Dry sack

[Andrew]

This has probably been answered before, but can anyone offer advice on purchasing a dry sack (sea to summit ultra sil suggested on site). Do most people use these or platic bags/zip lock bags?

Cheers,

Andy

[Aaron]

Andy,

I personally own a Sea to Summit dry sack, 4L I think, and in it I keep my thermals, first aid equipment and space blanket. Everything else has it's allocated positions throughout my pack. On top of this, I also have a few medium sized zip lock bags for a few extra odds and sods (firelighters, maps, matches, etc.). At the end of the day, I went with the dry sack for peace of mind more than anything. It is more robust than a zip lock bag which means it is less likely to be ripped/torn and for me, suits my packing requirements more so than zip lock bags. You could definitely get away with zip lock bags and for the compulsory gear checks, they may even prove somewhat of an advantage due to them being see through and therefore not having to empty them and then repack again which is what will occur with the dry sack. I would suggest maybe trialing the zip lock bags first as they are cheaper and if you establish a need for a dry sack, Sea to Summit all the way!

Good luck!

Aaron.

[Paul]

ziplocks worked fine for me. But it was dry; if we get a wet race this time it could be a different story. However I've been caught in the rain on training runs a couple of times with a few items in ziplocks and they've stayed dry.

As Aaron says, you can't beat them for convenience.

I guess I'll plan to go with ziplocks again but if we get to one week out from the race and the weather forecast is atrocious, I might start thinking about investing in a dry sack.

[Martin]

Just a quick quest re Ziploc bags - where do you get ones that are big enough to put clothing in?

I've only seen the ones in supermarkets that are only really big enough for a sandwhich.

[Jaci]

Hi Martin

You can get large / extra large zip-lock bags at a supermarket, maybe just hunt around a bit.  These are suitable for carrying your gear in separate packs if the weather is a bit damp, and also makes searching thru your pack easier by saving having to refold everything.

For the dry bag, to carry maps etc, best to look in a boating / camping supply shop.  You will find a proper waterproof map case for around $10. 

cheers,
Jaci.