Frequently Asked Questions old

Orders, Payment & Shipping

What if the product I ordered is out of stock?

Normally our site runs on a live stock system but every now and then we may run out of an item. If what you have ordered is out of stock, we will notify you as soon as possible and advise you of when it is due to arrive back in stock. If it is discontinued, then we can provide you with an idea on similar products that will suit your needs.

Can I track my order?

Once we have received your order we will pick, pack and have it on its way. As soon as it leaves you will receive a notification from DHL on Demand with all your tracking details, and will be able to track and amend your delivery instructions in real-time.

Can I change my order?

Generally we will start packing your order soon after its been received within business hours.  Feel free to chat to our Team who can follow up on your order for you.

Which credit cards do you accept?

We accept all major credit cards including visa, visa debit, mastercard and Amex.

Are my credit card details stored on my BlackWolf account?

No, we only store your personal address and delivery details.

Product

How do I wash my sleeping bag?

Washing
Eventually, no matter how careful you are, the time will come to wash your sleeping bag. You have two options, have it professionally cleaned or do it yourself. If you choose professional cleaning you should look for a cleaner who specialises in cleaning bedding or quilts or go to an outdoor gear specialist. Your sleeping bag should NEVER be dry cleaned, the solvents used for dry cleaning will damage your bag. Washing your bag yourself isn’t hard but it is important to follow these guidelines:

Washing Down filled sleeping bags
Buy a specialist down cleaning soap from your local camping store or use a mild non-detergent soap. Your bag will take several days to dry so warm weather with low humidity is the best time to take on washing your down bag. Fill your bath or laundry tub with enough warm water to cover your sleeping bag and add a small amount of soap, submerge your bag and gently massage the water through it, leave it to soak for a while. Drain the water then add more fresh water again massaging it through the bag, repeat this rinsing process until all the soap is gone, you’ll need to do it at least three times. Once the rinse water is clear drain the bath or tub and carefully press down on the bag until you have squeezed as much water as possible out of the bag then carefully fold the bag into a bundle and lift it out of the bath or tub – don’t let any of the bag hang down as the fragile baffle walls inside the bag that keep the down in place can be damaged very easily while the bag is wet and heavy. Dry your sleeping bag flat in a warm place regularly massaging the down to separate it and restore it’s loft.

Washing Synthetic filled sleeping bags.
Synthetic filled bags can be hand washed in the same way as down bags (detailed above) to maximise their lifespan. However, they can also be carefully machine washed in a large front loader on a gentle cycle with a specialist sleeping bag soap or mild non-detergent soap – NEVER WASH A SLEEPING BAG IN A TOP LOADER WITH AN AGITATOR IT WILL DESTROY YOUR SLEEPING BAG. Air drying is the best way to dry your sleeping bag, a synthetic filled bag will dry quicker than a down bag and is not quite as fragile when wet but care should be taken to support the bag when wet so the stitching is not damaged and it should be dried lying flat in warm place.

My Tent is leaking or is it Condensation?
One of the most regular questions asked when camping is “why is my tent leaking?”. 99% of the time it’s not and the water you find dripping down the inner side of your tent is caused by condensation.

Condensation occurs when there is a difference between inside and outside temperatures and there is a waterproof barrier between them, examples are condensation on the inside of the windows of your house on a winters night when the heater is on inside your house and it is cold outside, another is condensation forming on the outside of a cold drink bottle after it is taken out of the fridge.

In the camping environment there are three main sources for condensation in tents:

Weather conditions: High humidity, low temperatures and rain are all contributors to condensation.

People: there is moisture in the air we breathe out and our bodies are always perspiring, the average person eliminates 1 litre of water per day through respiration (breathing) and transpiration (sweating)

Wet environment: wet or damp gear stored inside your tent.

No tent design can eliminate condensation completely but it can be minimised through ventilation. Most tents have vents, doors and windows that can be used to for ventilation to minimise condensation. Any wind or even a light breeze can be harnessed to assist in moving air through vents and windows to help control condensation. Here are some points to keep in mind on your next camping trip when choosing a campsite, pitching your tent and using your tent:

  • Open internal weatherproof vents; such as the roof vents in a Turbo tent or the solid fabric doors on the inner tent of a dome for ventilation.
  • Guy out external window flaps or ground level vents to allow airflow
  • Position you tent so that the prevailing wind will assist with air flow through your tent helping to minimise condensation
  • In wet humid weather be aware that wet gear will increase the amount of condensation in your tent so where practical store this wet gear outside the tent

Knowing and understanding the causes for condensation is the key to controlling it and now you know the causes you can utilise the ventilation components of your tent to minimise condensation for a more comfortable camping experience.

If you have still believe your tent is leaking, before sending it back, please set it up at home on a sunny day, give it a good hosing and look for the point at which its leaking. If you find a specific spot, takes some photos and send these back with your tent for assessment.

If the tent doesn’t leak, you will find that the problem was condensation.

What is an R-Value?

R-Value is a measure of thermal resistance used in the building and construction industry and is used by the outdoor gear industry so you can compare the warmth offered by camping mats. Simply a higher R-Value means more insulation and therefore a warmer mat. Generally the thicker self inflating mat is the more insulation it will provide and the warmer it will be however many mats have some of the foam cut away to make the mat lighter and more compact and that is where the R-value allows you to make an accurate comparison.