Reviews > Stuff Sacks > Dry Bags > Sea to Summit Ultra Mesh Stuff Sack > Test Report by Kara Stanley

SEA TO SUMMIT ULTRA-MESH STUFF SACK
TEST SERIES BY KARA STANLEY
INITIAL REPORT
December 29, 2012

TESTER INFORMATION

I backpacked for the first time in 2006 and am now hooked. I have hiked most of my life in the South on flat land or small hills. I have hiked mostly on the east coast, doing weekend trips in the Appalachian Mountains. Since moving to Arizona, my hikes have ranged from short desert hikes to overnight backpacking trips throughout the state. I am working towards lightening the load and currently use a solo non-free standing tent, canister stove, and purification tabs to cut down on weight. Most of my hikes are solo and range from an overnight trip to 4-5 nights on the trail.

INITIAL REPORT

PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS

From Sea to Summit's website

Manufacturer: Sea To Summit
Year of Manufacture: 2012
Manufacturer's Website: http://www.seatosummit.com/
MSRP: Not Listed
Listed Weight: 0.4 oz (10 g)
Measured Weight: 0.4 oz (10 g)
Size Tested: Small (6.5 L)

From Sea to Summit's website:

Ultra-Mesh stuff sacks are some of the lightest stuff sacks available to organize gear in your pack, suitcase, or bag. We use an advanced 15 D multi-filament nylon mesh only recently developed. These stuff sacks are 45% lighter than our Ultra-Sil® stuff sacks and have to been seen to be believed how small and light they really are!

* 15 D multi-filament nylon mesh for strength
* Ultra-Sil® Nano draw- cord throat for smooth operation
* Sea to Summit logo label and size label used to pull stuff sack open
* Double stitched and reinforced seams for greater durability
* Black mesh for better visibility
* Round base design

Empty 6.5 L bag next to a 1 L water bottle

Sizes available:

XXS/2.5 Liter 4 in x 8.5 in 0.2 oz / 6g
XS/4 Liter 5.5 in x 10.5 in 0.3 oz / 8g
S/6.5 Liter 6.5 in x 12 in 0.4 oz / 10g
M/9 Liter 7 in x 13 in 0.45 oz / 11g
L/15 Liter 8 in x 16 in 0.5 oz / 14g
XL/20 Liter 9.5 in x 17.5 in 0.6 oz / 17.5g
XXL/30 Liter 10 in x 21.5 in 0.7 oz / 20g

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

When I removed this bag from its packaging, I noticed that the bag was very light and the mesh soft and pliable. The bag is mesh with a fabric pull-cord tube at the top. The tag functions as a pull to release the bag.

TRYING IT OUT

I took this bag on a 3-day 45 mile (72 km) backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon. When packing I put my base layers, socks, and undergarments for the trip in the bag.

The bag with a few items post trip

I really liked being able to reach in and easily find my socks as often my socks end up in the bottom of my pack and are hard to find. As the trip wore on I found myself adding batteries and other small things to the bag in order to easily find them as my backpack does not have many external pockets. The mesh is very flexible which allowed the bag to be stuffed into small spaces in my pack. The bag closes tightly with the draw string and stays closed. Sea to Summit's website suggests that their logo label and size tag can be used to pull the bag open, however I did not find them to be useful for opening the bag and simply pulled on the sides or mouth of the bag to open it.

SUMMARY

This was the first time that I had used a mesh stuff sack for backpacking and really enjoyed the organization it brought to my backpack.

Pros:

* Light-weight
* Easy to stuff into small opening in a pack
* Made it easy to locate small items and articles of clothing in a pack

Cons:
* None yet - however I will be interested in seeing how the light-weight mesh holds up over the next few months

My Long Term Report will be out in about 4 months time, so check back to see how this mesh bag holds up! I would like to thank Sea to Summit and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test this mesh bag.

Reviews > Stuff Sacks > Dry Bags > Sea to Summit Ultra Mesh Stuff Sack > Test Report by Kara Stanley