PDA

View Full Version : Sleeping bag, compression sack, and carabiners...



David@whiteblaze
05-21-2010, 11:34
Look, I know the last thing everyone wants is to review more gear, and the last thing I want to hear is that this isn't good, but when I ask for information, I want to hear your positive and negative thoughts and experiences, but I don't want to hear what I should get instead... they are all lighter than my current stuff, so here's the links:
Marmot Sawtooth 15* (http://www.rei.com/product/760258)
Granite Gear Compression sack (http://www.rei.com/product/797351)
Black Diamond Quicksilver Carabiners (http://www.rei.com/product/710222)
and the carabiners will just be for general-purpose use [bear bagging, hanging water, hammock (when I get one) etc...]
Happy trails and all that...

Blissful
05-21-2010, 12:57
David if you don't want hear anything contrary (such as the weight of the gear or ideas on other items), why are you asking? If you already own it, its pretty much a done deal. If you don't own it yet, you might be interested in hearing other ideas for gear. :)

David@whiteblaze
05-21-2010, 13:03
well, kind of, I asked for negative as well as positives, but I am not really concerned about weight... A lot of times, I'll ask a gear question and some ULers will tell me to go with something that weighs a pound or two lighter, but really, either doesn't suit me, or breaks the bank... I suppose the no suggestions idea really should be translated that I have looked at this gear, I'm gonna buy it tommorrow, unless it's easily destroyed, and if you have a comment about a similarly priced/degrees/functional peice of equipment, go ahead and post it, just try and make sure that I'm listening if you have a critical point...
Happy Trails and all that...
-Hikes with No-Sweat

general
05-21-2010, 13:06
i like the granite gear cordura compression sacks. i havn't torn one up yet. you don't need biners

David@whiteblaze
05-21-2010, 13:19
Ok, so I'm not trying to turn you away or anything, but I've gotta ask...I don't need biners, but I can carry them, right? I use one for securing my unneccessary knife on my pack, it keeps it from sliding forward when I pull it out, or falling out backwards when I pu**** in... I also like using a 'biner for securing my food bag to my rope. soo... can I use them, and would these be good choices?

David@whiteblaze
05-21-2010, 13:20
BAHAHAHA, I for got a space between Push and it, my first auto-mod on WB :D

beakerman
05-21-2010, 13:52
yeah I was trying to work out what you were trying to say there....that's funny.

beakerman
05-21-2010, 13:56
anyway the 'biners look fine. As already mentioned you don't need them because everyting you are doing can be achieved with judicious application of knots but it is your load and your choice so I'm not going to argue with you on that.

Have great hike!

David@whiteblaze
05-21-2010, 14:13
anyway the 'biners look fine. As already mentioned you don't need them because everyting you are doing can be achieved with judicious application of knots but it is your load and your choice so I'm not going to argue with you on that.

Have great hike!
Yeah, I have gone through several "cheap" ($20 for 3) biner sets and the spring stuck inside, I figured that at least with these, I could use them with a stuck spring... But I have found myself to be "too good" at tying "bad knots"... thay get stuck easily...

Happy Trails and all that...

-Hikes with No-Sweat

Marta
05-21-2010, 17:21
Instead of a 'biner I use a foot or so of Spectra cord to tie my knife to the outside of my pack. Very light.

David@whiteblaze
05-21-2010, 17:39
Haha,just noticed my error... the idea is that I have had the extra 'biner hanging there (good pulley...) and I decided to clip a light/fan pull-chain onto it and a grommet at the bottom of my sheath... so that's just a dual-use of a frivolous item... :D

Happy Hiking and all that...

-Hikes with No-Sweat

srestrepo
05-21-2010, 18:57
Hey i've got the sawtooth extra long extra wide... i really like this bag, its very comfortable. i have a preference to marmot just because i'm me but i like it a lot. you know that there are obviously lighter options out there. but i do suggest you try out the bag and give the hood adjustment strings a tug... some people dont liek how it works. i personally love it.

also the compression sack from granite gear - i've had one for a while to put my tent into. it works great. but i recently sold my tent. so this frees it up to you if you're interested pm me for details.

also a carabiner it not necessary. they're cool and such, but not needed. a good bowline around the hoop on your food bag would suffice. but to each their own. i personally just hate losing stuff in the woods and i always used to lose little things like carabiners.

good luck either way man.

Atreus
05-21-2010, 19:13
no need for fancy 'Biners. Especially for Hanging your hammock. You can use Dutch clips which weigh a lot less. For sale on hammockforums.net

David@whiteblaze
05-21-2010, 19:31
*I meant tarp... silly scatterbrained me... :rolleyes:

Tinker
05-21-2010, 23:23
David - I'd suggest that you use your whole pack as a compression sack and forget about trying to get hard little bowling balls (which is what compression stuff sacks become after compression) to fit neatly into your pack. Since I use a frameless pack, I need to stuff the pack itself uniformly to make sure it keeps a nice taut shape. The biggest downside to using compression sacks in a pack with a frame (internal or external) is the waste of space that they create - all the small ones between the various stuff and compression sacks. I have nothing against sacks, but you'll find that if you fill them loosely your pack space will be better utilized.

