Herbie Murray
If your sleeping bag is starting to feel less warm than it used to, it may be time to refill it. Before refilling, it's important to first try washing the bag yourself or getting it professionally laundered, as down is more durable than you may think. If you decide to refill your sleeping bag, you can either send it to a specialist company or do it yourself. Sending a donor bag is usually the cheapest option, but you can also buy fresh down to refill your bag. If you choose to refill your bag yourself, be warned that it will be messy, and you will need to use a seam ripper or a hot knife to make slits in the bag to add the down through. Once you've added the down, you'll need to seal the slits with stitches and urethane seam sealer.
How to Refill a Sleeping Bag
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| When to refill | When the bag is not as warm as it used to be. |
| Before refilling | Wash the bag using a specialised down wash or get it professionally laundered. |
| Refilling options | Send a donor bag, refill with fresh down, or refill it yourself. |
| Tools | Seam ripper, sewing machine, dust mask, vacuum cleaner, broom handle, down, pins. |
| Process | Open the seams, remove or redistribute the filling, refill the bag, seal the seams. |
| Tips | Work in a small, draft-free room. Use a broom handle to distribute the down. Don't overfill the bag. |
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What You'll Learn
Wash your bag before refilling
Before refilling your sleeping bag, it is important to give it a good wash. Over time, body oils, sweat, dirt, and grime can accumulate on your sleeping bag, reducing its insulating power. It is recommended to change into clean clothes before entering your sleeping bag and to use a sleeping bag liner to create a barrier between your skin and the bag. However, even with these precautions, your sleeping bag will still need to be washed occasionally.
Spot cleaning is a good first option. You can make a paste of non-detergent soap and water and use a toothbrush to gently clean the shell, focusing on areas like the hood and collar where oils and grime tend to build up. You can also try to restore the water repellency of your sleeping bag by applying a durable water repellent (DWR) finish to the shell fabric.
If your sleeping bag is heavily soiled or has already been washed without noticeable improvement, it may be time for a full wash. Before washing, check the manufacturer's instructions for any specific recommendations. If washing your bag yourself, use a specialised down wash instead of standard detergent to avoid clumping or reduced loft. Front-loading commercial washers at a laundromat are ideal for washing sleeping bags, as they are less likely to damage your gear. If you don't have access to a laundromat, you can use a front-loading washer at home, but avoid top-loading washers with agitator columns, as they can damage your bag. Alternatively, you can hand wash your bag in a bathtub, but this can be very labor-intensive. Remember to unzip your bag completely before washing to prevent the slider from snagging or breaking.
After washing, gently squeeze out the excess water and put the bag in a large laundry sack before tumble drying. Set the dryer to low heat or 'delicates' to avoid damaging delicate nylon fabrics. It is crucial to ensure that your sleeping bag is completely dry before storing it to prevent the formation of mould or mildew. Down sleeping bags can take up to five or six hours to dry thoroughly, and you may need to run multiple drying cycles. You can also air dry your bag by laying it flat in an area with low humidity and no direct sunlight or hanging it up to dry, being careful not to put too much stress on the fabric.
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Open the seams with a seam ripper
To open the seams of a sleeping bag with a seam ripper, you'll first need to locate the seams for each of the down tubes. Delicately open the seam with the seam ripper, being careful not to rip the fabric. Even though the tool is called a "seam ripper", the aim is to carefully sever the connecting threads to open the seam without damaging the fabric. You will need at least a 6-inch opening to be able to work comfortably.
If you are simply adding more filling to the existing down, press the filling inwards and away from the hole. If you are completely replacing the down, empty the old filling out through the hole and then start filling inwards from the hole. You can pack the down into a paper towel tube and place one end of the packed tube through the fabric slit, using something like a wooden spoon handle or a pencil eraser to push the down through.
If you are adding down to the entire sleeping bag, you may need to make multiple slits or openings. Once you have added the desired amount of down, you can move on to the next step of closing the seams.
