PDA

View Full Version : ULA CDT and Food Bags



Nar Nar
01-24-2014, 13:19
Hey everyone, I just got a ULA CDT and though I have yet to test it in the field, it seems to be an awesome pack. I'm almost done getting my gear supply ready for this summer but the one thing I can't decide on is what food bag to get. I'm considering a 13L Sea to Summit Ultra-sil dry sack, but I'm not sure if the shape will fit well with the CDT. From your experience, what shape food bag is best? A cylinder shaped one like the S2S one, or a rounder one? Thanks!

daddytwosticks
01-24-2014, 16:10
I pack my food items in quart or gallon ziplock bags and disperse them in the very top of my pack's main compartment. Fills the nooks and crannies better. When in camp and overnight, these bags are kept in my Ursak Minor and it's hung on the bear cables or by PCT method. :)

Dogwood
01-24-2014, 17:21
This is a rather minor issue that you prolly shouldn't belabor/overthink. If you have the C2Summit Ultra Sil stuff sacks that have the fold down top it's quite easy to minimize/reduce the size of your food bag as your food volume changes. These also keep what's in it dry while perhaps offering some odor containment. This makes the food stuff sack fit nicely into a backpack taking up increasingly less volume as the hike progresses. So, maybe the best sized stuff sack for you is the one largest enough that will hold all your food.

Not that you should determine what works FOR YOU based on what works for others but my go to thru-hiking backpack is preferably the ULA CDT
w/ about at most 7 days of food which I almost entirely jam into a 4L C2Summit Ultra Sil/Event Dry sack w/ fold down top. It's taken me yrs of practice getting that many days food volume into that size food sack though and even then on some occasions I might have to leave a days food outside that sized stuff sack or partially in another sack. I usually mail myself severally volume reduced repackaged reportioned trail foods too.

Since the ULA CDT is a rather minimalist or UL backpack with IMHO a less than avg typical volume for a backpack it's my guess you're not planning for long many multi night hiking trips between resupplying so there should be less need to carry so much food in the CDT or for using a large 13 L food sack. But, what size stuff sack you ultimately use or the features it has is up to you. IMO the shape of these stuff sacks when full and as they reduce in volume work nicely in backpacks. Other companies make similarly shaped cylinder shaped stuff sacks. What might that be telling you? It doesn't have to be that big a deal though.

Shonryu
01-25-2014, 01:57
I use a ULA CDT and have had no issues with carrying 7 days worth of food in mine. I do consider myself to be a SUL backpacker and even for extended hikes ive never had an issue with room. As for food bag check out Zpacks and go with a cuban blast pack. Ive never had an issue with packing up to 14lbs of food in it.

Miner
01-25-2014, 02:03
I have no issues using my CDT for 6 days at time and usually have food left over at the end. I also use a Zpacks cuben fiber food bag. Before that I use to use a large size cuben fiber stuff sack or two.

Dogwood
01-25-2014, 03:07
I hope I didn't sound confusing. I too have no issue carrying 9 days of food in the ULA CDT backpack. I do however have issue with stuffing that many days food into one 4L c2Summit stuff sack.

Nar Nar
01-25-2014, 14:07
I use a ULA CDT and have had no issues with carrying 7 days worth of food in mine. I do consider myself to be a SUL backpacker and even for extended hikes ive never had an issue with room. As for food bag check out Zpacks and go with a cuban blast pack. Ive never had an issue with packing up to 14lbs of food in it.

I almost bought the Zpacks one but I have a $15 Amazon card so that's why I was concerned about the Sea to Summit one. Which shape of the blast bag do you have? The cylinder or the rounder one? This is what I'm concerned with most. Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nar Nar
01-25-2014, 14:08
I have no issues using my CDT for 6 days at time and usually have food left over at the end. I also use a Zpacks cuben fiber food bag. Before that I use to use a large size cuben fiber stuff sack or two.

Which shape blast bag do you have?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Miner
01-25-2014, 14:15
Which shape blast bag do you have? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I have the non-roll top in the Rectangular shape. Which their website is currently not listing the option for for some reason as they just show the cylinder version. However, since you were interested in the Seas2Summit dry bag, Zpacks's roll top version is the Rectangular Shape. If you look at their Large regular Stuff sack, it gives you a description difference between the two shapes:
Rectangle - 11" wide by 5.5" deep by 12" tall (28 cm x 14 cm x 30.5 cm). Fits small packs well. <- CDT would be considered a smaller pack in my mind.
Cylinder - 8" diameter by 15" tall (20 cm x 38 cm). Fits larger packs

Nar Nar
01-25-2014, 14:36
[QUOTE=Miner;1839034However, since you were interested in the Seas2Summit dry bag, Zpacks's roll top version is the Rectangular Shape.[/QUOTE]
I'm confused, I thought the Sea2Summit one would be equivalent to the cylinder Zpacks one? I'm not concerned with the roll top or not, only the shape. I have an Amazon gift card which is why I was considering the Sea2Summit one, because I can get it for cheaper. Basically, if the cylinder shape fits the CDT better, I will go with the S2S one. If the regular shape fits better (which it looks like it does), I will go with the Zpacks one assuming it becomes back in stock.

MuddyWaters
01-25-2014, 19:50
Joe will make you a blast foodbag to the exact dimensions you want. His foodbags fit UL pack sizes, about 12 x6 cross section. In these packs, having a 11x5.5 foodbag fills the pack efficiently. If your pack is larger, a custom bag may fill it better. If you have a 12" high foodbag with 1/2" of room around it, too small to cram most stuff, you can waste 200 in3 of pack volume. A larger bag would fill it more efficiently, and even let you use a smaller pack possibly..

Shonryu
01-26-2014, 01:33
This is the one I use. Rectangular roll top. http://www.zpacks.com/accessories/bear_bag.shtml

I perfer the roll top for more critter control. I also use an op sac inside to make it oder proof. Use your gift card to order those from Amazon.

OPSAK Odor Proof Barrier Bags (3 Size Options) by ALOKSAK http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012RK0LO/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_h1j5sb0YJYSW1

Some people consider these to be overkill for the AT including one guy I shared a shelter with who had mice in his bag while mine was left alone. ;)

Hope this helps