How do you Pack your TQ and UQ on trips?

[TxAggie]

I used to pack everything in reverse order into a compactor bag just as many have mentioned. I’ve since added a catch-all/lazy slug. Now I just keep my quilts with my hammock, slide the slug over everything, then stuff all at once into the compactor bag. Then just like everyone else said, I roll the top of the compactor bag and everything else goes on top.

I haven’t noticed if using the slug changes the overall compactness of the compactor bag, I usually have plenty of room in my pack anyhow so efficiency wins over any space advantage there might be with packing everything individually.

[GilligansWorld]

I use a compactor bag as a pack liner and just shove everything in reverse order I'll use it. TQ, clothes bag, UQ, hammock. Roll it down, squeeze the air out of it and smash things as small as I can then roll it the rest of the way and tuck it so air/water won't leak in.

TQ, UQ, Hammock, and bug net along with dry items (clothing) all go into a compactor bag which is rolled down tight then everything else is packed on the top. My water kit, fire kit, first aid kit go in my front and top pockets of bag.

I used to pack everything in reverse order into a compactor bag just as many have mentioned. I’ve since added a catch-all/lazy slug. Now I just keep my quilts with my hammock, slide the slug over everything, then stuff all at once into the compactor bag. Then just like everyone else said, I roll the top of the compactor bag and everything else goes on top.

I haven’t noticed if using the slug changes the overall compactness of the compactor bag, I usually have plenty of room in my pack anyhow so efficiency wins over any space advantage there might be with packing everything individually.

Thanks for all the advice - compactor bag is the same as a dry sack?

[davidp]

Trash compactor bag - it's a small plastic trash bag, lightweight and waterproof.

[Heavyhiker]

I use a REI 25L Lightweight Roll Top Dry Sack for both my TQ and UQ so that everything stays nice and dry

[Scarecrow]

I took heed of the forum's advice quite some time ago, and I do like most people have mentioned here. Compactor bag as a pack liner, toss in all quilts and clothing, smash down, roll the top over, and everything else gets packed on top of that. Doing this as opposed to using stuff sacks/compression sacks helped me to save enough pack space that I was able to do away with the brain on my pack. Everything just packs down better when you eliminate all the "organizing" with stuff sacks.

[JmBoh]

Thanks for all the advice - compactor bag is the same as a dry sack?

Kinda yeah. It's basically a thick trash bag. Pretty sturdy for what we use it for. They do a great job keeping things dry. I get mine at Wal-Mart. 3 15 bag rolls for about $8. I prefer them over purpose made dry sacks, because they are typically lighter and compactor bags have no seams or buckles. It's just a plastic bag. It's super easy to throw an extra in the bottom of your pack with hardly any weight penalty, just in case. They're cheap, light weight and super effective. And if it gets a hole in it, just take it home and use it as a trash bag or something.

[Grumpy Squatch]

For years if I was using my 70-liter pack I did the trash compactor bag thing, especially in Winter when the chance of rain is 0. But I really hate this method. I hate fighting to squeeze the air out and it feels like pushing on a bowl of pudding trying to reduce the volume and get the bag rolled enough to seal well.

If I use anything smaller than my 70-liter (like a 48-liter) and sometimes even with the 70-liter these days, I use compression sacks or dry bags. Much more leak proof and I don't mind having multiple bags. In Winter with my 0-degree bags or sometimes with my 20-degree bags I use two seperate drybags. With my 40-degree set I can usually fit them in one.

My friend swears by using a drybag on the outside of his pack. He does carry some patch material just in case a stray rock or branch rips something. Here's a pic of us in 2 full days of rain. Everything stayed dry for him.

IMG_20180520_110544.jpg

[Shug]

i still stuff mine into their silnylon stuffsacks....old habits die hard...and then they go into the bottom of my pack which has trash compactor liner bag in it.
tried just stuffing them loose but did not take to it.
shug

[TallPaul]

Trash compactor bag user here.
No more stuff sacks for the TQ and UQ.
I’ve even used 2 compactor bags when I carried some of my families gear.

[cmoulder]

I stuff them in the bottom of the pack, pack other stuff on top. Done.

No pack liner because the pack (Zpack Blast/Haul/zero) is waterproof or at least highly water resistant. And I use a poncho when a lot of rain is expected, so pack is also covered.