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EastieTrekker 
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Posted on: Jan. 31 2013, 2:19 pm |
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So I was talking to an employee at a local cottage outdoor store about how stuffing a -20 degree bag into its stuff sack is no easy task, and he suggested turning the bag inside-out before stuffing. I didn't ask why at the time, and just assumed he meant it would be easier because the inside lining is more slippery than the fabric on the outside of the bag.
Has anyone ever heard of this? To me the extra step doesn't seem worth it, unless it's significantly easier for some reason...
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I request all the possible consumer protection organizations, and fight with their injustice. 
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| Post Number: 2
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Tigger
Woods Pouncer
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Posted on: Jan. 31 2013, 2:30 pm |
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The outer shell on a sleeping bag is most often thicker than the liner inside. By turning it inside out, the air escapes out faster instead of being trapped inside the bag allowing you to shove it inside the stuff sack.
So yes, it really does make a difference.
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If I'm going to be lost, in the woods is where I want to be...
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| Post Number: 3
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rayestrella
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Posted on: Jan. 31 2013, 2:40 pm |
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Because the outer shell is tougher material (in most cases) I prefer to have it normal side out so I am less apt to shove a finger through the lining. But for the reasons mentioned I do start stuffing with the foot of the bag first so that the open end is last to be stuffed, letting the air out fastest.
Same thing with tents. I always start with the foot end and leave the door end, with the zipper undone at just the bottom, for last which again lets the air out quickest.
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I measure happiness with an altimeter
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| Post Number: 4
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High_Sierra_Fan
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Posted on: Jan. 31 2013, 2:51 pm |
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A guess would be that that would put the windproof exterior fabric on the inside: so the trapped air could escape more easily through the more "breathable" interior fabric.
I know I fight the "balloon effect" each and every time I wrestle my Couloir (Gore Dryloft exterior) into it's sack.... I may give that a try.
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| Post Number: 5
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toesnorth
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Posted on: Jan. 31 2013, 2:58 pm |
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That's why I don't stuff it at all..................though I've been told to on many occasions.
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"Failure is never as frightening as regret."
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| Post Number: 6
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EastieTrekker
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Posted on: Jan. 31 2013, 3:04 pm |
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Ooooh. Okay, that makes sense. Thanks all.
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I request all the possible consumer protection organizations, and fight with their injustice.
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| Post Number: 7
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GoBlueHiker
Obsessive Island Hopper...
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Posted on: Jan. 31 2013, 3:07 pm |
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Never heard of that. I guess I see the point about the air escaping faster, but that in itself doesn't mean it'll fit in any smaller a space than otherwise. And I'll +1 ray's concern about possibly tearing the liner fabric.
I think the key here is not to figure that you can just stuff it in "all at once" very quickly like you can with a smaller summer bag. I've never had an issue stuffing a down bag (even my -40 Marmot bag) into its sack... just start with the foot, stuff it in a bit at a time, stuff it tightly starting right from the bottom (not "loose" at the bottom and they trying to cram it all into the top of the stuff sack), and you should be fine. Might take a minute or two with a big bag, but it's always worked for me.
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Wealth needs more. Happiness needs less. Simplify.
www.RainForestTreks.com
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| Post Number: 8
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High_Sierra_Fan
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Posted on: Jan. 31 2013, 3:35 pm |
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Yes, patience is THE key: gives the trapped air time to ooze out and so the fabric isn't stressed. Same with a tent.
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| Post Number: 9
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rayestrella
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Posted on: Jan. 31 2013, 3:37 pm |
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Here's another trick. (This as I just packed a winter bag and quilt into the same sack in preparation for my trip tomorrow.
Lay on top of your big bag before starting the stuffing process. Just like a pad it will make it faster to stuff. Ask GBH how much air is in his new CWM...
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I measure happiness with an altimeter
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| Post Number: 10
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EastieTrekker
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Posted on: Jan. 31 2013, 4:04 pm |
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Yeah, I was guilty of the "too loose at the bottom" a couple times. I'm probably partial to patience (and laying on top of it is a great idea), if only because the bag is new.
I saw the photos of the Cwm. I actually ended up picking up the Col myself, and couldn't believe how big it lofts in person. So that Cwm must be outrageous (in a good way of course)!!
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I request all the possible consumer protection organizations, and fight with their injustice.
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| Post Number: 11
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dayhiker9
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Posted on: Jan. 31 2013, 4:31 pm |
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Feathered Friends told me to unzip it first. Ben2World told me to just stuff it into the pack. I tried it works doesn't take up anymore space. Sometimes I still use a stuff sack, one mine is water proof with a roll top closure. Whatever you do , don't use a stuff sack that is too narrow, or not slippery, or the bag won't slide to the bottom of the bag.
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" before you make assertions about numbers, look at the numbers." Krugman
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| Post Number: 12
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Franco
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Posted on: Jan. 31 2013, 4:58 pm |
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The easy way is just to use a larger stuff sack than the one provided, then let the rest of your gear compress your sb at the bottom of the pack.
Sometime that ends up using less space by avoiding the bowling ball effect..
(a taut stuff sack may not have the same shape/size of the bottom of your backpack..)
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| Post Number: 13
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toesnorth
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Posted on: Jan. 31 2013, 7:24 pm |
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Seriously, I've tried stuff sacks and I find that just putting my bag on the bottom and packing on top is more space efficient. I use a pack liner.