David@whiteblaze
05-21-2010, 23:38
well, it has been reccomended to me that the size of a blackbird can be about a large soda can when compresses, and it is a well-known fact that down compresses more tightly than you can get it into a stuff sack... I reeealy need to hear from that guy about the stuff sack before tomorrow, because that's when I'm going to the bank...

Tinker
05-21-2010, 23:46
Maybe you didn't catch my drift. With a bunch of stuffsacks your pack will be like a jar of marbles, with lots of air space between the marbles - plus - overcompressing fabrics and fillings isn't very good for them in the long run. Once in a while is ok, but day after day overcompression will reduce the loft of fills, both natural and synthetic.
Synthetic fills, especially, when compressed in a hot environment (car on a hot day or hot attic) soften and lose the crimp in the fibers which gives them their loft.

Mountain Wildman
05-22-2010, 00:25
Maybe you didn't catch my drift. With a bunch of stuffsacks your pack will be like a jar of marbles, with lots of air space between the marbles - plus - overcompressing fabrics and fillings isn't very good for them in the long run. Once in a while is ok, but day after day overcompression will reduce the loft of fills, both natural and synthetic.
Synthetic fills, especially, when compressed in a hot environment (car on a hot day or hot attic) soften and lose the crimp in the fibers which gives them their loft.

I don't have as much experience as Tinker but I agree, I did not buy even one Compression sack and have no intentions of using one, I paid way to much for my gear to risk damaging it. Not that it's wrong to use them, As with all gear it is a personal decision.

David@whiteblaze
05-22-2010, 06:58
so, are you suggesting not using any stuffsacks and packing everything as-is? (I catch your drift about dead air space...) and although I live in a hot environment, I plan on: A: Storing my gear in the closet, B: Only taking my "car camping" sleeping bag on warm trips, and C: Unpacking my sleeping bag into an oversized stuff sack...

Happy Trails and all that...

-Hikes with No-Sweat

txag
05-22-2010, 11:30
During my younger climbing days I trusted my life to BD carabiners because they do not fail. They will be more than fine for holding up a bear bag or the other uses you mentioned.

I attach a biner to the back of my pack and run all the cords from stuff sacks carried on the outside (tent, sleeping pad, poles, etc.) through it as a safety backup. Last year while butt-crawling over a blow down my sleeping pad came out - good to have it hit me in the back of the leg then rather than finding out at the campsite.

srestrepo
05-22-2010, 13:41
hey david, if you're going to be putting your down or your blackbird (both of which i own and care for dearly) then i just have to make you aware of the possible impact to your gear. if you smush down in a compression sack or even synthetic fills for hta matter, you ruin the loft. over time. i have the compression sack available for sale, but if me and you have the same gear down and a blackbird, there's a reason i dont use this unless its winter time and i'm putting socks and layers in it.

let me know if you really want it man, but just know that putting down inside of a compression sack is not a good idea. its much better for you to stuff in a large stuff pack and then smush it into you pack so that it fills the space in your pack better and helps distribute weight better too.

Mountain Wildman
05-22-2010, 14:21
so, are you suggesting not using any stuffsacks and packing everything as-is? (I catch your drift about dead air space...) and although I live in a hot environment, I plan on: A: Storing my gear in the closet, B: Only taking my "car camping" sleeping bag on warm trips, and C: Unpacking my sleeping bag into an oversized stuff sack...

Happy Trails and all that...

-Hikes with No-Sweat

David,
No insult intended, Compression sack, Stuff sack and Dry sacks are different,
Stuff sack closes with rope and a plastic spring clip, Compression sack closes also with a rope and spring clip but has four straps on the outside of the sack that cinch down to force the sack and contents to compress into a smaller crunched up package and a Dry sack rolls down and then clips closed with a plastic snap buckle. For storage of sleeping bag it is usually recommended to either hang it up fully opened or better bags like my Feathered Friends Winter Wren bag came with a very large cotton bag to store it very loosely, It's larger than an Army duffle bag. After reading your above comment I thought I would clarify these things.

David@whiteblaze
05-22-2010, 15:08
oh... so, I have dry sacks for organizing cooking stuff, food (and one for hanging all food...) but you're saying I oughta just get the bag and smush it in the stuff sack as best as I can? also, should I get a dry sack for the bag then?

Mountain Wildman
05-22-2010, 15:18
oh... so, I have dry sacks for organizing cooking stuff, food (and one for hanging all food...) but you're saying I oughta just get the bag and smush it in the stuff sack as best as I can? also, should I get a dry sack for the bag then?

