Rug warmth decreasing with age?

[Love]

Potentially a silly question but interested to hear thoughts! Not massively important but something I think about probably far too often, lol!

For example, you buy a 200g stable rug which is lovely and fluffy. Over time, the filling flattens down and the rug is noticeably thinner (or at least mine do this anyway!). Technically the weight hasn't changed (?) but surely the rug won't be quite as warm (I personally now treat and use some of my old, very flat 200g stable rugs as 50g liners for under a turnout).

How much difference do you think there actually is in terms of warmth? Or are they just as warm, albeit a bit flatter now?

 

[meleeka]

I think it makes a big difference and it’s to do with the amount of warm air the rug is able to trap between its layers. That’s my theory anyway.

 

[Goldenstar]

New rugs are much warmer .

 

[dogatemysalad]

I think it makes a difference. I love Amigo Insulator stable rugs because they are so light and puffy and very easy to throw in the machine. They dry very quickly too. Mine get washed regularly because I hate rugs smelling of urine.
However, my 100 gm, after 5 years of many washes feels much thinner than the new one. It makes sense than the compressed fillling traps less air and so is less warm.
5 years service is pretty good, so i just downgrade the rating and use each one with that in mind.

 

[eggs]

Agree with everyone above.

 

[Nasicus]

I think it makes a big difference and it’s to do with the amount of warm air the rug is able to trap between its layers. That’s my theory anyway.

That is literally it!

 

[sbloom]

Yep, performance insulation compresses over time though more in use than in storage.

 

[humblepie]

I think it makes a difference. I love Amigo Insulator stable rugs because they are so light and puffy and very easy to throw in the machine. They dry very quickly too. Mine get washed regularly because I hate rugs smelling of urine.
However, my 100 gm, after 5 years of many washes feels much thinner than the new one. It makes sense than the compressed fillling traps less air and so is less warm.
5 years service is pretty good, so i just downgrade the rating and use each one with that in mind.

Love these rugs. Have a 100 which is now a 59, a new 100 and a 200.

 

[spotty_pony]

I would guess they do decrease with warmth with age… duvets do as they get thinner so I can’t see why rugs wouldn’t. I also think the waterproofness decreases when they are cleaned.

 

[Surbie]

I consider them to be my version of an old car - some of the horses have left the engine and it's not as fast/good as it used to be.

Most of my stable rugs are 3rd/4th/5th-hand and I bet anything that was 200g in its heyday now really isn't.

 

[Cragrat]

This is another reason why liner systems are so great - if you wash the liner, and maybe fluff it up in the dryer for 10 minutes, they regain most of their original warmth. And if they get beyond that, replacing them is cheaper than a whole new rug.

 

[Sossigpoker]

As the stuffing flattens with age its ability to trap air reduces so yes ,.they will become less warm as they get less fluffy

 

[irishdraft]

Yes they definitely lose warmth, I have an old but still waterproof rug that used to be 200g but large areas have no filling at all so it's just a sheet in a few places but still useful for my retired.

 

[Fieldlife]

This is another reason why liner systems are so great - if you wash the liner, and maybe fluff it up in the dryer for 10 minutes, they regain most of their original warmth. And if they get beyond that, replacing them is cheaper than a whole new rug.

I don’t have a dryer. I do wash my liners regularly. I have 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400gm** liners.

Not sure they do fluff up. But if you have a set you can easily tell if the 200gm gets more like a 100gm etc.

Got last 3 liners second hand with a rug!! The two lightest liners are new. So can easily compare.

 

[Widgeon]

I consider them to be my version of an old car - some of the horses have left the engine and it's not as fast/good as it used to be.

"some of the horses have left the engine" - love it. I hope you've used this one on a mechanic at some stage, it's excellent!

 

[sbloom]

Tennis balls (3) in with anything you want to fluff up in the dryer.