SEALLINE STORM SACK 20 L
Long-term Report
November 21, 2006

Authored by

Andrew Priest
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
aushiker@yahoo.com.au

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Product Details and Specifications

• Tester's Details
  • Personal Biography
  • Testing Playground
  • Testing Environment
• Long-term Report

Andrew, the tester:

I am a 46 year old male, 180 cm (5' 11") in height, I weigh 111 kg (245 lb). I have been bushwalking in Western Australia for approximately five years. For the past four years I have been regularly walking and leading on and off-track pack carries with the Perth Bushwalkers Club. I have also got into geocaching. I consider myself as moving towards being a lightweight tent-carrying bushwalker with my pack base weight in the 8 to 12 kg (18 to 26 lb) range. I have completed my End to End of the Bibbulmun Track (2003), the Cape to Cape Track (Nov 2001), the Coastal Plains Walk Track (numerous times), the Larapinta Trail (July 2005) and Fitzgerald River National Park (April 2006).

I have experience with dry bag type stuff sacks, having being a user of Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Sacks since 2001 and more recently I have started using Sea To Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Sacks.

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Andrew's testing playground:

The bushwalking environment of the south-west of Western Australia allows for bushwalks and backpacking from coastal plains to forest. Elevation ranges from 0 to 585 metres (0 to 1,920 feet). Within this region, I walk in varying conditions from forestry roads, to sandy tracks to single-purpose walking trails, to rock hopping, to beach walking to completely off-track walking through open and dense country.

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The testing environment:

During the summer period, daytime temperatures average 30° C (86° F), whereas from March through to December the daytime average temperatures range from 15° C to 26° C (59° F to 79° F). During the autumn, winter, and spring periods the normal weather pattern is fairly wet with frequent heavy rainstorms evident. It does not normally snow in Western Australia.

According to The Times Atlas of the World (Concise Edition - Revised 1997) our weather is described as being "Mediterranean - rainy climates with mild winters, coolest month above 0° C (32° F), but below 18° C (64° F); warmest month above 10° C (50° F)." The atlas depicts the coastal area north of Los Angeles, California, US as having the same climate.
 

Product Details:

• Manufacturer: SealLine
• Year of Manufacturer: 2006
• MSRP: US$18.95

The SealLine Storm Sack is described by SealLine as a "lightweight, watertight stuff sack." It is a cylindrical shaped dry bag with roll-down closure and is of a sewn and taped seam sealed construction. The Storm Sack is made of PVC-free 210D PU-coated nylon.

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Specifications for 20 L Storm Sack as tested:

• Manufacturer's specified weight: 108 g (3.8 oz)
• My weight: 118 g (4.2 oz)
• Manufacturer's Dimensions: 23 x 53 cm (9 x 21 in)
• My Dimensions: 37 x 58 cm (14.5 x 23 in). The length is measured along the vertical seam from the top of the closure to the bottom seam and the width is measured with the bag layered out flat.
• Manufacturer's Volume: 21.5 L (1310 cu in)
• My Volume: Not measured

Long-term Report:

My long-term use of the SealLine Storm Sack was somewhat less than I had planned as September backpack had to be down-sized due to personal reasons. I did however use it on a October/November weekend backpack on the Old Timberline Trail, St John's Brook Conservation Park, Nannup. I also continued to use it occasionally on my "John Howard" (read walks) to work and back again. On these walks I carry my laptop in the Storm Sack inside my day pack.

On the backpack on the Old Timberline Trail it did not rain so once again the Storm Sack did not get to be put to the test in wet conditions. Sadly we have had a very dry winter.

Reflecting back on my four primary testing points outlined in my Initial Report and summarised in my Field Report I am pleased to conclude that:

• In terms of water-tightness of the Storm Sack, from my limited exposure to rain and using the Storm Sack in my backpack it kept my sleeping bag and clothes dry. It has also worked effectively keeping my laptop dry. So from this perspective I am happy with the Storm Sack.

• As per the above comment I have had no issues with the roll down closure of the Storm Sack. It has worked effectively and is not showing any signs of wear or tear.

• Continuing this theme, the Storm Sack has shown to be very durable during the test phase. None of the seams have given way, the Storm Sack has not been punctured and the closure has shown no signs of wear.

• One aspect of the Storm Sack which has really grabbed me is the grab handle on the base of the Storm Sack. I really love this simple feature. As I reported on in my Field Report it makes it so much easier to remove tightly gear from the sack.

All up I am very impressed with the Storm Sack and will continue to use. My only dislike is its weight which is in my view a bit on the heavy side.  That side for longer walks were durability is important and/or walks where I anticipate pack swims across rivers I will be using the Storm Sack.

My thanks to BackpackGearTest.org and SealLine for being able to participate in this test.

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