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"Failure is never as frightening as regret."
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| Post Number: 14
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no_granola
minor deity
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Posted on: Jan. 31 2013, 7:54 pm |
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That's ridiculous. What you need to do is buy a smaller sleeping bag--preferably one with 900fp down.
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The difference between people who think for themselves and those that follow the herd is that thinking people aren't afraid of reality.
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| Post Number: 15
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| Post Number: 16
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toesnorth
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Posted on: Jan. 31 2013, 9:57 pm |
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(Tigger @ Jan. 31 2013, 9:53 pm)
QUOTE
(toesnorth @ Jan. 31 2013, 4:24 pm)
QUOTE Seriously, I've tried stuff sacks and I find that just putting my bag on the bottom and packing on top is more space efficient. I use a pack liner. In winter, sometimes I have gone as far as to put the water resistant sleeping bag into the water resistant stuff sack into a drybag, inside the pack sprayed with DWR and still use a pack cover depending on the length of the trip.
Hmmm. I haven't had an issue. It is pretty dry here though. Might not work on the wet side of the mountains.
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"Failure is never as frightening as regret."
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| Post Number: 17
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AndyPandy
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Posted on: Feb. 01 2013, 12:13 am |
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(Tigger @ Jan. 31 2013, 9:53 pm)
QUOTE
(toesnorth @ Jan. 31 2013, 4:24 pm)
QUOTE Seriously, I've tried stuff sacks and I find that just putting my bag on the bottom and packing on top is more space efficient. I use a pack liner. In winter, sometimes I have gone as far as to put the water resistant sleeping bag into the water resistant stuff sack into a drybag, inside the pack sprayed with DWR and still use a pack cover depending on the length of the trip.
I was actually thinking about this the other day when I was out day hiking in some blustery weather. I had a garbage bag over my DWR pack lined with another bag That had various other things in water proof containers ( FAK, food, camera, etc).
I beginning to think I may be a bit paranoid. Its not like I was setting out for all of these redundancies, its just that way the items are stored/organized. The outer cover was more of a 'ehh... why not?' moment as I was heading out the door.
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| Post Number: 18
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EastieTrekker
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Posted on: Feb. 01 2013, 9:57 am |
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(toesnorth @ Jan. 31 2013, 9:57 pm)
QUOTE
(Tigger @ Jan. 31 2013, 9:53 pm)
QUOTE
(toesnorth @ Jan. 31 2013, 4:24 pm)
QUOTE Seriously, I've tried stuff sacks and I find that just putting my bag on the bottom and packing on top is more space efficient. I use a pack liner. In winter, sometimes I have gone as far as to put the water resistant sleeping bag into the water resistant stuff sack into a drybag, inside the pack sprayed with DWR and still use a pack cover depending on the length of the trip. Hmmm. I haven't had an issue. It is pretty dry here though. Might not work on the wet side of the mountains.
I here you Toesnorth, and space-wise it is nice not to have a bowlingball at the bottom of your pack. It's no PNW, but New England can be wet enough, and weather in the White's can change so quickly at times, that I'm just more comfortable with a waterproof stuff sack.
I do like Franco's idea of going with a slightly larger stuff sack, to allow for some extra squish-ability. I think I'll try that out on my next night out.
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I request all the possible consumer protection organizations, and fight with their injustice.
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| Post Number: 19
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RobinHood
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 10:08 pm |
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(EastieTrekker @ Jan. 31 2013, 2:19 pm)
QUOTE So I was talking to an employee at a local cottage outdoor store about how stuffing a -20 degree bag into its stuff sack is no easy task, and he suggested turning the bag inside-out before stuffing. I didn't ask why at the time, and just assumed he meant it would be easier because the inside lining is more slippery than the fabric on the outside of the bag.
Has anyone ever heard of this? To me the extra step doesn't seem worth it, unless it's significantly easier for some reason...
Ive been doing this for years. Honestly, I cant remember who first told me this, nor can i remember why. But ive always unzipped my bag, then turned it inside out. Ive never had a problem stuffing it in my pack either. Now im trying to remember why. But there is always this little voice in my head, while im packing up camp, telling me to turn my bag inside out, and i always do
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The vast majority of every species that has ever lived on Earth is now extinct. To think that humans can avoid the fate of every other creature is arrogant. Like all life on Earth, our time is limited.
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| Post Number: 20
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leadbelly2550
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Posted on: Feb. 06 2013, 10:02 pm |
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i just crammed a -40 bag into a compression sack for a trip i'm leaving for tomorrow. i work my way around the edge of the stuff sack. the outer shell is waterproof/breathable, so it takes a fair bit of time to stuff it in. be patient.
i have never stuffed it inside out but not sure why. bag isn't going to get wet in sub-zero weather.
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| Post Number: 21
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Freddy
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Posted on: Feb. 06 2013, 11:09 pm |
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You might want to invest in a good lightweight compression sack. I got a couple of these a few years ago:
http://www.backpacker.com/october....23
They work great. Here's another that might be even more user friendly:
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/outdoor....p~5317x
This gives you a nice big sack to cram your stuff into, then you crank down on it. Saves a bunch of time and keeps your fingers from geting frozen. I use one for my bag/booties/sleeping gear, one for my tent/goundcloth. My BD FirstLight squeezes down to a large grapefruit. Add another for my down parka if that's coming on the trip.
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| Post Number: 22
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Survival Skills 101 • Eat Better
