Reviews > Stuff Sacks > Dry Bags > Watchful Eye Designs - Aloksak > Jim Sabiston > Initial Report

Watchful Eye Designs ALOKSAK Element Proof Storage Bags

Date: November 15th, 2003

Reviewer Information

Name: Jim Sabiston
Age: 49
Gender: Male
Height: 6' 3" (1.9 m)
Weight: 207 lb (94 k)
Email address: JimSabis(at)aol(dot)com
State: New York
Country: USA

Backpacking Background:

I've been camping for several decades. I joined the Adirondack Mountain Club four years ago, the Appalachian Mountain Club a year later and am active in both. I have also expanded my backpacking to include more winter trips, mountaineering and back country cross country skiing, and participated in the AMC's Winter Mountaineering training program with Chauvin International Climbing Guides. More recently, I have actively studied ways to backpack lighter and more efficiently. During the summer months, my style tends toward very light, but not quite ultralight. I use a hammock or tarp for warm weather, and a small four-season tent for winter trips. Most of my other gear is very changeable, as I am constantly experimenting with gear and techniques.

Product Information:

Manufacturer: Watchful Eye Designs
Year of Manufacture: 2003
URL: www.watchfuleyedesigns.com
Manufacturers Specifications:
4.5 in X 7 in (114 mm X 178 mm)
6.75 in X 6 in (175 mm X 152 mm)
6 in X 9 in (152 mm X 229 mm)
12 in X 12 in (305 mm X 305 mm)
12.5 in X 15.5 in (318 mm X 394 mm) (OPSAKS)

Specifications as delivered:
4.5 in X 7 in (114 mm X 178 mm)
5.75 in X 6.75 in (146 mm X 171 mm)
6 in X 9 in (152 mm X 229 mm)
12 in X 12 in (305 mm X 305 mm)
12.25 in X 16 in ( 311 mm X 406 mm) (OPSAKS)
Price: Varies with size of bag (sold in sets of 3):
4.5 in X 7 in (114 mm X 178 mm) $ 6.29 US
6.75 in X 6 in (175 mm X 152 mm) $ 6.49 US
9 in X 6 in (152 mm X 229 mm) $ 7.49 US
12.5 in X 12.5 in (305 mm X 305 mm) $10.59 US
Or a mixed set of one each of all four sizes for $9.99 US
The OPSAKS are sold in sets of three for $10.59 US

Description of the Watchful Eye Designs ALOKSAK Element Proof Storage Bags:

The ALOKSAK bags arrived in a padded manila envelope via regular mail. Opening the envelope, I found the envelope filled with plastic bags! Spreading them out on a table, I found thirteen bags, three of each size except the 4.5 X 7 (114 mm X 178 mm) and 12 X 12 (305 mm X 305 mm) sizes, of which there were two each. Included with the bags were an ALOKSAK product flyer and data sheets which provided information about the ALOKSAK bags, including suggested and possible uses.

The bags are of two basic types. Eleven are six mil, clear plastic with a translucent black top and flat welded edge seams. The two largest bags , the OPSAKS, are made of a lighter plastic and have a gusseted bottom, but use the same sealing strip as the ALOKSAKS. This bottom allows the bags to expand, greatly increasing their capacity, and also enabling the bags to stand upright when the bottom is expanded. The ALOKSAKS have a flat, creased bottom.

Aside from size, all the bags are generally the same in appearance. The black strip at the top is where the sealing strip is located. The bags are all marked with various black colored labeling which provides common information, such as the ALOKSAK or OPSAK label, opening and closing instructions, recycling information, etc. In addition is bag specific information, such as bag volume and, in the case of the OPSAK bags, an ‘Odor Proof Barrier’ label. One set of bags is marked with incorrect sizing information, but the error is obvious. The 6.75 in X 6 in (175 mm X 152 mm) bag is marked as having a volume of “350 cubic in/5736 cc”, clearly an error, as the next larger bag is marked “60 cubic in/980 cc“. The correct volume is more likely about 40 cu in (655 cc).

Information provided at the Watchful Eye Designs web site, and also provided by the literature delivered with the bags, details what appears to be some rigorous testing standards that the bags have passed. From the Watchful Eye Designs literature:

SSI (formerly NASDS)
certified waterproof to depths exceeding 60 meters. Confirmed testing in their pressure chamber under constant pressure of 200 SFW for two weeks without leaks.

