View Full Version : Packing a sleeping bag?
CSplee19
11-29-2004, 22:37
New to hiking and preparing for a thru hike in a about a year and a half. I'm wondering what is the best way to roll, fold, stuff, or whatever to compress a sleeping bag and then be able to put it into my pack. Also pack I have now is 3200sq in. and thinking I will be able to use this pack on my thru hike...any thoughts? Thanks for any advice you can give me.:-?
tlbj6142
11-29-2004, 22:53
3200ci is more than enough space.
I'm sure everyone has a different method for packing their bag, but here is what I do...
First I put my trash compactor bag (pack liner) in the pack and then start placing the bag into the bag (foot first one day, head first the next). Once it is all in, I roll down the top of the bag (liner) a bit and compress the bag a bit. Repeat the compression step a couple of times until the bag is the size I desire (depends on how much other gear/food I'm carrying). I then place "extra" clothes on top of the bag inside the liner. Roll the liner down a few times and then place my shelter on top (to keep it closed).
In a 3200ci pack, I'd expect the bag/clothes to consume 1/2 of the pack's volume. Though if needed you could compress down to 1/4 without concern.
grrickar
11-29-2004, 23:10
If it is a synthetic fill sleeping bag it might not compress too well. My Mountain Hardware bag uses Polarguard 3d and it is quite bulky. I use a granite gear 'airline' compression sack to keep it from hogging up so much space in my pack. Down filled bags pack down smaller generally, are more generally more expensive, and weigh less for the warmth they provide.
Just cram the sleeping bag into a stuff sack. Sil-nylon stuff sacks are about 1/2 the weight of a regular nylon stuff sack, and are waterproof until punctured.
As posted, a down bag will compress better than a synthetic bag.
And, just to say the obvious, don't leave your bag compressed longer than necessary. Always take it out of the stuff sack when you return home.
I concur with the Yellow Jacket completely. The trash compactor bag protects your down bag and clothes and is easier to stuff into and compress than a stuffsack.
My shelter and raingear are next followed by my food at the top.
Kerosene
11-30-2004, 10:57
All good recommendations, especially the trash compactor bag and silnyl stuff sack. I would definitely spring for lightweight, highly compressible down bags, perhaps a 15- or 20-degree bag for April/May and Sept/Oct, and maybe a 35- or 40-degree bag for the summer. The Western Mountaineering 20* Ultralite weighs less than 2 pounds and stuffs to to the size of a 1.5 liter waterbottle.
Footslogger
11-30-2004, 12:07
New to hiking and preparing for a thru hike in a about a year and a half. I'm wondering what is the best way to roll, fold, stuff, or whatever to compress a sleeping bag and then be able to put it into my pack.\=========================================
I worked for an outfitter for years and learned that the manufacturers recommend that you just stuff the sleeping bag into a stuff sack. You want to avoid regular/systematic folds in the bag. Another strong recommendation is that you remove your bag from the stuff sack as soon as possible after a days hike and when not hiking (or overnighting in towns) that you leave the bag out to allow the filling (down or synthetic) to loft out. That will help maintain the bags temperature rating over it's useful life.
As far as pack size goes ...lay out the gear/clothing you plan on carrying and then choose a pack that is comfortable and will hold all your stuff. There is no magic pack size or capacity. I carried a 2800 cu in pack almost all the way to Katahdin last year (Granite Gear Vapor Trail) and it worked fine for me.
'Slogger
AT 2003
gravityman
11-30-2004, 12:48
If it is a synthetic fill sleeping bag it might not compress too well. My Mountain Hardware bag uses Polarguard 3d and it is quite bulky. I use a granite gear 'airline' compression sack to keep it from hogging up so much space in my pack. Down filled bags pack down smaller generally, are more generally more expensive, and weigh less for the warmth they provide.
Most synthetic bag manufactures will warn against using a compression sack on their synthetic bags EVER. It's very bad for the fill material. A compression sack for down bags is just fine.
I agree with the above statement - don't fold or roll, stuff the bag. Prevents regular stressing of the same area of material or folding the same place over and over.
Gravity
jackiebolen
11-30-2004, 23:02
I think the most important thing is to keep your sleeping bag dry no matter what or you could end up dead! You can't always depend on a pack cover to keep everything dry when it's a blizzard or a torrential rain storm. On my hike, the inside of my pack got wet twice and I was sure happy I had a dry sleeping bag to crawl into.
I kept the important stuff (sleeping bag/camera/MP3 player/jacket/fleece hat, extra socks, etc) dry by putting them all in a waterproof stuff stack. A drybag that you would use for kayaking isn't necessary but I used one just a step down from it. It was called a serratus rolled top stuff sack. Here's the website:
www.serratus.com
I think the most important thing is to keep your sleeping bag dry no matter what or you could end up dead! You can't always depend on a pack cover to keep everything dry when it's a blizzard or a torrential rain storm. On my hike, the inside of my pack got wet twice and I was sure happy I had a dry sleeping bag to crawl into.
