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My down jacket is looking rather sorry for itself. It has very much lost its floof. I've tried tumbling it for a couple of hours (with a beanie alligator, which apparently can help agitate the down) but it doesn't seem to have made any difference.
What else can I do? Will washing help? Is special down wash any good? Any other pro tips?
Once the down breaks down then it’s knackered. You can try and wash then tumble with a couple of tennis balls but down only has a finite life before the feathers disintegrate and lose their loft.
Down wash to start with, then tumble on very low with a couple of tennis balls and/or dry over the bannister and shake regularly and vigorously as it's drying.
It's quite possibly dirty. If it's a decent jacket i'd be getting it cleaned by someone like WE Franklin in Sheffield. Every time they do a sleeping bag or jacket of ours it comes back like new.
Usually cost around 30 quid iirc.
There's also a place in Mussulburgh that are specialists in cleaning down outdoor kit. Scottish Mountain gear Ltd I think.
It's a pretty decent Columbia one, so probs worth a bit of effort. I'll give down wash and more tumbling a go, cheers. It's a few years old and been on a few adventures.