I washed my down sleeping bag and the down is clumping, what do I do?

If the down in your sleeping bag is clumping together after washing, this is a strong indication that the insulation has not fully dried. Down retains moisture deep within the clusters, and even if the outer fabric feels dry, residual moisture can cause the down to stick together, lose loft, and create cold spots throughout the bag.

To restore the loft, place the sleeping bag in a tumble dryer on a low heat setting with two or three clean tennis balls or dryer balls. As the bag dries, the balls will gently break apart the clumps and help redistribute the down evenly throughout the baffles.

Drying a down sleeping bag can take considerably longer than expected, often several hours. It is important to be patient and continue the drying process until the down feels light, fluffy, and evenly distributed. Removing the bag too early is the most common reason for persistent clumping.

During drying, we recommend:

• Place the sleeping bag into a dryer with some clean tennis balls to help break up the clumps as the down completely dries. 
• Periodically carefully removing the sleeping bag from the dryer to manually break up any remaining clumps.
• Checking thicker areas such as the footbox and hood, which can retain moisture longer than other sections.
• Continuing to dry the bag until there is no sign of dampness anywhere within the insulation.

Once fully dry, the down should regain its loft and provide the warmth and performance you would expect. If clumping persists after a thorough drying process, please contact our Customer Service team and provide photos of the affected areas.

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