Stuff Sacks

[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?

[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.

[Herm]

Rlown;
Don't you worry that the stink, like heat, will rise in your pack?
Herm

[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.

[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?

[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.

[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.

[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