How to prevent sleeping bag from expanding in its bag
I have bought a down sleeping bag that comes with two bags: one for storage and one for packing. The packing bag is not as small as it could potentially be, and it is shaped like waterproof bags, where you close it by rolling the top part and then clipping the two sides together.
While I can manage to initially pack the bag pretty tight, I have noticed that it expands quite a bit, taking any free space in my backpack. While it is not a big issue when hiking, I would prefer to be able to keep it as tight as possible at least for the time I am taking flights, as there luggage dimensions could be crucial.
So is there a way to keep the sleeping bag packed as small as possible for at least a short period of time?
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Going back more than 40 years, the answer is to have an air (and water!) proof portion of the packing system. I still use a black plastic garbage/garden trash bag liner inside the manufacturer-provided stuff sack. Then I can sit on the bag, forcing air out (and making the end product more rectangular rather than cylindrical for better packing) and seal the trash bag with a twist tie. No air goes in, so no expansion. No water gets in so comfy nights.
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Get a special bag for the sleeping bag. Your special bag should have compression straps. If it's also a dry bag, it should ideally also have a valve.
I have bought the compression dry bag PS10 with valve and belt from Ortlieb. It's like other dry-bags, but with a valve and compression straps. I use it as follows:
- Open the valve.
- Insert the sleeping bag.
- Roll up the top.
- Close the top.
- Use the compression straps to compress it as far as possible.
- Close the valve.
After the closing of the valve, the sleeping bag can not expand. This way, not only does my sleeping bag stay dry even if I fall into a river, but it also compresses much smaller than I could otherwise get it to compress, due to exactly the problem you describe.
It can work for other dry bags as well, but my sleeping bag bag is by far the largest dry bag I have and the only (large) one with a content that wants to expand, although I imagine it would work for down jackets as well. I used to have the sleeping bag inside its own stuff sack, then the stuff sack inside a dry bag, but recently I've dispensed with using its own stuff sack.
If you get a regular stuff sack, you can save money and weight, as the compression straps will be enough to compress the packed sleeping bag even after it's been closed, but on a water- and airtight dry bag the valve is a big bonus.
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Just put some straps around the packing bag (plastic clasps to not damage your bags). You probably have those lying around already ;-)
(source)
Even (large) rubber bands can work, though they will have to re replaced for the next trip.
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