rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Mar 30, 2016 19:53:58 GMT -8
Roamed the aisles at Target a week or two back, and picked up a couple of things that seemed like they have gear potential at, well, Target prices. One was underwear, which I discussed in the Women's Forum. The other was a package of Outdoor Products Dry Sacks, 3 sizes for $12.95. Sizes are 2.1 L., 4.1 L., and 7.9 L (and yes, I wonder why such odd numbers). Dragged them home and did some testing.
Weight: 2.1 L = .8 oz/22g 4.1 L = 1 oz/27g 7.9 L = 1.6 oz/44g
Use: like any dry bag, you roll the top 3 times and fasten the buckles.
Tests: I did a couple of tests to see if they would work. The first time, I fully immersed a bag (with an old cotton t-shirt inside), and left it overnight. In that case, water did get in (I will note that the packaging says right on it that they aren't intended for full immersion). The second test was more like real backpacking conditions: I put in a bucket, set it in the shower until the bucket was half full, and left it floating there for a few hours. In that case, the contents stayed dry.
My take: I wouldn't use these for vital gear on a boat trip. But as an extra layer of protection for backpacking, I will. My interest was mainly in having that extra protection for my sleeping bag and down jacket in wet conditions, as I struggled a bit last summer in heavy rains to keep everything dry. For the price, they are functional, and surprisingly light. The middle-sized bag will fit my 32-deg. sleeping bag, and weighs .3 oz more than the stuff sack I currently use. That's worth it if I know that weather will be bad--or maybe any time.
That's my contribution for today to the never-ending quest for cheap gear that will do the job well enough.
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Ed
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Post by Ed on Mar 31, 2016 4:02:24 GMT -8
I've used these for a number of years. I've never depended on them to be completely waterproof but they do give an added layer. I also recommend them to our Philmont crews but caution them to put their names on them. Makes them easier to identify when everyone has the same bags.
BTW, I've found them at WalMart for about $10.00
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mk
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Post by mk on Mar 31, 2016 5:50:37 GMT -8
Thanks for the report, Rebecca. I'm also looking for a way to keep my jacket and sleeping bag dry and will definitely check these out. I tested the trash bag liner method on our last trip, when there was no rain to complicate things, and I found that I hated messing with the plastic. It felt very inefficient to me. I didn't have compactor bags, though. Perhaps that would have made a difference.
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Ed
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Post by Ed on Mar 31, 2016 6:54:22 GMT -8
For sleeping bags, I've used a turkey roasting bag as a liner in the compression sack. They're much tougher than garbage bags. I've used the same roasting bag on three two-week outings.
If you're using a compactor bag as a pack liner, try to get white compactor bags. The black ones are like looking into a black hole...
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tigger
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Post by tigger on Mar 31, 2016 7:21:33 GMT -8
I've switched completely to dry bags for keeping stuff dry that needs to be dry. In winter, I use a pack cover also in fall/winter. I like dry bags because it's pretty darn clear when they aren't working. My waterproof stuffsacks would fail before I knew it...and then I would end up with damp clothing, etc.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Mar 31, 2016 7:25:50 GMT -8
Good advice about the bag color. Ed! I'm not wild about the garbage-bag-liner, though will use it. If hiking, say, the Olympic Coast, I'd use both. Water just gets everywhere.
I hadn't considered dry bags because all I knew about them was the super heavy kind used for boating. I'll be using these.
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Ed
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Post by Ed on Mar 31, 2016 7:31:57 GMT -8
The thing about compactor bags -
pro - heavier plastic than trash bags
con - usually black usually scented
I've got a sil-nyl pack liner I got at a silent auction years ago. I haven't used it enough to see how it takes wear.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2016 7:32:17 GMT -8
Zpacks makes some low weight dry bags; such as the large rectangular dry bag (12.3L) which weighs 1.2oz.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Mar 31, 2016 7:46:33 GMT -8
Zpacks makes some low weight dry bags; such as the large rectangular dry bag (12.3L) which weighs 1.2oz. Those are nice! But of course not super cheap (though less pricey than I would have expected).
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2016 8:09:17 GMT -8
Zpacks makes some low weight dry bags; such as the large rectangular dry bag (12.3L) which weighs 1.2oz. Those are nice! But of course not super cheap (though less pricey than I would have expected). That's the way it goes for Backpacking, the cost of an item is inversely proportional to it weight . Myself, I find the cost of the Zpacks stuff sacks to be reasonable enough to where, 2 years ago, we replaced all of our stuff sacks with Zpacks stuff sacks as part of our gear weight reduction.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Mar 31, 2016 8:12:47 GMT -8
That's the way it goes for Backpacking, the cost of an item is inversely proportional to it weight THat's what struck me about the cheap bags--they are really pretty light. They'll do for what I want, I think, at the cost of 2 or 3 lattes.
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Mar 31, 2016 17:41:58 GMT -8
Cheap and light is good, especially if you don't need them to last forever.
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Post by hikerjer on Mar 31, 2016 18:44:27 GMT -8
Thank Rebecca. I might have to try them out if I can get by my revulsion of shopping at Walmart, but I guess we all have our price.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Mar 31, 2016 19:11:43 GMT -8
if I can get by my revulsion of shopping at Walmart, I got mine at Target. Might have cost a buck or two more, but I won't go into a Mall Wart (not that we have one in our neighborhood either, thanks be to dog).
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Post by hikerjer on Mar 31, 2016 19:39:18 GMT -8
I misread that. Glad to hear it. I can deal with Target little easier. That is, I guess, if I don't use my credit :( card.
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