Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

I'm a rafter and I typically am able to take the kitchen sink along on multi-day trips. But, recently I needed to store 8-days of gear into a canoe and I discovered that size does count... particularly with sleeping bags. Dry counts, too:) I wound up purchasing a 20 degree mummy bag and, just to be safe, an Event Compression Dry Sack for it to live in... I was amazed at the difference in size I could make by expelling the air from the sack after it was stuffed!! The bag went from about 20" long and 9" across to something in the neighborhood of only 10" long!! And, I don't have to worry about it getting soaked if I tump!! It still weighs the same, plus about 8 oz. for the bag... but it works much better than the stuff-sack provided by the manufacturer! Crane

I've been using those compression bags for about 4 years, and I can second Larry's praise of them. Adds almost no extra weight, and you can really compress a down bag with it.

Interesting.

I just sprung the bux for a Marmot down helium bag. supposed to pack down ultra small but stay warm below freezing.

wondering how to protect same on river trips.

will definitely look at this compression sack.

Crane, sending you a pm. Contents aren't really private, just don't want to hijack the thread.

Okie, I think you'd be happy with one for your down bag... particularly if it gets small enuf to load into a Watershed gear bag. Mine did... and left enuf room for other personal gear. I'm thinking of getting another one to load my fleece into... that would save a lot of room! Crane

I have used a Sea To Summit EVent compression sack for my down bag the last two years as an OB instructor. They work well, but can develop leaks if you don't take care of them. I would not use them as a sole water-proofing measure, but they are a great part of a system. For example, when canoeing, the sleeping bag goes into the compression sack, which goes into a my backpack which is lined with a heavy-duty plastic sack. The plastic sack gets twisted, folded, and tied off with a clove-hitched piece of P-cord. For backpacking, where I am less likely to completely submerge my backpack, I just twist the plastic bag top closed and stuff it down the side of my pack.

There are several companies that make a compression sack with a plastic vent in the bottom. I would like to try one of those, but they are hard to find.

Thanks,
Shep

I have two STS compressions sacks that vent out through a watertight bottom material. I agree that I wouldn't trust those bags to be 100% waterproof. I compress my 30 deg down sleeping bag in one of them and a down jacket and some fleece/capiline in the other. Then those go into a watershed bag. Pretty much zero chance of ending up with a wet sleeping bag and clothing with that setup and the amount of compression is impressive. The only problem is that you can get too much weight in a big Watershed bag doing that and herniate yourself trying to pick it up! :)

- Fish

Just don't pack it so full:) I already have to set a counter-balance on my rig when I get set to load my personal gear... and think happy thoughts to lighten the day!! Crane

Well Gents, thanks for the ideas. This has been a informative thread for me.

Not really trusting event fabric to keeping my new ultra light ultra warm ultra cost Marmot down bag (first I have used since boy scout days where I used my Dad's stored in the barn left over from WWII 10th Mt Division army duck down bag wore out several decades ago) I just took delivery of a OR lightweight coated dry sack (of course made in China but shipped from the good ole USA). Which looks pretty much bomber to me long as I protect it from sticks, thorns and abrasion.

My plan is on the raft to use the Marmot compression bag to compress the sleeping bag, insert same into the OR bag then put the entire shooting match in my JPW outfitter bomber rafting bag. On the kayak trips, I will put the OR bag inside one of my tapered waterproof stern bags.

Entirely new deal for me as I have used synthetic sleeping bags for many years now on the river and no problems except for bulk. Hoping to do some kayak self support trips next season and working on getting bulk down.

Also just took delivery of a Exped syn mat as well.

Will never give up my Jacks Plastic Welding Silver back sleeping pad long as I am in a raft or truck, but the Exped looks like something I can stuff in the stern of my creek boat and still leave room for some peanut butter and coffee.