where your stitching will begin. Pull the thread through to the knot.
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Step 2:
Insert the needle 1/8 inch behind where the thread emerges (where your stitching will begin). Bring the needle up 1/4” beyond this insertion, and pull the thread snugly. Bring the needle up 1/4” beyond.
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Step 3:
Viewed from the top, backstitching appears as a continuous line of even stitches; viewed underneath, the stitches are twice as long as those on top and they overlap at the ends.