Hidden Mold in Down Sleeping Bags?
You're about to drop cash on a used down sleeping bag that looks perfect online. The seller swears it's in great shape. But here's what they won't tell you: mold and mildew can hide deep inside down insulation for months, slowly destroying the bag's warmth and possibly affecting your health. One camping trip later, you'll realize that "great deal" just turned into a moldy nightmare. What Makes Down Bags Perfect for Hidden Mold? Down feathers trap moisture like tiny sponges. When a bag gets wet and doesn't dry completely, mold spores move in and set up camp. You can't see this happening inside the baffles where the down sits. A bag might look fine from the outside while the inside clusters are covered in microscopic mold colonies. Studies show that down insulation retains up to 30% of its weight in moisture before you'll even notice it feels damp. That's a lot of water sitting in those feathers, creating the perfect environment for m...