Sleeping bag carry with Mystery Ranch Metcalf

[300wmxcr2]

I've had a Mystery Ranch Metcalf for a few years and always carried my sleeping bag inside it in a compression sack. With the sleeping bag and all other gear for 5-7 days it is maxed out for room.

Just got a new sleeping bag and its a bit bigger and I am guessing that with it inside the pack there will not be enough room now for all my gear.

The question is, does anyone use a dry bag for sleeping bag and put it between the bag and frame?

I was thinking of using a lightweight dry bag , folding the sleeping bag up to about the pack frame size, putting it in the dry bag and putting on load shelf. With everything cinched up it should only be a few inched thick and free up lots of space in the bag.

Not looking to change my pack or sleeping bag, just wondering if anyone else carries sleeping bag this way? Do you have a dry bag that works well as for size, weight and durability?
Thanks

 

[Desk Jockey]

I have used an OR dry bag sold by kifaru and the MR dry bag with a Metcalf and other MR packs. I have packed the way you describe on occasion. My general preference was to put consumables (food and fuel) on the meat shelf so it reduced bulk over time. It also out heavier items closer to the pack frame and center of gravity. Loading bulky items closer to your spine changes the geometry in the loading and causes more shoulder pressure IMO.

 

[Mrwigelow]

I have been looking to do something similar with my Pinter. I just picked up a Event bag for my sleeping bag to strap to the bottom of the Pinter bag.

 

[iHunt3]

Wondering the same thing. Thanks!

 

[Hootsma]

Do you remember the old Kelly external tube aluminum framed packs? Those were designed to have the sleeping bag on the bottom, directly below your main bag. That would be the way to go for a sleeping bag, but you’ll need a slightly heavier dry bag to store it in, since it’ll be pretty exposed to abrasion. The OR durable dry sacks would work well for this.

Putting something light and bulky between your main bag and frame, just pushes the heavier stuff further away from your center of gravity and makes packing significantly harder and less comfortable. I’d avoid it if you could.

 

[Smokeslider]

Hootsma hit it. While there's nothing preventing you from putting the sleeping bag between the bag and frame, your moving all of the heavier-per-volume items further from your back changing how comfortable things will be. If your pack isn't that heavy or you aren't going far, it won't be felt as much. Heavy pack going far, it's gonna wear you down. If it were me, I'd figure out a way to strap it on top or pack differently to get it in there. Depends on what your doing, how your hiking/hunting and other factors.

 

[Windigo]

Do you remember the old Kelly external tube aluminum framed packs? Those were designed to have the sleeping bag on the bottom, directly below your main bag. That would be the way to go for a sleeping bag, but you’ll need a slightly heavier dry bag to store it in, since it’ll be pretty exposed to abrasion. The OR durable dry sacks would work well for this.

Putting something light and bulky between your main bag and frame, just pushes the heavier stuff further away from your center of gravity and makes packing significantly harder and less comfortable. I’d avoid it if you could.

That's my current setup with the metcalf. The OR sacks are great since they seem to be longer and skinnier rather than short and wide

 

[Mrwigelow]

That's my current setup with the metcalf. The OR sacks are great since they seem to be longer and skinnier rather than short and wide

Do you have a picture of your setup by chance?

 

[EastHumboldt]

I think the next bigger bag will go on the same frame... (Beartooth?) You can buy bag only from MR and I do see "bags only" for sale in the classifieds here and there. I would not want to shift the heavy weight away from my back. Another idea is to use the extension straps and lash the sleeping bag on top, but this is inelegant and problematic in other ways. Like will it stay there?

 

[hikehuntrescue]

FWIW, I have used the Sea 2 Summit eVent compression sacks for my sleeping bags for many years and they're bomber. You can compress things a surprising amount using those.

 

[300wmxcr2]

Bag should be here tomorrow, once it arrives I will see how much actual room it takes in the bag then try a couple of different configurations with my normal gear packed.

 

[Windigo]

Do you have a picture of your setup by chance?

Not at the moment, but I can throw one up once I get off work tonight.

 

[Windigo]

 

[Dschwan]

I gave up on trying to keep my bag rolled up. I just shove it in the main bag and use it to take up the spaces between my other gear. I find that doing it this way also helps to keep things from shifting around

 

[fort fireman]

I’m new to the metcalf. I just got it this spring g and have put a long weekend in the turkey woods with it. I do like Dschwan. I just jam the sleeping bag in there and then get everything else in the bag and it fills in the gaps nicely. Kinda like packing peanuts. It seems to ride nicely. I haven’t tried it with my zero degree bag yet to see about space but my 20 degree bag works nicely.

 

[Mrwigelow]

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That set-up looks like it will keep the main bag free for all the other essentials. It also leaves the load shelf open for meat pack out. Reminds me of how I used to run my late 80’s era external frame when hiking the Olympics!

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

I’ve done all of my camp in a dry bag in the meat shelf before. It’s handy when you don’t have a spot picked out but know you’re going up high to scout, but cant stay there due to no water. Drop the dry bag just off the trail or near a creek, hunt all day, come back down and camp there if sign looks good or keep on trucking if it’s not.

 

[Mrwigelow]

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What sleeping bag are you running?

 

[Windigo]

What sleeping bag are you running?

Nemo Sonic 0/Big Agnes Gunn Creek 30. Neither are super large when compressed.

 

[zmanfj40]

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I have the Metcalf and was putting a dry bag full of my camp into the load shelf realizing that the top corners of the bag still need to cover the frame in order to secure the hood. So how does this work with a tall load?

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