I kept the important stuff (sleeping bag/camera/MP3 player/jacket/fleece hat, extra socks, etc) dry by putting them all in a waterproof stuff stack. A drybag that you would use for kayaking isn't necessary but I used one just a step down from it. It was called a serratus rolled top stuff sack. Here's the website:
www.serratus.com
I think that most of us use plastic bags to keep sleeping bags and clothing dry. That being said, a sil-nylon stuff sack is waterproof, and about 1/2 the weight of a nylon stuff sack. I think a roll top dry bag is overkill unless you are doing a canoe or kayak trip.
Footslogger
12-01-2004, 20:28
I think that most of us use plastic bags to keep sleeping bags and clothing dry. That being said, a sil-nylon stuff sack is waterproof, and about 1/2 the weight of a nylon stuff sack. I think a roll top dry bag is overkill unless you are doing a canoe or kayak trip.===============================
True that a roll top dry bag is likely overkill on a backpacking trip. However, an idea to consider is a plastic trash compactor bag inside your backpack. They are about the size of a tall kitchen trashbag but much stronger. I used one all the way to Katahdin last year (and we had tons of rain) and never had a wet piece of clothing or gear. I used a silnylon stuff sack for my clothes and sleeping bag and another one for food. Stuffed all those down inside the compactor bag and off I went a hiking ...many a day in non-stop downpour type rain.
Anyhew ...thought I'd throw in that suggestion. Doesn't weigh much and gives an extra margin of "insurance" against moisture. I also avoids you having to worry about setting your pack down on the damp/wet ground.
'Slogger
AT 2003
CSplee19
12-01-2004, 23:36
Just wanted to thank everyone for your input. Great help to me. Also wanted to throw in that my bag came with a compression sack. Used it maybe twice and the straps broke so I don't see that being the way to go.
grrickar
12-02-2004, 09:57
Granite Gear makes really good compression sacks. I used a no name brand one for my old Kelty bag and after about a year I was cinching one of the straps when the plastic buckle exploded. I say exploded because you would not believe the violence in which it broke; pieces bounced off the opposite wall of the room. My wife even stuck her head in to ask what happened. I'm just glad my eyes were spared.
On the topic of whether or not to compress synthetic bags, I would suggest you check with the manufacturer. My old Kelty has been compressed so many times you would think all the loft would be gone, but somehow it still insulates. I'm not sure what the fill is but I can say for certain it is not down.
I checked Mountain Hardware's website and did not get a conclusive answer, but if I did not compress my 2nd Dimension bag, it would take up most of my pack (it does even when compressed for that matter). I still will compress it when carrying it, but I always use the large cotton sack that came with it to store it at home (the bag length is about from my waist to the floor, and directions state that it should be stored long term in that bag). Compressing will likely shorten the life of the synthetic fill, but when carrying the bag I find it to be a necessary evil.
Since that is my winter/late fall bag, I have decided to buy a Kelty Lightyear 45 degree down bag. This will be the first down bag I have ever owned. I have always read that you should buy the best down bag you can, but at $400+ I don't see that happening anytime soon. The Lightyear uses 650 fill down, weighs about 2 lbs, and can be had for under $100.
According to my reading it will compress to the size of a 2 ltr bottle (one website states it will compress to the size of a football.) I consider this bag a 'try before I buy' purchase. If it performs decently, I may switch to down for the compressability and weight savings.
peter_pan
12-02-2004, 10:44
For those that like silnyl and compression sacks....light weight and low cost...check out the JRB Compression/stuff Sack...www.jacksrbetter.com
If your pack doesn't have a seperate bag compartment, then use a compression bag/sack.
orangebug
12-02-2004, 22:20
Remember, compression sacks will crush fillers. You can get away with that for a while with down, but synthetics will suffer quickly. If you have a down bag, sitting on the bag and compressing it in a stuff sack or trash bag will make it much smaller without the level of damage.
Youngblood
12-03-2004, 10:23
Remember, compression sacks will crush fillers. You can get away with that for a while with down, but synthetics will suffer quickly. If you have a down bag, sitting on the bag and compressing it in a stuff sack or trash bag will make it much smaller without the level of damage.
I've never used a compressing sack and would be afraid to use one on my expensive down bags... or my not so cheap synthetic bags that I once used. This is because I believe the warnings from other folks about their bags permenantly losing loft from being overly crushed with compression sacks. Every now and then I pay respect to one of my favorite old sayings: "Some folks learn by listening, some folks learn by watching... and then there are those that have to piss on the electric fence for themselves".
Youngblood