Sleeping bag packing question

SIR_34:16

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I’m also a stuffer with one little change. I put it in a black trash bag without tying it or anything and just stuff it on the bottom. Just extra assurance for me to keep it dry and clean. The trash bag will double for a field dressing aid if I’m lucky
I'm in this camp too. I put the contractor bag in my pack first and stuff my sleeping bag, puffy, and any extra clothes I don't want to get wet in then twist the top and fold it down. There are so many other uses for the contractor bag and makes it more versatile than a stuff sack.
 

*zap*

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if your using a larger sack to keep your bag in you can roll the bag up neatly and wrap a length of two sided velcro wrap around it to keep it small.
 

AndyB

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Roll top dry bag for me, stuff sacks are too tight and a pain at Odark thirty, also its a hard lump when in the bag.

Dry bag big enough to get it in without too much hassle, then squeeze the air out as im closing it up. Can make it any shape, flat, round whatever.
 

CL406

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Aug 3, 2017
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Depends on weather for me. In Good weather I just throw it in my pack but if it looks like I might hit some bad weather I put it in a dry bag with other clothes I don't want wet.
 
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I keep going back to the kifaru sack. 2-3oz. It compresses circumferentially (made up word) so you get a cigar shape instead of a ball. Not a dry bag but weather proof.

I sometimes run a large with my *20 bag, borah bivy and sleep pad and just throw the whole thing inside and strap it down. It goes in the bottom of my bag and I pack around it. Liked it enough that I bought a medium I use for summer page or bulky layers in winter. IMO it is one of their best product designs.
 

mtwarden

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Always have my sleeping/quilt in a dry bag, much too risky not having it dry. My smaller bags/quilts I use an appropriate sized lightweight dry bag, for larger (warmer) bags I use a S2S eVent compression dry bag.
 
OP
gostovp

gostovp

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I ended up picking up a Sitka Mountain Hauler dry bag off eBay for like $27. Very light and looks to be large enough for my sleeping bag (Big Agnes anvil horn 15), pad ( thermarest NeoAir luxe) and my extra clothes.
 

Laned

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I rephrased the original post a bit. …but yes, it is the bees knees. That stuff sack is a lot of weight, relatively speaking, to serve just one purpose and so is a compression sack. This is killing three birds with one bag.
Nice. 4 birds if you also use the compression sack as a pillow.

Sent from my SM-G715U1 using Tapatalk
 

Neuro

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Apr 21, 2022
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Some good ideas here, ive gone out with a loose inflation bag that didnt do much, but gonna try using it instead of the compression sack next time. Like having my sleeping bag as compact as possible and protected too.
 

Augie

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To me it all just depends on the time of the season and where you are hunting. If you are on an early September elk hunt in Colorado 99% of the time I'd say you'll be fine just stuffing it into the bottom of your pack. If you are hunting the Pacific Northwest be prepared for rain and keep it in a waterproof stuff sack or at minimum wrapped in a heavy duty garbage bag inside of your pack. It's a rare day I'd ever use the compression sack the sleeping bag comes with for various reasons. I spend enough time trying to get my tent and sleeping pad packed up in the morning I don't need to add stuffing the bag back into the stuff sack to my list unless inclement weather forces me.
 
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Mine goes in my pump sack. It's not a perfect dry bag but I like the additional protection it offers, and I'm carrying the pump sack anyway. The pump sack doubles as a bear bag when I'm sleeping or away from camp.

I'm probably more concerned with failed creek crossings than storms....storms you can see coming and react. Falling down and going for a swim happens fast.
 
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Apr 25, 2022
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DC
Stuff sack stuffer here. I originally went sans-stuff sack but I found that my 15 degree bag grew to an annoyingly unmanageable size within my 28l pack. Stuffing it keeps it much more manageable, even if the shape is less flexible.
 

Rock-o

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I've always used the stuff sack the bag came in and never gave it another thought. Tonight I'm not sleeping so well. Thanks a lot, @gostovp!

Seriously though, a great thread.
 

JHDoritos

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Dec 1, 2019
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I second the loose stuff sack. takes up the full bottom of the pack. Compressing it too much lowers alot of the heavier items in your pack and doesnt keep it high in the middle of your back in my experience
 

EdP

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Simple and cheap for me. I line my stuff sack with an unscented garbage bag and then stuff in the sleeping bag. Close the stuff sack up tight and put 2 compression straps around it and squeeze it down as small as possible. The garbage bag will keep the sleeping bag dry in all conditions other than extended submersion and in camp the stuff sack gets filled with clothes and used as a pillow.
 

Jimss

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I use the lightest high quality dry bag available. It’s possible to get a bag super compressed even though it’s not a compression bag.

I generally have the stuff I use during the day in locations in my pack where they are easiest to access. I usually hunt from a base camp so don’t have my sleeping bag, pad, and tent in camp.

There is an art to organizing and distributing weight in a pack with hefty loads. If I’m hauling capes plus meat it’s different than without an animal. Probably some of your heaviest and/or bulkiest gear is rifle, tent, water, and meat, spotter/tripod, and cape.
 

Lowg08

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I have used both methods. Now I prefer to put a contractor bag in as a liner and just stuff it down in there along with clothes and all
 
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