RE: [pct-l] down or synthetic bags?

["Reynolds, WT" <reynolds@ilan.com>]

In theory you can wash and dry a down bag in a front loading [no agitator]
washer and a drier [you toss a sneaker in with the bag to break up the down
clumps]. 

However, I have never tried this and recoil in horrors at the idea of my
Marmot or Feathered Friends bag being beaten to death in some
hole-in-the-wall wash-o-mat in some Northern California Berg.

Hiking alone, what I would do is use the pop-in FF vapor barrier as sort of
a sheet to keep the bag clean. I have a Marmot bag that is 10 years old, has
150 nights on it, and has never been washed. However, hiking with a wife one
must observe certain washing rituals [or pay the price] that one might forgo
hiking alone 

-----Original Message-----
From: Stephen Martin [mailto:troubadour@pcthiker.com]
Sent: Monday, February 07, 2000 2:03 PM