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  1. #1
    Member colonel r's Avatar
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    leaky sleeping bag

    My bag is a 15 year old Feathered Friends and leaks feathers like crazy on the inside. Talked to customer service and they tell me it is a sign of end of life.

    Is there anything I can spray or coat the interior to slow or stop this? This bag cost me about $350 in 1995 dollars.

    R

  2. #2
    Senior Member gargoyle's Avatar
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    The only thing I can think of is adding a lining of downproof fabric. I cant recall a spray on product that seals against down leakage.

    Check the fabric closely for any small rips or tears (especially near the stitching and seams) If there are any, repair those and see if it is still a leaker. Dabbing on some seam sealer may help?
    Ambulo tua ambulo.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Ramblinrev's Avatar
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    It is most likely a lower down quality than you can get now. It might be worth holding the bag in reserve and getting a newer state of the art (or closer) bag. As the lower quality down ages and gets used it breaks causing quills and harder spikes which poke through the fabric. This is particularly true if the bag has been stored compressed or cleaned improperly.. Not much you can do about that. Before _I_ invested any serious money or effort into trying to remedy the problem I would look at newer alternatives.
    I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.

    "Bless you child, when you set out to thread a needle don't hold the thread still and fetch the needle up to it; hold the needle still and poke the thread at it; that's the way a woman most always does, but a man always does t'other way."
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  4. #4
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    Perhaps you're molting? I would think the 'Adding a liner' to it would solve your leakage. What is the ultimate effect of age on down? Secondly, how much have you used it. Mike Rowe and Dirty jobs will tell you that a used mattress it quite a bit heavier then a new one just because of all the pieces of YOU that are in it, plus the dustmites, mold and bacteria.

    Might be worth considering a new bag that will weigh less, insulate you better and possibly have less intrinsic 'Friends' inside.

    Then again, a goodun ain't cheap. You could always do what I do for big purchases. I put some money each paycheck into my Paypal account. It's not money that I have in a box at home, collecting. My daughter smells that out real quick and finds something that my Grand-daughter has to have and BOOM my secret stash is gone. It works every time (I'm such a sucker) New shoes, bookfair, Dr's office visits, worthless stuff like that. On Paypal it's out of my reach, long as I'm not sitting by the internet. It builds up rather quickly.

    Patching up the old bag may work for you, but sometimes it's best not to through good money after old.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Ramblinrev's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MrClean417 View Post
    I would think the 'Adding a liner' to it would solve your leakage.
    Adding a liner will keep the down from blowing away but it will not maintain the insulating integrity of the bag. Plus you would need to line the inside and the outside as leaking down happens both places.
    I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.

    "Bless you child, when you set out to thread a needle don't hold the thread still and fetch the needle up to it; hold the needle still and poke the thread at it; that's the way a woman most always does, but a man always does t'other way."
    Mrs. Loftus to Huck Finn

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  6. #6
    Senior Member BillyBob58's Avatar
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    I guess that is a pretty good # of years you got out of it. How is the loft holding up? Even with the leakage, you might have a few years left where you can still be very close to the temp rating of the bag.

    I wonder: is the problem aging of the down causing quills and mini-punctures, or is it the aging and deterioration of the nylon shell letting more still good enough down through? I guess it could even be both.

    I would also weigh it to see how close it is to the original. If a significant increase , the down may have picked up a lot of oil/dirt over the years.

  7. #7
    Senior Member ZMad2000's Avatar
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    I would say salvage the down and make a DIY sleeping bag/TQ.

  8. #8
    Member colonel r's Avatar
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    I think I'll use it a while then try to salvage the down and make a TQ. But I need more sewing practice before making a TQ. It has been disappointing. I have had it a long time, stored it full out hanging in my gear closet but have only slept in it about 50 nights.

    Thanks for the responses.

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