Yes,
Some hikers just use stuff sacks, I want to be sure my gear stays dry so I stuff my sleeping bag into it's stuff sack and then put that into a dry sack, Anything that would be harmed by moisture like clothes, food, cell phone etc... I put into a dry sack.

David@whiteblaze
05-22-2010, 22:04
I ordered the sleeping bag and a DRY SACK to match, I also ordered a pot, carabiners,and socks... but THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who informed me about the potential damage to my bag(s) you guys are bag-lifespan-savers :D

Happy Trails and all that...

-Hikes with No-Sweat

TIDE-HSV
05-22-2010, 22:26
David, I don't know if anyone has put it quite this way, but down just has so many compression/decompression cycles in it. The little feather stems which each piece has are bent each time it's compressed. Each will finally give up the ghost and just stay bent. That's the reason for storing down as uncompressed as possible. Over a period of time, if it's stored "bent," the effect is the same as many cycles of compression - the material fatigues and just stays bent...

David@whiteblaze
05-22-2010, 22:36
such complexity... sigh... well it's better to find out sooner than later I suppose...

Happy Trails and all that...

-Hikes with No-Sweat

David@whiteblaze
05-25-2010, 15:06
well, I ordered the sleeping bad, a sea-to-summit dry sack, and the carabiners (along with a pot) on saturday, and it's gonna show up 5 days early! My tent is going for sale, and it seems to be all falling together...

Mountain Wildman
05-25-2010, 15:26
Don't you love it when a plan comes together!!

David@whiteblaze
05-25-2010, 15:58
not only that, but I have a backup buyer if the first falls through

Happy Trails and all that...

-Hikes with No-Sweat

beakerman
05-25-2010, 16:59
compression sacks will destroy a sleeping bag if they are stored compressed of course so will storing one rolled up. I do not roll my sleeping bag. What I rely on is the simple fact that I litterally stuff my sleeping bag into my compression sack so it should, by random chance, never take a set in the fill. I unpack my sleeping bag each night, just in case I need it, and then stuff it back in again in the morning. When I get home the bag gets stored laying flat.

snaplok
05-26-2010, 01:53
As a person who tries to follow the Ultralight philosophy, I still carry(and have for the past 20 or so years since I was a scout) a carabiner with me backpacking. And that is even with a ton of knot tying skills.

I have 3 BD Quicksilver and rate them the best that I have if you want to haul serious weight even in an emergency situation. It's a small few extra ounces for the ease of using that keeps me using them.

I have also tried the NiteIze S-Biner which work well but doesnt have the same durability as the Black Diamonds, but then again I've used the BDs for rock climbing so I might just be bias.:D

DaveSail
09-19-2010, 13:54
These are nice , all - metal , light - weight , and the capacity ,
( very conservative ) is given :

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=61609&cat=1,43456


I'm not sure if this LARGE , plastic one would have any use :


http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=66247&cat=1,43456



David V. Webber

Rocket Jones
09-19-2010, 14:13
These are nice , all - metal , light - weight , and the capacity ,
( very conservative ) is given :

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=61609&cat=1,43456


I don't care for the S-biners because the wire gates are weakly sprung. Gear bouncing from one, or rubbing against something on your pack can result in whatever's being secured coming free.

yari
09-19-2010, 16:58
I attach a biner to the back of my pack and run all the cords from stuff sacks carried on the outside (tent, sleeping pad, poles, etc.) through it as a safety backup.

That is an excellent idea. Thank you very much.

DaveSail
09-19-2010, 21:33
I bought three of each of the three smallest sizes . Have used some of most of the them , and never had one open accidentaly . Just lucky , I guess .

David V. Webber


http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/images/icons/icon7.gif

JAK
09-19-2010, 22:08
I like the sleeping bag. If it fits you well, I think you could get alot of use out of it in many places year round. I don't like the compression bag, unless maybe you were thinking about turning it into a summer backpack, in which case, there are better ones in that size and weight and cheaper, already fitted with straps. I don't like adding weight to compress things. I like saving weight by letting things expand. I think the caribeeners are good, but too heavy and expensive for what you intend to use them for.

David@whiteblaze
09-19-2010, 22:48
alright, it's definitely time for an update... I bought the carabiners and they work well for keeping my bear bag rope out of tree brush by clipping it over both sides of the rope, and pulling. The sleeping bag is soooo warm and light, I love it, I got a sea-to-summit stuff sack, and I can compress the sleeping bag on it's own, and then use the stuff sack to make sure it stays compressed as long as I'm backpacking. My whole setup fits 200% better now that I can lay it down on the bottom of my pack. the pot is a tad bit heavy, but it's reaaally shiny, and even has a small indentation on the bottom which fits my stove perfectly. it holds my entire cook kit and is even watertight with the lid closed. The tent sale went off without a hitch, one tent shipped, one payment recieved, one happy camper.

Happy Trails and all that...

-Hikes with No-Sweat