Mother-load Down Harvest for my Foyle UQ

[c0wb0y_hubs]

Today at work a very nice co-worker brought me a sleeping bag. I had mentioned out of excitement a few weeks ago that I had ordered a Foyle UQ, and I would be on the lookout for down I could harvest.

Now that I have the bag home, I'm torn on what to do. There is no way I'll be needing 4lbs of down living in NM.

This bag is SERIOUS, and the quality is amazing! It has metal snaps inside from head to toe for some kind of insert I'm guessing, and the materials are super sturdy.

Even though it's no spring chicken, the down seems to loft pretty good.


So......should I harvest the down from this masterfully assembled bag, and consider it re-purposed for many years to come OR ......any ideas????

[TZBrown]

You could keep it in the bag, and harvest each baffle individually.

I would wash it, and dry fully, fluff with tennis balls, before you start your projects.
The down on the bottom where it has been compressed may be a bit less loft than the top.
After washing and fluffing you can get a better idea

[c0wb0y_hubs]

Thanks, TZBrown!

I got an email yesterday saying that my Foyle had been shipped, and that helped my decide to do just as you suggested. Harvest baffle by baffle as projects arise.

With 4 growin' kids I'm sure I'll have a few more pieces of gear to stuff.

[Otter1]

I would definitely harvest vs. leaving it as is. Even though it is nice, it's a heavy bag.

[Kanguru]

That is a cool label with the totem on the bag. I think I would put that on one of the projects just for nostalgia.

[c0wb0y_hubs]

That is a cool label with the totem on the bag. I think I would put that on one of the projects just for nostalgia.

Great idea!

Thanks for the help in nudging me along to proceed with the harvest.

[harrellt]

harvest and then post the pics of the final product!

[VictoriaGuy]

I would wash it, and dry fully, fluff with tennis balls, before you start your projects.

+1

Probably best to use soap specifically intended for down gear when you do wash it.
There's lots of info on washing down sleeping bags online.

If you have a top-loading machine, probably better to hand-wash in the bathtub....

For drying in the dryer (you may need to use a large dryer) tennis balls or clean-ish sneakers inside clean sox are good to break up the down clumps.
(No anti-static dryer sheets- you want that 'good static' to fluff up the down.)

[IRONFISH45]

I would wash it first thing. I have recycled some old gear because it was too heavy. I was amazed when I washed it how wonderful the down was, truly amazing what a cleaning can do.

I would go to a clean laundromat, use the big oversize front load washer, I used a fairly large washer so the water could circulate all through the quilt. I used minimal soap, at one time I used the special down soap, now I just use Dawn, USE MINIMAL SOAP, YOU JUST WANT SOME SOAP ACTION, NOT A GLOB OF SOAP THAT WILL NOT ALL RINSE OUT. Put your bag in the biggest dryer I found a dryer that holds 50 pounds, I load my down in it with new tennis balls and a couple of old white cotton tennis shoes. Then I load lots of $ into the dryer, I put it where the temperature is just warm when I put my arm in the dryer (after stopping the dryer) and feel the quilt. Probably not the best plan, but I slap and shake the clots of down, when most of the down is dry but there are lots of wads of wet down. Sometimes I take the quilt out and press the clots between to large fluffy towels.

Be aware that even if you think the quilt (bag) is dry it is probably still damp give it lots of time on low heat. When I am sure the quilt is dry I take it out and feel for lumps and I let it sit until it is cool then I stick my hand under it so see if I feel any moisture.

Getting the quilt dry is very important as is getting all soap removed. I do not use extra rinses because it damages the down. I am very careful not to add to much soap, just enough to do the job.

[c0wb0y_hubs]

Thanks everyone! I have some down specific cleaner, and my wife is picking up tennis balls right now.

I will definitely be posting the before and afters to show how the cleaning went, and I will also be sure to take some pics as the Foyle gets stuffed.

I'm still trying to decide which piece of gear is going to wear the vintage tag.

I'm super excited. The Foyle will be here "weather permitting" tomorrow.