Gear Advice: Compression Sacks

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Compression sacks basically are stuff sacks with straps around them to compress what ever is inside. That is typically a sleeping bag, or clothing. If you position the sack with the opening at the top, the straps either go horizontally, or vertically. With a sleeping bag, horizontal straps would work well on an external frame pack, but vertical straps make for a smaller end result that fits well in an internal frame pack.

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Bill’s Choice

Since I run internal frame packs, I use stuff sacks that have vertical straps. I have 4 different sizes depending on what I am packing. My +15 down sleeping bag fits in the 7x16 size. My -40 down fits in the 10x21" sack, and the -15 fiber bags also fit in the 10"x21" sacks. Both down bags will fit in my internal frame pack, but the fiber bags are too large, even with the stuff sack.