Loft Retention

The factory that makes our synthetic insulation ships the insulation to the sleeping bag factories, most of which are overseas, via a very long boat ride while VACUUM PACKED! According to them, we are their only customer who asks that they not vacuum pack our shipments. So we get them in huge rolls and have to pay a hefty freight penalty for the extra volume of shipping required.

The company that makes the insulation is also very careful not to state any thickness, density, or temperature ratings of any of its products. Perhaps they have learned that so doing could lead to the occasional problems. And maybe one day we will have to follow suit.

When someone makes a quilt of two layers of 0.75" insulation, and they cram it into a much too small stowbag, when they drag that quilt back out of the stowbag and spread it on the floor, it probably won't look like it has 1.5" of loft. Their reaction might be more like "flat as a pancake."

If super-compressing was harmful to our insulation, the manufacturer would not vacuum pack it and put it on ships for multi-month voyages to the Orient. And those oriental sleeping bag manufacturers would not vacuum pack their finished products for the return trip. For indeed the insulation in the products made overseas has crossed the Pacific by ship twice while vacuum packed.

And yes, when an oriental company opens those vacuum packed parcels of raw insulation, it looks quilt flat - for a time. But a few weeks later it is nearly as good as new. And when the US suppliers open their containers of vacuum packed sleeping bags, jackets, etc, they look quite flat - for a time. But once the insulation has sprung back, then those products are ready to head into the show rooms.

The insulation we use in our kits has never been vacuum packed or anything close to it. So at least we are one step ahead of the game in that regard. Even so, one should try not to pack it too tightly. Even though the insulation will spring back to its original loft, this may take a while, depending on how tightly it was stuffed.

We have quilts that have been through a number of Hobbit's journeys and back, and came home looking pretty sad for a time but have since sprung back to nearly their original loft.

Bottom line: use the products with care.

Unpacking

We ship the quilt kit in a fairly large box to prevent over-compressing the insulation. Even so, we recommend you open it right away and remove the insulation from its plastic bag. If possible spread the insulation on a clean (freshly vacuumed or mopped) floor and allow it to "rest" for a couple of days. This will give it a chance to spring back to its original, as-manufactured thickness. That done, find a much larger plastic bag, something like a large trash bag, and store the insulation in that until ready for use.

Of course, if you will be making your quilt right away, you can simply begin, knowing that the insulation will need some time to bulk up, later on.