Most definitely, a very big reason. The ability of down to trap warmth and insulate is based off the feathers loft or "fluff". Storing down in a compressed form diminishes the ability of the feathers to reloft, thus lessening their heat trapping capacity. Basically, storing compressed will flatten the feathers and ruin your bag. Store either opened large in a cotton storage sack, or hanging up in the closet. Though don't drape over a hanger, as this can stress a certain portion of the bag. Hope that helps.
Eric

bags lose their lofting ability after being compressed. ie. over time a 20 deg bag will only keep you warm down to 30 degrees. same applies for down/synthetic jackets

I agree with the other two. Do NOT compress your bag.

Down is more compressible than synthetics, and keeps its loft longer, but storing it compressed for long periods is a bad plan, particularly if it has any moisture in it.

Down bags are sold with those big cotton storage bags for a reason. Just keep it in a dry place uncompressed and you should be fine.

About a month or so ago there was a similar thread, but I'm too lazy to look for it ..

Even the storage sack that a bag is sold with is too small for long term storage. I use mine to bring my bag to the crags when car camping. I hang mine when not in use.

ShortTimer wrote:Even the storage sack that a bag is sold with is too small for long term storage. I use mine to bring my bag to the crags when car camping. I hang mine when not in use.

That depends on the storage bag. I keep both my parka and my summer bag in the same cotton storage bag. Together the don't fill the storage bag.

Ah well, but then my warm sleeping bag is a -20 degree Marmot bag and does NOT fit in it's storage sack without compressing it a fair amount. My MH 0 degree bag came with a smaller storage sack and has the same problem.

My favorite way to store my bag is to hang it upside down, fully unzipped, hanging on a door with the door inside the bag. I had an old North Face bag that I stored that way for many years and it lasted my over 20 years.

none of my bags warmer than 0 degrees fit in their storage sack without compressing - this is a bit of a pain and has led to the renaming of my guest bedroom AKA "The Sleeping Bag Room"

shoot

Haha, between my wife and I we have 5 down sleeping bags, 4 down jackets, and an extra comforter that live in the spare (down storage) room.

Howabout compression stuff sacs? For instance I have just started using a compression stuff sac for my down bags and can compress them to half of what they would be with the original stuff sacs that they came with. Am I damaging my bag by doing this while my sleping bag is in the backpack?

Note, I am not talking about the cotton bag used for storage when not backpacking, I am talking obut the stuff sac while backpacking.

Haven't heard that compression sacs are bad for sleeping bags... hope not 'cause I love 'em!!

Just don't leave it compressed for too long after you get home from your trip...

Haven't heard that compression sacs are bad for sleeping bags... hope not 'cause I love 'em!!

Just don't leave it compressed for too long after you get home from your trip...

The amount of time a bag is compressed in a compression bag doesn't really hurt it, since it is assumed you are using the bag daily and compressing it only during travel, but leaving it in that state or in a regular stuff sack for a long time does hurt the down, as previously stated.

I have an old streamer type trunk I put on rollers that holds all our bags(2 -20 degree bags, 2 summer bags). It works well and shoves into a back corner of the closet nicely. Since the -20 bags are 34 years old and still in great shape, I'd say it is worth caring for them. I also have a plastic bin on rollers that fits under a bed and can hold a sleeping bag (or in my case, a down blanket).

I know this is off topic, but I have two synthetic bags I store in big Rubbermaid containers in the eaves of my house. It gets extremely hot in there in the summer, and extremely cold in there in the winter. They are in their containers, but is this heat and cold bad for the synthetic material and affect it?

I also have a down Parka that's taking up a lot of room hanging my my closest. Should I store it in the eaves as well?

My Basement get a lot of moisture in it when it rains so I don't want to store it there.