compression bag for Marmot 3

[05Kingquad700]

I saw a cool tip on youtube. A girl had changed out her tent packing and used a compression bag for the body of the tent, and she carried the poles on the outside of the pack. So I went down to the local sporting goods store and picked one up. I grabbed a small, just on a guess. I was able to get the tent into the small, but it was a struggle. I think I will go back and get a medium.
The small is 10L uncompressed and 3.3L when compressed
The medium is 14L/4.5L respectively.
I have a use for the small compression sack, so I will keep it. I will link to a picture, with a $1 bill so you can have a reference. Would of liked to post the picture on here, but I took it with my phone and had to upload it to facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...8&l=136ad366ec

[Mike]

Re: compression bag for Marmot 3

Yup. This is not a new packing method, but it is still unknown to probably most backpackers. I still have to chuckle when I see backpackers with their tents strapped horizontally on top or bottom of their packs making them half-again as wide as their shoulders - and they get hung up on trees and bushes and even going through door frames with their packs on.

[Irate Mormon]

Re: compression bag for Marmot 3

My tent uses a single pole - a trekking stick.

It's not freestanding, but ***** does it feel good on my back!

[tplife]

Re: compression bag for Marmot 3

I have an early piece of "high-end" camping equipment: a dark green, circa 1973, EMS external frame backpack. I bought it as an alternative to the Kelty Tioga, but I customized it with a Kelty extra pocket on the upper back body. It took me all over the Appalachian Trail, including Mt. Marcy, and many Pine Barrens backpacking trips. It had an interesting feature: If you open the top 1/2 opening and look to the inside left, there is a seperate full-length sleeve that opens to carry the poles vertically. Under (or over) the top flap goes the tent without poles. Like REI, EMS for us Right-Coasters had some of this stuff figured out.

[ppine]

Re: compression bag for Marmot 3

I backpack with a guy each year that grew up on the East Coast. He still uses his original external frame EMS pack. It is the only pack he has ever owned and it works great. He is in his 60s. Get it right the first time and you can avoid all of those updates and reviews searching for the next great thing.

[hwc1954]

Re: compression bag for Marmot 3

So, to expand the topic.... do you guys have any tips for packing a pack with a tent, sleeping bag, pad, etc? My tent (with poles, measures about 20 inches across. Is there any reason why I shouldn't just strap it to the bottom of the pack using the built-in straps?

[05Kingquad700]

Re: compression bag for Marmot 3

What type of tent, what type of pad? I would get a compression bag for your sleeping bag to compress it.
This is the video that I watched.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paJXzC_jvVM

[hwc1954]

Re: compression bag for Marmot 3

Thanks. That was a helpful video. Backcountry does a terrific job with their videos.

My summer sleeping bag is TINY. Here's one stuffed:



Tent is a Marmot Limelight 2P, your standard two pole dome tent. It packs up pretty small and feels fine hung from the bottom of my pack -- my pack does not have the separate zippered compartment underneath. Something is going to have to attach to the straps at the bottom of the pack. I can't think of anything better than the tent.

However, I like the idea of packing the poles separately, just because it is so much easier to not have to roll the tent perfectly to get it all back in the bag. Save that for putting it away after drying at home...

I think I've pretty much decided on a small bear canister for food, so that will likely have to go on the top of the pack under the top cover.

I'm basically looking at the same stuff as the video, except the sleeping bag is MUCH smaller.

[Irate Mormon]

Re: compression bag for Marmot 3

You can use a sleeping pad as a "frame" in a frameless pack. There are packs designed around this concept.

[hwc1954]

Re: compression bag for Marmot 3

I'm glad my pack has a little tiny minimalist frame.... because I don't think that a NeoAir pad is going to provide much structure for the pack! That concept would work great with a Z-Rest pad, though.

I've got a pretty small back for backpacking -- 50L. So, it is probably going to take strapping some stuff to the pack to get everything to fit.

[05Kingquad700]

Re: compression bag for Marmot 3

Why not to use your tent bag, or a compression bag for a bear bag nstead of carrying a separate container for food hanging? If you use products like mountain house, a bag you already have would be nice.

[tplife]

Re: compression bag for Marmot 3

Kingquad, always "thinking outside of the box". I like that!

[hwc1954]

Re: compression bag for Marmot 3

findy a good tree and hanging a bear bag looks like a total pain in the butt and, from everything I have read, not terribly reliable at keeping bears or especially rodents/squirrels out of your food. There are increasing numbers of places including some in NY state, that require bear cannisters because the bears have figured out bear bags.

The volume in the pack is six in one, half dozen in the the other. I mean, the food is taking up the same volume whether it's in a stuff sack or a bear cannister and if the food doesn't fill up the cannister, you can always put your stove or your spare socks or somethinig in it. The big difference is the weight.

I haven't decided which way to go. One plus of the cannister is that it can do double duty when car camping, where there is a lower (but not zero) risk of bear, but squirrels and raccoons would still get your food.

Has anyone had a good experience hanging bear bags?