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Long Term Report: SealLine Storm Sack
22 November 2006
About Wayne Merry,
the tester:
Age: 33
Gender: Male
Height: 1.8 m (5' 10")
Weight: 90 kg (200 lb)
Email address: wayne underscore merry at yahoo dot com dot au
City, State, Country: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Backpacking Background: I started backpacking about five
years ago, although I did day walks in childhood. I hike in various
terrains from moderate/hard track walks to some off track (including
river walks). I generally like the temperature to stay above freezing,
and have not camped above the snow line during winter. I enjoy going on
multi day walks up to about a week as well as day walks. I carry a
moderate weight pack to enjoy a few creature comforts at camp. I use a
tent for shelter. I would
normally do at least 2 overnight or multi-day walks every three months,
in addition to a number of 20 km (12 mile) or so day walks.
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Testing Locations:
I have tested the SealLine Storm on the following walks in addition to
those reported on the Field Test Report. Walks are
multi-day unless otherwise noted:
- Croajingalong National Park - a remote coastal area in
eastern Victoria. Elevations varied from 0 m to 100 m (330
ft). The walk was mostly on track + beach sections. Temperatures
ranged from 5 C (41 F) to 15 C (59 F), with moderate humidity. The last
day of the trip saw moderate rain in the morning (always tends to
happen during packing up tents!). Other times on the walk were fine.
- Mt Monda: - a decent 800m (2600 ft) climb up and down day
walk in hilly national park area with
forested areas. Elevations varied from 200 m (650 ft) to 1000
m (3200 ft). This day walk was on track in light rain. Temperatures
ranged from 5 C (41 F) to 10 C (50 F), with high humidity. Being a day
walk, I carried the Storm Sack in a day pack that was not waterproofed.
I had a few other day walks in fine conditions. Due to an unexpected
business trip to Hong Kong, I missed out on two planned weekend walks
and was unable to undertake overnight walks late in the test period due
to the impending arrival of our first son.
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Product Details:
- Manufacturer: SealLine
- Web site: www.seallinegear.com
- Year of manufacture: 2006
- Place of manufacture: China
- MSRP US$18.95
The SealLine Storm Sack is a dry bag with a
roll-down closure. The seams are sewn and taped sealed. Both the body
and the bottom use PVC-free 210D PU-coated nylon.
Please refer to my Initial Review for specifications and initial
impressions of the product which can be found
here.
My Field Review of this item can be found
here.
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Item Long Term Performance:
I used the SealLine Storm Sack inside a 80 Liter (4900 cu in) backpack on my
multi day walks, as described in my field review. The performance of
the sack did not differ from what I found during the field test period.
When I began this test, I had a number of questions about the SealLine
Storm Sack, and through the test, this is what I have found:
- Does the water tightness keep out dampness? How does it
perform if damp for a prolonged period if one were to arise? Yes it
does. It keeps out moisture both introduced by rain and my sweat - of
which there are generous amounts - which during the test and use of the
Storm Sack made me realize just how much used to get into clean clothes!
- Is the bag easy to seal? Yes, even when quite full. If the
sack is overfull, it cannot be sealed due to the nature of the roll
down closure, but even when bag is significantly full, it remains easy
to seal. It can be a little difficult when the sack is relatively
empty. The ease of use has not changed during the period of the test.
- Is it easy to get the air out of the sack while sealing?
Generally yes, although if bulky, 'squarish' items are placed in the
sack, it can get a little more difficult.
- Do sealing characteristics vary throughout the time of the
test? Not that I saw. I thought the external material of the sack took
the punishment that the inside of my pack dished out quite well.
- How durable is the material in a pack that will contain
stoves, tents and other items that rumble and tumble around? The
material appears quite durable. Also see the previous answer.
- Can the sack keep the contents dry given total or partial
immersion? Total immersion did not occur during the test, but partial
immersion did, and the Storm Sack performed well.
- The web site suggests you could use the sack on it's own -
when you "really need to watch every ounce" - is this practical? No.
Overall, I have been happy with the performance of the
SealLine Storm Sack. Over the time of the test, the material proved
durable, and the Storm Sack works well as a
dry bag. I intend to continue to use it after the testing period.
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Likes and Dislikes:
Things I like about the SealLine Storm Sack:
- It works as advertised, keeping water and mud out.
- The handle helps get gear out of the sack.
Things I dislike about the SealLine Storm Sack:
- Nothing in particular, as testers can't make stuff up!
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Read more reviews of SealLine gear
Read more gear reviews by Wayne Merry
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