Another question about down sleeping bags

[misterfloyd]

Sorry folks here's another question...........

I have a down sleeping bag and I'm loosing a plum of feathers here and there all of a sudden.

They are all from the inside. Some are from the seams, and some are just sticking out. I don't want to pull on them..... they don't feel like they are wanting to come all the way out.

I have delt with loosing some from a Kelty cosmic 0, I just thought it was a lower quality bag, hence the reason this was happening. Sorry to sound like a snob, I still have and use, and love this bag.

The problem is with a supposed higher quality bag. I have only slept in it for 8 nights.

Sorry to ask all of these questions. None of my friends have the same hobbies as me.

As always any info is greatly appreciated and accepted.

Best,
Floyd

[Feral Bill]

A well made sleeping bag using good fabric and down should leak very little. Speak to the seller and.or maker.

[Connie]

It is referred to as a "leaker". The fabric has proved not to be "down-proof".

I had one once. They replaced it no-charge.

Replace or refund, I would think, unless something was done to the sleeping bag like using non-recommended products like a harsh detergent or scrubbing the surface with something abrasive.

[handlebar]

Try to pull the bits of down trying to come through the fabric back into the sleeping bag.

[Lyle]

Agree with handlebar, try to grasp the plumes from within with a pinch of fabric and pull them back into the bag, then gently "massage" the area of the fabric where it tried to escape. It's not unusual for a certain number of plumes to work their way out. Just pull the ones back in that you can, and don't worry too much about it, unless there is an inordinate number coming out.

[misterfloyd]

Well I massaged the ones that would go back in and took the ones that came out. All on the inside of the bag, about 3-4. Massaged the areas as well.

As I was looking at the bag, I noticed that it said it was filled with 90 percent down, 850 fill. I thought I was getting ripped off so I called customer service to confirm, and they did.

I called another company that I had my eye on and said that with thier 700 fill is usually 80/20.

Silly me I thought down bags were filled with down.....I never thought of a percent. I was told that down is getting harder and harder to come by.

I will keep an eye on the bag I have, and if it gets worse, trade for another.

Thank you all for the suggestions.

Live and learn- Thank you

Best, Floyd.

[Leanthree]

if the hole is big enough use a drop of super glue.

If the down is coming out everywhere talk to the manufacturer.

[MuddyWaters]

Yes, down will contain feathers.

As you might notice, its the feathers with the stiff stems that penetrate the fabric and work their way out, not down.

[illabelle]

I usually try to pull the feathers back inside, but occasionally there will be one in an area where I can't get a grasp on it. To avoid pulling out the whole feather, and possibly making the pinhole bigger than it is, you can use some scissors and carefully snip the feather off close to the fabric. If you're lucky, it may slip back inside, and all you lose is the part you snipped away.

[misterfloyd]

Thank you all for the comments.

Illabelle, I tried to push them back in and that did not work so I had to pull them out. I tried to snip them with a scissor and that did not work either.

Muddy, You are right the larger ones had stiff stems.

Leanthree, That is a great idea except they are in random areas not just one.

I will keep a good eye on them and may sleep in the bag in the house a few times to see if this is a regular occurrence.

For what I paid for for bag., I'm disappointed this is happening after a short amount of time.

Floyd.

[moytoy]

If I had one of those high dollar bags leaking feathers I would be a little put off myself. My down bag is a Campmor and it occasionally will leak a couple of feathers and I don't worry about it. I figure once all the feathers have come out I will have a 100 % down bag.

[Lyle]

Thank you all for the comments.

Illabelle, I tried to push them back in and that did not work so I had to pull them out. I tried to snip them with a scissor and that did not work either.


Floyd.

Don't mean to harp on the issue, but you say you tried to PUSH them back in. The trick is to work a pinch of fabric around behind the down/feather on the inside and PULL the down back into the bag. Not really sure how to explain it better, but it generally works unless the down is coming out right near a seam.

If this is what you have already tried, then my apologies.

[Don H]

A small amount of down leakage is normal. I own 5 different high end bags, a Marmot, a Feathered Friends, and 3 Mont Bell bags, they all leak a few feathers occasionally.

"By its very nature, the shell fabric of a sleeping bag is porous. This is what allows the fabric to be breathable and as a result, it is possible for the small spines of feathers and down clusters to work their way through the fabric. It is important to realize that the fabric is not torn, but that the spines are passing in between the threads. The best maintenance in this situation is to reach behind the fabric and pull the offending down cluster BACK INTO its down chamber. The small space between the threads will close and reposition themselves. You may also gently massage the area to promote this "self sealing". Do not attempt to pull the cluster OUT OF THE BAG! Two things will happen if you do, 1) that cluster will be tangled with another cluster and it too will follow out of the bag in an endless fountain of down, and 2) the space between the threads will become larger and take longer to reseal."
http://www.westernmountaineering.com...-tips-and-care

[Busky2]

Once and only once did I have a quilt that in the morning made me look like I was in and worse yet lost a wrestling match with a chicken during the night. Big dollars item leaked not at the seams but in the wide open areas and only on one side, go figure. The issue was wrong material sent to the cottage manufacturer and was taken care of by an exchange an apology and a gag order request.

[misterfloyd]

Lyle,

On a couple this is what I did. On a few I could not do this. After I did this I massaged the area.

Thank you all for your wonderful comments> They are more helpful than you know.

I love getting out in the cold hence spending the money on what is a good bag.

I will keep a close eye on it. If more problems arise, it goes back.

I never have had a good down bag, so hence the original question. I'm glad someone was listening with some helpful advice.

Thank you!
Floyd

[atraildreamer]

If you ever get a rip in your down bag, patch it right away! You won't believe the mess that can develop. I know this from experience.

[Toon]

Return it.

[misterfloyd]

returned the bag for a refund.

Real bummer lots of things I liked about it. Some seams starting to give, not good.

The amount paid vs the amount of time I wanted it to last, well, just didn't see it happening. Going to have to look for a used or perhaps new bag. ........Better start saving.

Floyd