Stuff sacks are a vital piece of backpacking and tenting gear that preserve sleeping baggage or quilts dry, organized, and compressed. However many of the producer’s stuff sacks that include sleeping baggage or quilts are designed for uncompressed storage, not subject use, and it’s usually vital to buy a separate compression sack, roll-top stuff sack, or waterproof dry sack to serve these features.
Here are the ten greatest sleeping bag stuff sacks that we advocate and depend on to guard our backpacking quilts and sleeping baggage. Why the variability? Different varieties of sleeping baggage and quilts require completely different dimension sleeping bag stuff sacks. Be certain to learn our sleeping bag stuff sack choice information under.
1. Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Drysack
2. Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Compression Sack
3. Sea to Summit Evac Compression Dry Bag
4. Hyperlite Mountain Gear Roll-Top Stuff Sacks
5. REI Lightweight Compression Sack
6. Outdoor Products 3-Pack All Purpose Dry Sacks
7. Sealine BlockerLite Dry Sack
8. Hyperlight Mountain Gear Packing Pods
9. Six Moon Designs Packing Pods
10. SealLine Discovery View Dry Bag
Sleeping Bag Stuff Sack Guide
There are all types of tradeoffs to be made when selecting a sleeping bag stuff sack, which we element under.
Types of Stuff Sacks
There are mainly three sorts of stuff sacks applicable for packing sleeping baggage and backpacking quilts.
- Roll-top Dry Bags
- Compression Sacks
- Purgeable Stuff Sacks, both roll-top or compression
Roll-top Dry Bags are greatest for light-weight sleeping baggage and quilts, often, down-insulated, which are straightforward to compress with little effort. A roll-top closure is extra sturdy than a zipper and the rolling course of makes it very troublesome for water to go by the highest of the stuff sack.
Compression Sacks are greatest for bigger and greater sleeping baggage and quilts, resembling winter sleeping baggage or sleeping baggage and quilts insulated with artificial insulation which is more durable to compress. Compression sacks have buckles and webbing straps that enable you to make the dimensions of the stuff sack smaller, so it takes up much less room in your backpack. Compression sacks with 4 webbing straps are simpler to make use of and compress higher than these with three webbing straps.
Purgeable Stuff Sacks have purge values or breathable material panels that vent air from the stuff sack when it’s compressed, however don’t let it again in. They will be roll-tops or compression sacks. They’re helpful if you feed to get the utmost compression potential by forcing all the air out of your sleeping bag and stopping its return.
How to Size a Sleeping Bag Stuff Sack
What is the perfect dimension stuff sack for a sleeping bag or quilt? Sleeping baggage and quilts which have artificial insulation often require giant stuff sacks than these insulated with down, which compresses extra simply. The volumes required for quilts will probably be on the decrease finish of the vary as a result of they don’t include a hood and take up barely much less quantity than sleeping baggage.
| Insulation Type | Temperature Rating | Recommended Stuff Sack Volume |
|---|---|---|
| Down | 40 F / 4 C | 6-8 liters |
| Down | 20 F / -7 C | 8-12 liters |
| Down | 0 F / -18 C | 14-20 liters |
| Down | 20 Below F / 29 Below C | 20-30 liters |
| Synthetic | 40 F / 4 C | 9-13 liters |
| Synthetic | 20 F / -7 C | 16-20 liters |
| Synthetic | 0 F / -18 C | 25-35 liters |
In most circumstances, you’ll wish to get a sleeping bag stuff sack that’s simply giant sufficient to shut simply, however not seize an excessive amount of extra air, which is able to improve the packing house it requires. If the stuff sack has a roll-top closure, you’ll additionally need sufficient slack material on high so you’ll be able to roll the stuff sack thrice to shut it. This is the best variety of turns to stop water from leaking by the highest opening.
Water Resistance Vs Waterproofness
Most backpacking and tenting stuff sacks are waterproof and never absolutely waterproof for immersion underwater. If they’ve zippers or seam-taped seams, water can leak by them. They will nonetheless defend your sleeping bag from moisture, however your greatest guess is to pack them inside a backpack that’s lined with a plastic bag or lined with a rain cowl to stop rain from reaching them. Fully waterproof stuff sacks supposed for rafting, kayaking, or canoeing have welded seams that don’t leak when immersed and are often made with more durable supplies.
Color Coding
Multi-colored stuff sacks could make it a lot simpler to prepare your gear and discover it inside a backpack. Transparent materials or panels can serve the same perform, permitting you to see the contents so what they comprise.
Stuff Sack Weight
While stuff sacks could make it a lot simpler to prepare and find your gear in a backpack, they will add vital further weight to your gear listing for those who go overboard with them. Be certain to match the weights of various choices. For instance, Dyneema DCF stuff sacks vs these made with PU-coated nylon. In some situations, there’s much less of a weight distinction than you may count on, however there’s a enormous worth distinction!
Durability vs Weight
There’s often a tradeoff between sturdiness and weight in terms of stuff sacks that’s value contemplating when deciding on a sleeping bag stuff sack or dry bag. If you propose to retailer your sleeping bag inside one other bag like a backpack, there’s usually much less of a necessity for a heavy-duty, abrasion-resistant, or waterproof sleeping bag stuff sack when a lighter weight one will perform simply as effectively.
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