Compressing stuff too much...

[HangingBull]

How do I know if I damaged my synthetic bag because I left it compressed for too long?

I just found an old down vest that I never wear. How much can I compress it safetly? and for how long can I compress that thing? 3 days, 1 week, 3 weeks?

Thanks

[jonesy]

I would say as a time frame .. Your question would depend on the type of insulation used. If its down throw that sucker in the dryer on air dry, with some tennis balls for a while it should loft back up quite nicely works well for synthetic also..

[CatSplat]

I would say as a time frame .. Your question would depend on the type of insulation used. If its down throw that sucker in the dryer on air dry, with some tennis balls for a while it should loft back up quite nicely works well for synthetic also..

Yeah, you'd be amazed at how well a down bag will decompress with the dryer/tennis ball method. A friend of mine forgot his -12 (C) bag in his pack, still totally compressed in a compression bag, for almost a year. It looked terrible when taken out. After the tennis ball method, I was amazed that it came right back to life. I hear it works for synthetics as well, but I don't have any personal experience.

[Hawk-eye]

I recently found a NF Cat's Meow synth. bag ... stored in a large storage bag that my darling wife or my lovely daughter had stacked crap on top of it! FOR OVER A YEAR!!!

The old tennis ball and dryer trick did the job just perfectly. Makes a neat racket too! Drives the dogs nuts especially if they see you put tennis balls in there ... they claim all tennis balls as personal property!

[jonesy]

Never seen this discused .Does it work better with a certain amount of tennis balls?
ive been useing a 4 pack . The only thing that i have noticed doing the tennis ball trick ,Is when useing new tennis balls ,that tennis ball lint likes to go to velcro .I found its pretty hard to get out.