Do you use dry sacks for sleeping bags?

[Bighorse]

Ditto on the dry bag sentiment. I hunt the rainforest of SE Alaska. My backpack is never considered a waterproof vessel for anything. I even put my spotting scope and binos in a dry bag and they are considered waterproof. Just like above a three pronged approach to the bag system is applied. Sleeping gear, Clothing, and food. When game is down my bags are big enough that I can alternate and modify the strategy. I use dry bags for game meat often. Everything doesn't stay in a pack 100% of the time either. So say you stop for make camp or have a meal things start flying and are exposed to the elements. Keep your essentials protected. Often before I've even hit the trailhead my pack is soaked from a wet boat ride. There is not expectation of dry where I live it's just about thermal management.

 

[DeepMauka]

Just to be clear, I'm not advocating using oven bags as a stand alone dry bag, just as a back up and as a second means as I always use 2 levels of protection. Even the best and toughest dry bags can get pin holes. Also on my last hunt my OR bag I use for meat had a total failure. I use the OR bags as dry bags for gear until meat is made then I use them as a pack liner to get the meat back, nice to have something to keep gear dry while packing back to camp. While I too have had them fail while cooking, I have never had one fail while using it packing or when I use them as liners when brining meat, I think the heat may play a part in this. I picked one up from a bucket the other day full of brine and 2 pork butts.

When buying the OR bags be aware there are at least 2 different ones they sell, the lighter ones have a ripstop fabric and the more durable ones have loops sewn to them.

These are the ones best for meat packing, (for packing only, not a game bag).

http://www.outdoorresearch.com/en/or-gear/durable-dry-sack-5l.html

These are the lightweight rip stop ones, not strong enough for meat packing, but good for gear.

http://www.outdoorresearch.com/en/ultralight-dry-sack-1l.html

Stid, what size you use for meat transport/packing?

What size you use for gear?

Thanks

 

[Stid2677]

I use the 55L for both, they are light enough that I would rather have the larger bags and just roll them up when not full or not being used.

 

[DeepMauka]

I use the 55L for both, they are light enough that I would rather have the larger bags and just roll them up when not full or not being used.

Thanks!

 

[luke moffat]

waterproof is relative. stuff flat gets wet out here..

Very true. Flip a packraft or slip on a creek crossing (not that I EVER slip while crossing a creek/river ) and see just how "waterproof" a backpack that isn't sealed is. Wouldn't want to be 20+ miles from the road with a down bag and have my backpack fully submerged with a backpack that was just made out of waterproof material.

 

[luke moffat]

Stid, what size you use for meat transport/packing?

What size you use for gear?

Thanks

I find really the 35 liters are usually more than large enough as well if you can't find the 55L versions.

 

[Stid2677]

(not that I EVER slip while crossing a creek/river)

I resemble that remark,, Thanks again for helping me out of my turtle impersonation last year, that water was COLD!!!

 

[Becca]

I resemble that remark,, Thanks again for helping me out of my turtle impersonation last year, that water was COLD!!!

Glad you were ok, that was a super long day but it could have been a lot worse!

Luke fell into this creek on the return trip (with empty pack) when he came back to help me get across. Even though the water wasn't that deep, he slipped on an icy rock and ended up with one whole side of his body underwater. We poured water out of his (nearly empty) pack, and anything not in dry bags would have been drenched.


Regardless of the gear you are using, once it's soaked with freezing cold water it's tough to get warm again. I believe the temps were in the teens to 20's that day, and we were lucky we were headed home that evening so getting his clothes dry wasn't super critical. A good reminder that you can end up in the drink in a split second.

 

[tttoadman]

Just to be clear, I'm not advocating using oven bags as a stand alone dry bag, just as a back up and as a second means as I always use 2 levels of protection. Even the best and toughest dry bags can get pin holes. Also on my last hunt my OR bag I use for meat had a total failure. I use the OR bags as dry bags for gear until meat is made then I use them as a pack liner to get the meat back, nice to have something to keep gear dry while packing back to camp. While I too have had them fail while cooking, I have never had one fail while using it packing or when I use them as liners when brining meat, I think the heat may play a part in this. I picked one up from a bucket the other day full of brine and 2 pork butts.

When buying the OR bags be aware there are at least 2 different ones they sell, the lighter ones have a ripstop fabric and the more durable ones have loops sewn to them.

