Reviews > Stuff Sacks > Dry Bags > SealLine Storm Sack > Kathy Waters > Long Term Report

Long Term Report: SealLine Storm Sack 
November 17, 2006

Contents:
Tester Biographical Information
Product Information
Field Conditions/Completed Tests Results
Summary

Tester Biographical Information    <back to top>

Name: Kathleen Waters
Age: 55
Gender: Female
Height: 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Weight: 124.5 lb (56 kg)
Email address: kathy at bysky dot com or TheMiddleSister at usaring dot com
City, State, Country: White Lake, MI USA

Backpacking Background: My husband and I started hiking in 1998 after an eye-opening climb up Hahn's Peak in Colorado.

Hooked, we return to Colorado often. We've hiked/snowshoed glaciers, rain forests, mountains and deserts in exotic locations, including Iceland, Costa Rica, Slovenia and Death Valley.

At home in Michigan, we plan for 2-3 hikes of 6-8 mi (10-13 km) weekly and one weekend hike monthly. Weekday hikes take place in Pontiac Lake Recreation Area, a mixture of heavily-wooded moderate hills and flat terrain. Weekend hike locations vary.

My hiking style is comfortable, aiming for lightweight. Current pack averages 25 lb (11 kg) including food and water.

Product Information, Including Picture (from website)    <back to top>
http://www.seallinegear.com

Manufacturer: SealLine Year of Manufacturer: 2006 Models: SealLine Storm Sack Product Information (from tester) Size: 20.5 L (1310 cu in) Weight: 3.8 oz (108 g) Color: Blue For a more detailed description of the SealLine Storm Sack, please see my Initial Report.

Field Conditions/Completed Tests Results    <back to top>

During this stage of testing the SealLine Storm Sack, I continued to use the Sack as a liner filled with my clothing and food in my Granite Gear Nimbus Ki backpack during day hikes, overnights and storage when in camp. I gave up trying to use it as a pillow (an unadvertised use!) because I would slip off it during the night, but I did use it a couple of times as a pillow while just laying around in camp and it worked nicely. Of course, I took the food out first. No smashed Kashi for me!

I had the opportunity to use the SealLine Storm Sack in the warmer wetter climate of Florida in October. The temperatures hovered around 85 F (29 C) during the day time with the nights not much less. The humidity was consistently above 60% during my entire trip. Sticky! However, the SealLine Storm Sack kept everything in it dry, even one night during a light rain when left exposed to the elements. Nice! A couple encounters with sandy beaches left the Sack covered with sticky sand and some salt residue, but a quick brush off took care of the sand and a cleaning with clear water at home cleaned off the salt.

On previous trips, I had not had any bad experiences with insects getting into the SealLine Storm Sack, but Florida is the Land of Insects and Other Creepy Crawlies, so I was wary about leaving the Storm Sack exposed. I was quite happy to see that nothing, not the lizards that are everywhere, various insects, nor an errant crab that explored our gear got into the Sack.

My trip to Colorado pretty much repeated the good results of my previous testing as reported in my Field Report.

After these last months, I can safely answer the remaining questions that I had about the SealLine Storm Sack.

Under normal use, does the Storm Sack retain its shape?
The Storm Sack has not stretched out nor has it shrunk after 4 months of usage. It is a little more "flexible" but even the strapping has held its shape.
Under normal use, will the Storm Sack seams "hold?"
I have not had any seams break or unravel up until now and have not seen any sign of wear.
Does the Storm Sack tear under normal use?
The Storm Sack has not developed any rips or tears in spite of constant abrasion from my backpack zippers.
If a tear does develop, can I repair it in the field? At home?
Can't answer this one since I never had the Storm Sack tear.
Does the Storm Sack resist stains?
Yes, I've spilled food on the Sack and been able to clean it up easily with clean water.
What are the care/cleaning instructions?
According to SealLine: "After each use, dry bags should be cleaned and dried out. Dirty bags can be washed with a soapy brush and rinsed. Store bags completely dry, inside and out. An occasional wipedown with a vinyl preservation such as Armor All will help maintain vinyl bag suppleness." ... " Try to pad items with hard, sharp corners to minimize wear on the fabric. This will substantially increase the life of packs and bags. Keep all insect repellents and solvents from making direct contact with vinyl and nylon dry bags. If contact occurs, wash the bag thoroughly."

Summary    <back to top>

Pros:


* With a variety of sizes, SealLine has a Storm Sack for every purpose. My 20.5 L (1310 cu in) size is perfectly sized for "lining" my backpack.
* Easy closure allows me to quickly and efficiently seal the Storm Sack.
* Rugged construction promises me years of usage.
* The Storm Sack lives up to its purpose of protecting my gear and food from the elements as well as critters.

Cons:


* I have to be very organized and remember where I pack things in the SealLine Storm Sack otherwise I make quite a mess trying to find gear.

The SealLine Storm Sack is a very well constructed and designed dry bag. I love the way the top rolls down and the strap/closure forms a handle. Very convenient. I'm not the gentlest person around and the Sack has taken any unintended abuse with nary a rip or a tear. It's great the way the Storm Sack keeps out bugs - between the lizards in Florida and various creepy crawlies in Michigan, the Sack has been thoroughly tested and found bug-free and I hate bugs in my clothes even more than wet clothes. Not that I ever had wet clothes during my testing of the SealLine Storm Sack. I like it so well that I intend to buy some of the other size bags in the near future.

Thank you to BGT and SealLine for allowing me to test the SealLine Storm Sack.

Kathleen Waters

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