How often should I clean my quilt?
Deep cleaning of ultralight products is time consuming, so smaller steps should be taken to keep your quilts or accessories clean regularly. During a trip, try to wear a base layer while sleeping to keep oils and perspiration off the fabric in the first place. If you like using a quilt or sleeping bag liner, this will also keep the quilt clean for much longer. After a trip, it’s advisable to use a damp (not wet) cloth or wet wipe to quickly wipe off the fabric to remove any dirt and oil before it has the chance to work its way through the fabric.
If through extended use the quilt becomes dirty, the dirt and oils will start to diminish the loft of down insulation and reduce the total warmth. If you're sleeping in the quilt, you'll know when that time comes. In this case a thorough cleaning is necessary. Check out our Cleaning & Care article for more detailed cleaning instructions.
How should I store my quilt?
Generally speaking insulation should not be stored while compressed, so all EE quilts will also include a large storage bag for when you're at home. Where possible, store your gear in a room with dry air, out of direct sunlight, and also out of reach of pets as they tend to be very interested in what is inside your quilt.
Can I use a compression sack on the trail?
Compression sacks are fine for packing your quilt while you're out, but be sure to give your quilt 2-3 hours to loft up before you use it, and gently run your hand over the baffles to redistribute the down. Tight compression over time can cause both synthetic insulation and down to lose loft, so store your quilt in the cotton storage bag in a ventilated area once you're home.
How should I keep my gear dry on the trail?
While packs typically are made with water-resistant fabric, time, abrasion, and UV light will eventually reduce their ability to repel water, and many packs lack the seam sealing required to fully repel water to begin with. We recommend always being prepared for water reaching the inside of the pack. Pack covers offer some limited protection, though at EE we’re a big fan of using a large plastic bag (trash compactor bags work great) to hold everything that needs to stay dry inside your pack. We also include a stuff sack with each quilt, though a waterproof dry bag may also be purchased for more complete coverage.
I tore my quilt! Or a spark melted a tiny hole in my quilt! How should I repair it?
Use our repair patch kit to close small and medium-sized tears. It works on basically any fabric you’re likely to bring on your hiking and camping trips, so we recommend having a stash of it along with you for any of those little tears that come up from time to time. See instructions here.
In some cases we can also repair some damage for you for a reasonable fee, though always be sure to Contact us before sending a quilt in for possible repair. For more information about our repair and return policies, click here.
Down is coming out of my quilt, what do I do?
All down products leak feathers now and then, so it's generally not something to worry about. However, if you notice a feather sticking out of your quilt, don't pull it out. Instead reach in from the other side of the quilt and pull the feather back into your quilt. Then pinch the micro hole shut and smooth out your fabric.
Is it safe to use a bug-repellent treatment, such as permethrin, to avoid insects and bed bugs on my quilt?
Assuming you follow the directions, we don’t know of any negative effects of using a Permethrin treatment, provided it is designed for clothing and camping gear use, and safe on nylon fabrics.
If my quilt has lost some of its moisture resistance, can I use a DWR treatment to add that resistance back in?
Over time, any DWR (durable water resistant) coating on a fabric will eventually break down or wear out especially if exposed to frequent friction or sunlight. Aftermarket DWR treatments can be used to boost the moisture resistance of the fabrics in your quilt, but do not use treatments that require high heat to fully settle into the fabric. As with any aftermarket treatment to the quilt, failure or malfunction would not be covered by our warranty.