US NAVY
Passed submergence/thrash/pull tests conducted by Navy Experimental Diving Unit.

Other comments found in the literature: Used by FBI HAZMET, Law Enforcement, FEMA and the military worldwide. Medical grade, FDA approved material. The ALOKSAKS are government short term biohazard storage and the OPSAKS for long term biohazard storage.

These are clearly not my mother’s sandwich bags! With promotional advertising like this, I will have high performance expectations.

Use of the Bags:

I have never gotten along very well with the typical zip lock bags found in supermarkets. I seem to struggle trying to get the bags sealed, sometimes tear them trying to get them open, and too often find them open in my pack when I thought they were safely and securely sealed. Because of this, I have favored the new ’slide lock’ type of bags, as a good seal is as easy as moving the slider. Unfortunately, these bags cannot seal completely, as a small opening remains near the slider, and the bags are invariably perforated with even light use. The ALOKSAKS seem to have cured the sealing issue. The heavier plastic should hold up to pack abuse better than the supermarket brands.

It may be a function of the bags being made of a heavier grade, higher quality plastic, but these bags seal like silk! I have absolutely no difficulty in getting a seal in the first try every time. I simply pinch one end of the black strip and slide my fingers along to the opposite side and voila! - a perfect seal. There is no struggle at all to line the seal ridges up properly for sealing. The bag labels recommend repeating the process to ensure a positive seal.

A quick test with a pair of liner gloves indicates the bags are opened and resealed easily while wearing light, thin gloves.

Initial Conclusions:

A pair of the smaller bags have already made a significant day trip, stuffed into my daypack while bushwhacking North Dome and Sherrill mountains in the Catskills. One, the smallest size, was used to protect my cell phone, which was turned off, sealed in the ALOKSAK bag, and tossed deep into the pack and forgotten. The next size up proved to be the perfect size to hold my topo maps for the mountains we were traversing. This one saw a bit of in and out use while we checked compass bearings while climbing for the summits and during the final descent. Both bags looked like new at the end of the day. I cannot say the same for the zip lock bag that held my snacks, which was clearly wrinkled and worn after one hard day.

I can see the possibility of a real love affair with these bags growing during this test. The storage bags appear to be made of quality materials and construction and have an excellent feel. The seals appear to be secure and positive, but do so without a struggle to open and close them. The primary open question in my mind at this early stage is one of durability. How will these bags hold up to long term backpack abuse? With winter fast approaching, I will have to see how they hold up in cold weather as well.


Things I like:

1 - Appears to be of high quality materials and construction
2 - Easy to use
3 - Convenient variety of sizes

Things I don’t Like:

1 - Nothing to mention yet!

Test Plan:

The ALOKSAKS will replace my normal slide lock bags for the storage of electronic equipment, such as my cell phone, my PDA and my weather radio. I will also use the various sizes as a organizational tool for both segregating and protecting equipment. This will be of particular importance in the upcoming fall and winter weeks, as I am leaving my tent home in order to test a bivy sack. This means my various bits of equipment will be exposed much more intimately to the elements. Accordingly, good tough protection from the elements will be of primary interest to me. This will be especially so during the winter mountaineering and skiing trips.

Along with the waterproof qualities, durability of the bags will be of paramount importance. If the bags wear through, that watertight seal will not mean a thing. A backpack is a rough environment for a plastic storage bag. This is especially so when back-country skiing, as the landings are not always gentle. By way of example, a pair of snowshoes strapped to my backpack were destroyed during a spectacular wipeout descending the Spruceton Trail on skis last winter. Anything in the pack stands a good chance of getting atomized!

The OPSAKS will be put to work initially as food storage in my bear bag, where the odor proof qualities should be a real advantage. The real test will come in the Adirondacks. Bears are usually not a problem in the deep winter, but squirrels and stoats have proven to be a real hazard, as they easily climb the bear rig and chew right through the food bags to the goodies inside. Last year, we tried burying our cache in the snow under a gear sled, and this seemed to work. The OPSAKS should prove to be a natural in this application, as they are marketed as waterproof as well as odor proof. How well they hold up against snow, ice and cold remains to be seem.

Of course, how well the seal continues to work under these conditions will also be of particular interest.

I would like to extend my thanks to Watchful Eye Designs for the opportunity to test these very interesting storage bags.

Reviews > Stuff Sacks > Dry Bags > Watchful Eye Designs - Aloksak > Jim Sabiston > Initial Report