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Refill with handfuls of down
Refilling a sleeping bag with down can be done by hand, but it can be a messy process. It is recommended to prepare a ""down room" in a draft-free smaller room, such as a bathroom, or to set up a dome tent inside the house. This will help contain the mess and make cleanup easier.
To refill the sleeping bag with down, start by locating the seams of the down tubes. Use a seam ripper or a heated knife to carefully open up the seams, creating an opening large enough to fit your closed fist. Avoid using scissors as they can accidentally damage the bag. If you are not comfortable ripping the seams, you can also work at a non-seam location and carefully slit the fabric.
Once you have created an opening, grab some down by the handful and stuff it through the seam or slit. Use a broom handle or a wooden spoon to push the down further into the bag and distribute it evenly. Be careful not to overfill the bag, as this can affect the performance of the down. You just want enough down to plump out the tubes.
After you have added the desired amount of down, close the openings by hand-stitching them shut. Then, use a sewing machine to seal the seams securely. Finally, spend some time massaging the new down to ensure it is distributed evenly and has room to loft.
It is important to note that down is a durable product, and it is recommended to try washing and drying the bag before opting for refilling. Specialist companies can also clean, restore, or refill your bag using fresh down or donor down from another bag.
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Distribute down with a broom handle
Once you've opened up the seams of your sleeping bag, you'll need to distribute the down evenly throughout the bag. To do this, use a broom handle to push the down further down into the bag. You can also use something like a wooden spoon handle. Make sure you get the down into all the corners and tubes of the bag, and that it is evenly distributed. This will ensure that your sleeping bag retains its warmth and loft.
It is important to note that when refilling a sleeping bag, you should avoid overfilling it. While it might be tempting to add extra down for more warmth, this can actually make the bag heavier and less effective. The down needs room to expand and loft up, so it's better to err on the side of slightly less filling rather than too much.
When distributing the down with a broom handle, work in small sections. Start at one end of the bag and use the broom handle to gently push the down towards the other end. Then move to the next section and repeat the process until the entire bag is filled. This will help ensure an even distribution of down.
If you are completely replacing the down in your sleeping bag, it is important to distribute the new down evenly before sealing up the seams. However, if you are just topping up the existing down, you may not need to distribute it as thoroughly. Simply use the broom handle to gently push the new down into the tubes and around the existing filling.
Remember to work in a well-ventilated area when refilling your sleeping bag, as the down can create a mess. It is also a good idea to wear a dust mask to avoid inhaling any of the down particles.
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Sew the seams closed
Sewing the seams of a sleeping bag closed is the final step in refilling a sleeping bag. Before sewing the seams closed, you will need to refill the bag with down filling. You can either remove the old filling or press it down to make space for the new filling. Once you have made enough space, start refilling the sleeping bag with your new down filling. Grab the down by the handful and stuff it through the seam. Use the end of a broom to push it further down into the bag.
After you have refilled the bag, use pins to hold the seams of your bag in place. Once the pins are in place, use a sewing machine to close up the rip. If you are working on a seam that is too lightweight, you might want to first pinch the fabric closed and then sew it.
If you are working on the inside of the bag, you will need to unpick a section at a time of stitching adjacent to the tube you want to fill. You will need to make an opening large enough to fit your closed fist (full of down). You will need to do two rounds of restitching, one to close the baffle and the next to close the tube.
Finally, seal the seams with a urethane seam sealer to prevent the down from leaking from your stitches.
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Frequently asked questions
First, check if the bag needs to be completely refilled or if it just needs a little extra filling. If it's the latter, find the seams for each of the down tubes and use a seam ripper to open them up. Then, stuff handfuls of down through the seam, using a broom handle to push it down into the bag. Once you're done, use pins to hold the seams in place and then use a sewing machine to seal them.
It's recommended to use regular down rather than synthetic filling. Make sure to buy good-quality down—at least 700 fill. Avoid using down from pillows, quilts, or cheap sleeping bags as it's low-quality and not worth the effort.
You shouldn't need more than about half a pound of down to refill your sleeping bag. However, it's important to distribute the down evenly to ensure that each baffle is adequately filled.