These are the ones best for meat packing, (for packing only, not a game bag).

http://www.outdoorresearch.com/en/or-gear/durable-dry-sack-5l.html

These are the lightweight rip stop ones, not strong enough for meat packing, but good for gear.

http://www.outdoorresearch.com/en/ultralight-dry-sack-1l.html

I second these bags. I have 3 in 10L. 2 are heavy. One is the lighter one in bright orange. Definitely a wt difference, but not drastic. A copper spur 2 fits in one complete with poles. I load the other 2 with a balance of food and water. It basically allows me to have my standard gear all in a SG Solo and not get confused all the time on how to load it. For light rain days when you don't really need a full pack cover, one of these 10L bags empty makes a nice "rain cap" for SG Solo. I have only used the SG meat bag once, and it wasn't a huge deer. I can see the value in having a bigger bag to load meat in.

 

[Jager]

My bag stays in my bivy bag, always waterproof then. I stuff them away like this.

 

[pacific-23]

Where I live they're a must. I pack a 10, 25, 35, and 2 liter bags all the time. The bigger ones are food and clothing (with lots of room to spare as boned out meat goes in one on the way home) 10 is my bag and the 2 is my first aid kit, batteries, tags etc. I also stuff the spotter in a 5l liter when I pack it along. Mine are a mix of OR and sea to summit light weight bags.

 

[n2horns]

Any specific brand for the bags? Sea 2 Summit, Sealine, OR? I was at REI tonight picking up a event bag 13l for my 20* puffin nano from feathered friends. Well sack is too small, so going to by a larger one and figured from this thread to just by a few.

 

[tttoadman]

Any specific brand for the bags? Sea 2 Summit, Sealine, OR? I was at REI tonight picking up a event bag 13l for my 20* puffin nano from feathered friends. Well sack is too small, so going to by a larger one and figured from this thread to just by a few.

My brother packs his -20 bag in a OR 15L bag. Plenty of room to get a few rolls to seal up the top.

 

[Rucker61]

I put my EE 20* quilt and NeoAir pad and pillow inside my Borah Bivy and stuff the whole enchilada inside a 30L SeaLine Cirrus dry sack. That and a tent fits inside a medium Kifaru pod.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

Doesn't having gear in dry bags negate the convenience of things like easy access two way zippers on the new EMR 2 or camp bag, or do you only put things that are unlikely to be needed at quick access?

 

[greyghostnw]

all items in my pack are in dry bags in various sizes. i use different colors to quickly know whats in them. my sleeping bag is in a compression dry bag. cant imagine never using them. perhaps its because i live in washington. i also always have a rainfly for my pack with me at all times. a wet pack adds weight and sucks to deal with, dry bags or not. guess i am overkill to most. gives peace of mind for me. i use sea to summit.

 

[thru-hunter]

I use the sea to summit event sacks and have zero complaints. I honestly purchased some super cheap sacks in various sizes and test fit a bunch of gear then bought the corresponding sizes in the good stuff. The cheap ones are used for car/ATV or local day trips just to keep stuff organized.

I have a couple of the compression versions sea to summit event sacks and don't really find them especially useful. If I had a smaller backpack and volume was an issue then perhaps I would like them. As it stands I have a large pack and can get the standard roll top event bags to compress plenty, they weigh less and don't have straps to tangle up in other gear.
I personally wouldn't trust any bivi sack to keep my bag dry while it is in my pack where I go. I just don't see that keeping a full and possibly extended submersion at bay. Spending a week plus stranded with constant rain and dozens of swollen creek crossings and no hope for extraction means your ability to stay warm and dry could be paramount for survival.

 

[60x]

I use the OR dry bags as well and the sweet thing unless it changed recently is OR besides having awesome gear has an amazing warranty. I sent in a set of gaitors and a dry bag that ripped and they sent me all new gear.

 

[n2horns]

I just ordered a bunch of OR leightweight bags from Amazon. 55l, 2 35l and a trio pack of the smaller bags.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I put some items in a dry Sea To Summit bag but my Wiggy's bag and other sleep items I just stuff in a couple of heavy plastic trashcan liners. If my Wiggy's bag gets wet I am still warm cuz it uses Lamalite instead of down and is warm if soaking wet. One night in a wet down bag will change the way your view gear.