necessary to use a food bag, compression sacks?

[atsent]

Thanks to anyone that answered my last question about clothes. Got a few more: I keep hearing about people putting their clothes in compression sacks. They're not so cheap-- is it worth it? I have one for my sleeping bag but that's big. Or are there any cheaper alternatives than $20 bags? Same goes for food bags. Do I need to pay for a "real" bag to put my food in? It seems like ziplocks will do the trick just as well. Anything that I should specifically get a waterproof bag for? Thanks

[Two Speed]

All news to me that anyone uses a compression sack for clothing.

Suggestion: Don't get hung up about stuff sacks until Neel's Gap at least, maybe Hot Springs. Until then use freezer ziploc bags.

Yep, I have been called a radical.

[sofaking]

don't confuse stuff sax w/ compression sax...

[rafe]

Not sure where you heard that compression sacks are necessary... it's demonstrably, obviously false. A food bag is a useful thing, but there's nothing very special about it. Any old silnylon (or just-plain-nylon) bag will do, as long as it can hold your food and can be attached to a longer line for hanging.

[Tinker]

If you use stuff sacks for clothing or other soft gear, it's a good idea to buy them at least as wide as your pack, preferably wider, and don't stuff them so they look like plump sausages. That essentially amounts to you stuffing your pack with logs (lots of wasted space between stuff sacks). This problem is made worse by using compression sacks, which are like bowling bags in your pack. Stuff the pack, not the stuffsacks.

[theinfamousj]

For most things, I either use the sacks they came with or plastic grocery bags (which are quickly becoming an endangered species).

For bear bagging/food bag, I use a oven roasting bag. It is a bit tougher, is still light weight, and does a great job being waterproof.

Though I know a few folks who bearbag their food into their tent stuff sack ... since they aren't using it and all ...

[shelterbuilder]

I know that some will take issue with this, but like to use 3 food bags of different colors: one for breakfasts, one for lunches and one for dinners. That way, I only have to dump out 1/3 of my food at any one time, and since they all have drawstrings, bear-bagging is easy enough.

[sloopjonboswell]

hobo trash use plastic grocery bags for clothes and food, double up, triple up. much cheaper.

[Blissful]

We used the Wally world outdoor research bags for our food, worked good.

Used homemade sil nylon bags for the rest. All held up the entire hike.