Stuff Sacks

Share your advice and personal experiences, post a gear review or ask any questions you may have pertaining to outdoor gear and equipment.
Post Reply
User avatar
maverick
Forums Moderator
Forums Moderator
Posts: 11821
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 5:54 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Stuff Sacks

Post by maverick »

Do you carry stuff sacks?
Do you have the cheaper nylon or the sil stiff sacks to save weight?
What about a compression sack for your sleeping bag, or do you just use a
garbage bag?
What about a nylon mesh for you dirty clothes?
Do you have them organized according to color, like lighter for clean, and darker
for dirty clothes?
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer

I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
User avatar
rlown
Topix Docent
Posts: 8225
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:00 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Wilton, CA

Re: Stuff Sacks

Post by rlown »

Dude, Your grabbing at straws with this thread. :)

Of course some of us carry extra stuff sacks; extra food for bear bagging where legal (maybe), Compression straps weigh too much, and no reason as my bag is strapped outside the pack. Organized, of course, but not in stuff sacks/mesh.. that smelly stuff moves to the bottom of the pack.
User avatar
Herm
Topix Regular
Posts: 257
Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2010 8:33 am
Experience: N/A
Location: Anaheim, CA
Contact:

Re: Stuff Sacks

Post by Herm »

Rlown;
Don't you worry that the stink, like heat, will rise in your pack?
Herm
I am not in a hurry, so don't be hasty.
User avatar
freestone
Topix Expert
Posts: 961
Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2005 9:42 pm
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
Location: Santa Barbara
Contact:

Re: Stuff Sacks

Post by freestone »

I gave up on stuff sacks a couple of years ago and shaved several ounces in doing so. I found them useless for the style of backpacking I do.
Short cuts make long delays. JRR Tolkien
User avatar
Troutdog 59
Topix Expert
Posts: 649
Joined: Thu Dec 23, 2010 12:11 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Clovis

Re: Stuff Sacks

Post by Troutdog 59 »

My first thought was, "doesnt everybody," but then I realized that reply likely points out that I didnt own a Bear Container until this year, so stuff sacks were a requirement. I have used them (bear containers) before (rented or borrowed a friends who has 2), but being that I have mainly packed out of the west side wilderness area trail heads the last 10 years and they are "encouraged" but not required, I had never bought one myself. Bought a BV 500 a month ago, and now I can see dumping the food stuff sacks.

But to answer your queries more directly.

Do I carry them? Yes.

Type? Cheap nylon, but the lighter weight material.

Compression sack? Yes. Just bought one of those as well. I like it as I can fit my bag in th e pack much easier. And Trash Bag? Yes as well, but its along as a pack cover for my pack when at camp, not as a sleeping bag stuff sack.

Nylon mesh for clothes? No. Like rlown said, the dirty stuff makes it way to the bottom.

And Herm, if the stink rises in my pack wont that make me more buoyant and lighten my load a little? :D ;) :D
Once in a while you can get shown the light
In the strangest places if you look at it right.

The Grateful Dead
User avatar
Wandering Daisy
Topix Docent
Posts: 6640
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:19 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Fair Oaks CA (Sacramento area)
Contact:

Re: Stuff Sacks

Post by Wandering Daisy »

I use stuff sacks to keep organized and protect critical gear (I tend to fall into streams when I cross). I have gone to all bright colored sacks as I get older and more forgetful and my eyesight is poor because I hate to wear bifocals. The compression sacks allow me to use a lower volume backpack. It is not only the weight of the gear, but how the pack distriubutes the weight. If you can compact the load, you can get the center of gravity closer to your back and this carries better. I also find that if I restrict clothing to just what fits in the stuff sack, I will not be tempted to throw in another layer as I head out from the car.

I use:
2 orange lightweight compression sacks, one for sleeping bag and other for clothes
1 orange medium sil sack 2 oz - put sleeping bag in it and this doubles for pillow
1 bright yellow sil zip sack as organizer for misc gear in the tent at night (otherwise I drop small stuff on the ground and lose it)
1 multi-color zip ditty bag
sil bag that comes with my TarpTent

I also line my backpack with a large plastic compactor bag IF I plan on a trip in a very wet climate (theh Rockies or coastal hiking in the winter vs the Sierra). The trash bag weighs less than my pack cover.

I find that the 8 oz or so these sacks add are worth the organization it brings to my camping. I sew my own bags to fit my needs and use lighter straps than those on most store-bought bags.

Dirty clothes? I never have dirty clothes - I wash things out every day.
User avatar
Flux
Topix Expert
Posts: 415
Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2010 9:57 am
Experience: N/A
Location: Palmdale

Re: Stuff Sacks

Post by Flux »

I carry a couple. One has a fleece side and a ripstop side that I use for my clothes and as a pillow. I bought a really light daypack that will now double as my sleeping bag stuff sack. I have one more small one that I use as a second layer of protection in losing my important items. Other stuff get's put in ziplocks and that is that.
User avatar
rlown
Topix Docent
Posts: 8225
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:00 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Wilton, CA

Re: Stuff Sacks

Post by rlown »

Here's my current "trip inventory" of stuff sacks:

1. Sleeping bag (not compressed, but coated to protect the bag; strapped outside pack)
2. Water filter (extra parts in the sack)
3. Stove (extra parts/seals in the sack)
4. extra food (one lightweight sack)
5. Tent (kind of a given if you strap it on your pack outside)
6. Sleeping pad (protects a bit from puncture and patch stuff inside)

And then there's a couple quart and gallon ziplocks thrown in for good measure for trash or other things. Dirty clothing is usually rinsed/dried before putting it back into the pack, as you might need it again.

Russ
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 37 guests