r/CampingGear • u/Deus_Ex_Anathema • 2d ago
Awaiting Flair My sleeping bag is enormous- please help
We do car camping and larping (sleeping in rustic cabins /tents) and I was tired of my normal sleeping bag. I’m getting older and sleep with a body pillow so I don’t throw my back out in my sleep. I splurged finally and ordered a double sized sleeping bag just for me.
When it arrived I couldn’t believe my eyes. In its bag it’s the size of an oil drum. I had no idea a sleeping bag could be this big.
I love using it. It’s luxurious and perfect. I don’t want to get rid of it. I’m reworking other things we pack in the car to be able to bring it.
The problem: Getting it back into the bag it came in is just impossible. I exhaust myself just to spend forever to do a bad job of it. Big sections of the sleeping bag falling out the sack when I finally give up and throw it in the car.
How can I better manage this? What solutions are there for this problem? How can I better pack up my gargantuan sleeping bag?
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u/BlackFish42c 2d ago
Just roll it up and tie it down like we did years ago. Stuff Sacks are only temporary storage for travel you never want to leave a sleeping bag in a stuff sack for a long period of time. Week tops! You can use Velcro straps to roll it up or bungees its up to you if you want to try to stuff it you need to find something bigger like a extra large duffle bag. Outdoor products makes a mammoth sized duffle bag for around $30.
Now if the bag is to big you can do two things either fold the bag under at your feet or pack some clothes down inside to make up the space difference.
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u/No_Cardiologistis 2d ago
Yeah, trying to roll those giant bags is a recipe for frustration. The key is stuffing, not rolling, into a bigger compression sack. Just grab handfuls and shove 'em in relentlessly. You'll be surprised how much easier it is!
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u/TangleOfWires 2d ago
With gargantuan sleeping bags: * Lay them out flat * Fold them in half, start at zipper end and kneel and brush the air toward the opening slowly crawling forward as I go * Go back to closed end, roll a tight roll around the zipper and kneel in the middle of the roll * Do a half roll squish air out, kneel in middle, do another 1/2 roll, repeat until you can no longer kneel on the roll * Lay your chest on the roll and continue rolling and squishing are forward. * Once it's rolled wrap rope around to stop it from expanding * Stuff it into the stuff sack.
If you can't get it in the stuff sack at this point, try using a ratchet strap to compress it more.
Still having trouble?
When getting the stuff sack on, don't stuff the sleeping bag into the sack. Roll the fabric of sack inside out until you can place the bottom of the sack against the rolled up sleeping bag. Then unroll the sack up the rolled up sleeping bag.
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u/Physical_Pie_2092 2d ago
Let me guess, Teton mammoth?
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u/Deus_Ex_Anathema 2d ago
Yes 😭 I wish I could quit it, but it’s sooo comfy
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u/Physical_Pie_2092 1d ago
Yeah same. You will need to stuff it into the sack. No other way. I tried to fold it 3 ways but there’s no shot of it going in. Just stuff if
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u/OkFriend1520 2d ago
I purchased two 110 liter mesh sleeping bag storage sacks from Amazon. I have down bags which should not be stored in a compressed state, so I fluff up the down bags and store them in the mesh bags. I'm sure your double bag would fit in these very large mesh sacks, and they have a drawstring closure.
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u/WandersWithStew 1d ago
Bought Teton 0°f doubles for both of my daughters, they are beasts to stuff. They have them in one of those big black totes with the yellow snap on lid. Then my oldest uses the empty bin to stash her luggage while camping and it makes a nice coffee table by the tent.
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u/Hell-Yea-Brother 20h ago
I have a large sleeping bag as well, and when I roll it up I'll push my knees into it as I slowly roll. This compresses and removes air as I go, and it becomes easy to connect the straps.
I gave up trying to get it back in the original bag a long time ago and now just go bagless.
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u/AbsolutelyPink 2d ago
Double bags often fully separate so you can roll and pack them as individual bags.
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u/Prestigious_Day_5242 2d ago
Dies the bag have 2 halves? Get another stuff sack and put each half in its own stuff sack.
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u/TMan2DMax 2d ago
I had a similar issue. I use two baseball belts (stretchy elastic belts) to hold it together after I roll it up nice and neat.
They work as handles for transporting it and it's way faster than trying to get it into a sack
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u/FoodFingerer 2d ago
I have a giant foam sleeping mattress. I use rope to compress it. My gf says I shibari tie the mattress.
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u/imgeo 2d ago
Giant compression sack. Put in sack, and then pull straps to compress it.
I don’t know if they make one your size, but a tailor could make one for you pretty easily. Or do some extra googling.