DIY 5-String Compression Bag

Hunt'nFish · Apr 24, 2014

Just finished modifying a 20L OR stuff sack w/ line locs and 3mm cord.
I just used some ribbon my wife had to sew the line-locs on with.
Pretty simple stuff. First time using the new Singer, so I wasn't 100% happy with the sew job. Not used to a push & hold reverse button. I prefer a flip lever that I don't have to hold. Not as pretty as I would like, but it's functional.
Anyway, I'm happy. Compressed my bivy, bag & pad to 1/2 size.
Hunt'nFish

snowcamoman · Apr 24, 2014

Nice work, that looks like a good modification.

colonel00 · Apr 24, 2014

Very nice. Any chance you can get a pic of the sack uncompressed to see how much compression you actually get?

jquarnberg · Apr 24, 2014

Thats awesome I have day dreamed about being able to do such a project. Where did you get the little cord locks?

colonel00 · Apr 24, 2014

jquarnberg said:
Thats awesome I have day dreamed about being able to do such a project. Where did you get the little cord locks?

http://www.bearpawwd.com/fabrics_misc/fabrics_misc.html#linelocs

jquarnberg · Apr 24, 2014

Cool thanks. These one looked perfect with the material already sewn in http://www.zpacks.com/accessories/spectra_cord.shtml it would pretty easy to sew them to a bag it would seem.

Hunt'nFish · Apr 24, 2014

The line-locs I picked up at REI, but other places like Bearpaw, Z-Packs & DIY Gear Supply are much cheaper. I just wanted them NOW.
Brad, it's about twice a big around uncompressed.
I apologize for the boot lace string, but I ran out of cord and need more.
Hunt'nFish

fillthefreezer · Apr 24, 2014

nice work mike. did you get a before and after weight by chance? are you going to tape your new seams?

Clarktar · Apr 24, 2014

Did you sew the webbing or ribbon directly onto the stuff sack? or are the lines just placed around the bag once it is loaded, then tightened to compress?

Hunt'nFish · Apr 24, 2014

fillthefreezer said:
nice work mike. did you get a before and after weight by chance? are you going to tape your new seams?

Thanks Scott. Sorry I don't have scales sensitive enough to tell the before/after weight difference. But the whole bag is only showing 0.1 lbs on my digital fish scales.

Clarktar said:
Did you sew the webbing or ribbon directly onto the stuff sack? or are the lines just placed around the bag once it is loaded, then tightened to compress?

Yes I sewed it directly to the sack.
I think we've all used cordage with a loop on the end & slip knots to compress gear, but what always happens is the line rubbing through the loop burns through the loop and it doesn't last very long. Besides it's really difficult to pinch the cord & tie a slip knot as tight as you can get w/ these line-locs.

What would be easy would be to tie the cord directly to the line-loc and dispense w/ the sewing. That could also mean a set of 5 strings could be used on all sorts of bags, from cheap stuff sacks to roll top dry bags. I think it could also help keep meat from "settling" in meat bags. Might even be able to compress our larger zippered pull-outs filled with clothes. I haven't seen a 3mm line-loc designed to terminate to the cord itself. Maybe they make one, I'll do more research, but so far I haven't seen one.
Hunt'nFish

Hunt'nFish · Apr 24, 2014

Ok guys, I did a little more research (snooping around on hammock forums) about terminating linelocs to cordage and this is what I came up with. I'm sure there are 100 different knots that could be used but I chose to KISS.

This should do the trick and represent the very lightest way to compress a bag with cordage. I think I'll make up a set and add to the kit. I would like to use a couple of them to compress my 5-string length ways. That would allow me to lay my sleep system in my pack horizontally.
Hunt'nFish

realunlucky · Apr 24, 2014

sweet project need to get some line locs now. Maybe I could use one long piece of ribbon and attach the five strings to it than I could change to different bags with it.

robtattoo · Apr 24, 2014

Once again Rokslide costs me money!
Thanks for the links & brilliant idea. I've just ordered enough 2.5mm line & linelocks to convert all my stuff sacks into 5-line compression bags!

CtP · May 17, 2014

yep, just did the same. gonna modify a sil nylon stuff sack for 5 string. appreciate the link to locks and cordage.
Thanks hunt n' fish.

300WSM · Jun 1, 2014

Looks like I have some sewing to do. Thanks for the idea

jm1607 · Jun 2, 2014

Do you absolutely have to do the sewing step? Would they slip off under tension otherwise?

Hunt'nFish · Jun 2, 2014

jm1607 said:
Do you absolutely have to do the sewing step? Would they slip off under tension otherwise?

Nope, look at post #11 and just tie off the line lock to the cordage, slip over bag and pull tight.
IMO, the only advantage to sewing them on, is to prevent losing them.

If you don't like that, Z-Packs sell them w/ a loop sewn on already and you could just tie off to the loop.
Hunt'nFish

jm1607 · Jun 2, 2014

I wonder how well this would work on a cuben fiber sack? Anyone have any experience trying to cinch one down?

Hunt'nFish · Jun 3, 2014

jm1607 said:
I wonder how well this would work on a cuben fiber sack? Anyone have any experience trying to cinch one down?

Good question, but not sure the answer.
If you cinch it down right, there shouldn't be any great amount of stress on the stitch points.
But, I'd probably just go the sew less route (Post #11) and play it safe.
Hunt'nFish

CGSwimmer25 · Jun 3, 2014

What's the benefit of this method over your standard compression sac? I've always used a granite gear compression sac that works nice and have wondered why people like the kifaru 5 string system. Seems kind of long when your compressing it around the circumference like that.

DIY 5-String Compression Bag

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