Here’s something we won’t see in the shops until next year, the new Fold Drybag Ultralite from Exped.
I’ve got the size S on test, it’s 10″ by 15″ (reach for that metric converter…), has a circular base for a proper usable shape, all the seams are taped, it’s got the same stiffened closure you get on Exped’s other drybags, and it weighs in at 20g.
It looks good to me and it’s just become regular kit, so lets see how it fares as I stuff down jackets, donuts and whatnot in it over the next few months.
Looks nice – I picked up a couple of the podsac eVent compression jobbies recently, and love them. They almost make ‘regular’ drybagss redundant. Work brilliantly, and seemed a lot lighter than the sea-to-summit ones.
Unfortunately I had to buy a new sleeping bag as my oldone was too big to fit into the ‘small’ podsac. Or, at least, that’s my excuse…
Ah, the complexities of purchase justification… :o)
The Podsacs are great, I’ve had at least one on every overnighter since they first came out. Still solid.
Looks good, but what do you actually use it for? I usually put clean clothes in a carrier bag before putting that into my backpack. And when it rains, I put its cover over the whole backpack.
Does this just provide more sturdy and reliable protection than my carrier bag solution?
> Does this just provide more sturdy and reliable protection than my carrier bag solution?
Yes :-)
Backpack covers are some use, but they leave one whole side of the pack exposed. And you have to open up whole pack to get just one thing out, thus letting rain into the rest of the pack.
Carrier bags aren’t easily sealed: Water has a way of finding it’s way in when you least want it. drybags are great for keeping dry stuff that’s really important to you. First aid kits, down clothing, sleeping bags – and also electronics. I used to carry phone/camera in a baby exped bag (but I use an Aloksak for my phone now – you can use the touchscreen and see the display through it!)
Also “yes”.
Drybags float when closed, you can fill them full of water and use them as water storage at camp so you don’t have to carry a bottle, you can use them as an inflatable pillow and if packed carefully you can get the contents as small as you woild with a vacuum pack.
Rolltop drypacks kick ass and have saved that same ass on many occasions :o)
Round-bottomed stuff-sacks are the way to go. I’ve got an ultralight podsack for my foodbag, but it’s a cord and widget closure so not waterproof. These look nice.
Cord and widget? is that different to the eVent one then? Oh I really should pay more attention when folk are showing me stuff.
What’s it made of? I bought a Sea to Summit 13 litre drybag (I generally only need one for a 2-3 day wild camping trip – for a longer trip, a 13 litre and an 8 litre suit better). It’s worked reasonably well for me but I know some people are not that impressed with Silnylon’s waterproof properties (see here: http://jwbasecamp.com/Articles/DryGear/index.html) and I have to say I found some alarming problems with my pack cover which is an Integral Designs Silnylon pack cover. That said, the equivalent Exped bag is not that much heavier (there are better ways to save weight) and is completely waterproof. Maybe sometimes, UL is not U-Effective… ;-)
Roll-top is the only way to go for total protection – kayaking bags taught me that – especially when I was learning and my kit went in as much as I did!!
I’m assuming it’s some kind of coated nylon, I’ve got no info on it at all, no label even!
It’s been out a fair few times already and l’m watching for abrasion, nothing shwoing yet, even after last weeks bike crash where I landed on it with the camera inside it.
But, silnlylon’s not really suited to folding (why it’s better to stuff a tent that fold it) and abrasion, great for flysheets, and impressively light short-life commponents!