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  1. #1
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    Default How does one rebalance "shifted down"?

    I just got a new Kelty Cosmic Down 0 Degree bag. I used it for the first time this weekend with a lowest temp of about 18F. I was a little colder than I thought Ive been in my non-down bag.

    After getting home and hanging it up to air out, I noticed areas that had no down at all. I never owned a down bag so I have no experience with down shifting. I thought it was a defect. I've since read that i could shift the down to vary the amount of warmth on a warm night.

    My question is, how to shift the down in order to evenly distribute it so that it functions with no cold spots? At this point (only one nights use) I don't know if I was cold because it's a poor bag or if I should be shifting the down around.

    Who knew a sleeping bag would require instructions??

    Many thanks in advance!

    4r

  2. #2

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    You have to shake it around and fluff it up.
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  3. #3
    Registered User Just Bill's Avatar
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    Default

    Brand new- When you stuff a down bag you have to do some "clump busting" after you fill it. Some use hands, some use tennis racket. I put it in the dryer on no-heat (air fluff) with 4 clean tennis balls. Once the initial breakup is done it will usually fluff decent.

    After that- on the trail do like Slo says- preferably right when you get to camp.
    IF all the other baffles seem good but one, it is possible you got a bad bag, but unlikely.

  4. #4
    Garlic
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    Default

    It depends on what kind of baffles the bag has. I buy bags without side baffles, for instance, so I have the flexibility to shift down from top to bottom. On cold-weather trips, that means checking and maybe shifting the down every day. Before I put the bag in the tent, I'll hold it by the bottom zipper and shake. Some down bags have side baffles and they are less finicky.

    I looked at the specs for that bag and couldn't find anything about the baffles. I see it's 550 down, so you're not going to get the same performance as the more expensive bags, but with experience it should work out well.

    I had to learn that lesson with my first down bag.
    "Throw a loaf of bread and a pound of tea in an old sack and jump over the back fence." John Muir on expedition planning

  5. #5

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    I think that type of sleeping bag was the origin of sleeping quilts, by shifting all the down to the top, then, inserting a sleeping pad inside the bag with the sleeping bag to hold the sleeping pad in place. Next, Marmot had the Osprey. I think that was the name. It had only cloth on the underneath side arranged to hold the sleeping pad.

    One of my friends had a shifted down sleeping bag. I had an Osprey.

    Now, I have a sleeping top quilt and a NeoAir XTherm.


    so... Air fluff, use clean tennis balls. Then, fit a sleeping pad to slip into the bottom-side of the sleeping bag.
    Maybe sleep on top of the sleeping pad with all the down shifted to the top.
    Last edited by Connie; 12-02-2014 at 01:41.

  6. #6

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    What I do with my Feathered Friends bag is I line my pack with a Trash bag then put the sleeping bag loosely in the very bottom ( No stuff sack ) then once I get to camp and get set up I take it out and Fluff it with my hands so far I haven't had this type of issue YET.
    the problem might be that your stuffing it in a stuff sack I have always been told that your not suppose to do that with a down bag.

    this is also my first down bag until a few months ago I always used a Synthetic bag, you can just throw them out and their good to go.

  7. #7
    GA-ME 2011
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    Default

    If your down bag doesn't have side baffles you just shake the bag to get the down to move to the area of the bag you want it. If it's cold and you want the insulating down on top you would hold the bottom of the bag (the part on the ground, not the foot or end) and shake the bag. If it's warm and you want the bag to be a little cooler do the opposite by putting the down on the bottom.

    I toss and turn a lot at night and I notice that the down works towards the bottom of the bag over night. I shake my bags every night to get the down on top.
    "Chainsaw" GA-ME 2011

  8. #8
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    Default

    Thanks for all the great advice.

    It it seems like just holding it along the bottom edge of the zip and giving it a shake has done a pretty good job in redistributing the down. At least now I can't see light through the bag when holding it up to the light.

    If it still isn't warm enough- it's on to tennis balls in the dryer.

    Thanks again-

    4r

  9. #9

    Default

    I realize this is an old thread, but in case there are new visitors-

    You can also just push down around with your hands as you sit inside the bag, in the event you notice cold or thin spots. Just think of a bird preening & smoothing its feathers...

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