When do you pack your down?

**BlueSkies** · 02-03-2012, 22:43

I mentioned to my pal, that I had to grab my HG Burrow [Down top quilt, for those not in the know] and toss it in my pack.

He got offended and said, "Don't compress that all now! You,re not leaving until tomorrow morning. Lay it out on your back seat for the drive there and don't compress it until you get to the trailhead."

So, my question fellow hangers is ... Really? Are you guys and gals that serious about when and for how long you compress your down? How far in advance do you get everything squished? Trailhead? Before you head the road? The night before? Days before? What's the consensus?

Thanks.

**Otter1** · 02-03-2012, 22:55

While I like to compress my down as little, and as infrequently as possible, I certainly wouldn't let an extra few hours bother me. A few extra miles exploring while in the woods would do the same thing.

Many retailers ship down bags stuffed and it doesn't hurt them - even afters quite a few days. When I fly, my quilt was stuffed too.

**OutandBack** · 02-03-2012, 22:55

Some peeps take thing just a little serious.
I have stuffed and packed my backpack 3 days before heading out for a trip.
Some of my down SB's (North Face) were bought in the 1980's and they still fluff up as nice as the day I bought them.

**Raul Perez** · 02-03-2012, 23:00

I usually pack the night before. I'm not that worried. My down stuff arrived in a tiny box all packed down for at least 3 days before I got them in the mail. What's 24 hrs in a pack.

**kayak karl** · 02-03-2012, 23:00

i pack the night before. sometimes im on a train for the next day. if i camp at the same spot for 2 days i shake them out before bed.
since i only stuff in pack anyway and dont use compression sacks i never gave it a second thought.
i store them in mesh laundry bags.

**Fronkey** · 02-03-2012, 23:03

The night before for me. I like to grab my stuff and go first thing in the morning

Fronkey

**[o]TTeR** · 02-03-2012, 23:04

I'm generally a "Last minute" packer due to procrastination, but I pack my down when I pack for the trip which is usually the night before or morning of. If the additional 6 to 12 hours of compression is real that bad for the down, so be it. I have a 40 year old military arctic bag that probably spent half its life in a Stuff Sack...a cycle or two in the dryer with some tennis balls, its fluffy and ready to go.

**plaunius** · 02-03-2012, 23:19

Night before. Tell you friend to chill.

**BlueSkies** · 02-03-2012, 23:33

Thank goodness!

I really didn't think that y'all could be headed out to the trailhead with "your down draped across the back seat."

**deadeye** · 02-04-2012, 00:02

Long term storage while packed - no way. A few days is fine, nothing to be paranoid about. I used to pack my bag super tight day after day, and after 43 years, it's still just about good as new. Down is pretty resilient stuff.