Compressed TQ & UQ

[CampWalker]

So I had my TQ & UQ in some compression sacks for about a week. I was getting things ready a couple days before the trip…Unfortunately the camping part of the trip did not happen so my quilts stayed compressed for about 6 days…My concern is did I ruin the quilts in any way by having them too long in the compress mode…

[overthinker]

Nope. They're fine. Just shake them out a bit and leave them uncompressed now.

[CampWalker]

Cool Cool…what would be considered too long being compressed…

[Junebugdawn]

This is a subject of many opinions. I've know people who have forgotten and left their quilts compressed for months with no ill effect. The down I used in my first set of quilts was likely 20+ years old still compressed in premeasured baggies. Upon opening the baggies, the down fluffed up just fine. I practice hanging my quilts up when not in use, as do many folks, however, I don't know that science proves that compressing down ruins it. If you ever fluff out your quilts and they just don't seem fluffy enough, put them in the dryer on no heat fluff for 30 minutes. They will be very poofy when you take them out.

[e_2]

Synthetics like Climashield and Primaloft are known to be affected by compression. I've heard you can lose around 15ºF from a bag/quilt over time due to compression. Most sleeping bags come with a laundry bag looking thing so you can store it uncompressed... I would have thought quilts would come with them too.

I'm not sure how long it takes or how many compression/re-lofting cycles it would take to degrade synthetic insulation to the point of going from a zero-degree to a 15º bag/quilt... I'm also not sure how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.

[wcdaniels]

I've always tried not to have them compressed for more than a week at a time. I haven't noticed and problems with either down or synthetic by sticking to this time limit.

I then store them at home uncompressed.

[Markunas]

I have wondered how much of this is truly an issue myself. If you notice whether it is down or synthetic, when you buy a bag it is always rolled and in a stuff sack. How long is it like this from manufacture date till you buy it ? Unless you buy from a smaller shop they are this way. Only the display bags are hanging unstuffed.

[OneClick]

I don't really worry about it much anymore. I store them loose and only pack them a maximum of 1 day early before a trip just out of habit. But they'll take much more abuse than that. One thing I don't like to do is use compression sacks (sometimes I do) or stuff a quilt in a 10L bag when it should really be in a 15.

[MattBigmonster]

Synthetic filling have one more problem, repeated compression/decompression (or even normal use when twisting and turning in the sleeping bag) cause the filling to "tear".
I have recently butchered my old synthetic bag (budget no name brand) to see whether I can DIY it in to a quilt. Innards looked like a shredded paper. No loft or fluff.

Natural fibers have different issue, they are sensitive to moisture/temperature changes. Just ask your girlfriend about the weather and hair
So storing quilts compressed, and storing quilts compressed with micro climate changes are two different things I think.

[Trailrider74]

It's a good idea to store them uncompressed. I hang mine on clothes hangers in my wardrobe.