Hi!

I'm new here, that's probably obvious. Please direct me to the proper place if this doesn't belong here. I have a question and wanted to bounce an idea off you if you don't mind. First--a little info:

My boyfriend and I live nomadically on our bicycles. It's been 2.5 years and our (inexpensive WingAce from Amazon (China)) 0-deg down bags do not keep us warm anymore...even at 45deg F for the low, I don't sleep well.

The baffles near the feet seem to be very fluffy still. The 3-4 baffles from the knees to the chest are practically empty, and down is actively leaking out the seams pretty much all over the bag. Not only do we find it on our clothes, we can see it coming out. So it's definitely happening.

My question: it's possible the down has shifted from the chest baffles to the foot baffles, right? From a year's worth of going in and out of a stuffsack everyday? After the first year of travel we settled more and now only travel for a week or two in spring and fall. Reason I think the down is mostly shifted rather than mostly lost out the seams is because it still seems to fill the stuff sack. I should try weighing it. They weighed 4.4lbs to begin with.

My idea: Handsewing (bc I have no access to a machine) "sleeves", each sleeve having 3 compartments to be filled with down, each sleeve slides into an existing baffle of the bag and is secured (somehow) to keep it from twisting/bunching within the baffle. Hopefully new down stays more centered and doesn't fall down to the sides and also doesn't leak because I'm sealing "sleeve" seams with tent seam sealer. It's been 2.5 months since starting the project, and I'm only just almost finished with the first sleeve.

Part of the time-eater is bc I repurposed nylon fabric from thrift-store sleeping bag and have been "ironing" out needle holes from the quilting using a spritzer bottle, and a metal spoon that has been heated over the fire. I probably have 7-12 more hours of "ironing" left to do as this method is....less efficient? than a household iron.

I might just need some cheerleaders. I think my idea is sound.

P.s. i make a lot of typos from fat-fingering on the keyboard...hopefully I caught them all.

p.p.s. We also have a pound of down filler for the project, 750 fill maybe? forget. so...


Edited by Jenny (01/19/20 05:55 PM)