Long Term Report:

Watchful Eye Designs ALOKSAK Element Proof Storage Bags

Date: May 22nd, 2004

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 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.

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.

For more a more detailed product description, please read my Initial Report. For additional field experience please see my Field Report

Overview:

I have used the ALOKSAKs primarily as a replacement for the zip-lock type lunch bags available at most grocery stores. I use these bags both for carrying small odds and ends and protecting electronics from water and general elemental exposure. The ALOKSAKs have excelled in this application. The supple, but heavy duty plastic has proven to be very durable. They have successfully preserved my electronics through repeated exposure to wet environments, including wet snow, rain and spills.

The sealing strip has an offset design which greatly simplifies the effort to open the bags, especially when wearing gloves. Rather than fumbling around trying to separate two thin layers of plastic, all I have to do is locate the front of the bag and bend back the top edge. The lower plastic edge of the seal will stand proud and is easily grasped and pulled, thus opening the seal. This is extremely easy to do with lighter gloves and no gloves at all. The bags can be opened and closed with heavier gloves as well but, understandably, it becomes a bit difficult with very heavy gloves.

Shortly after posting the Field Reports, I was contacted by Watchful Eye Designs via email. The email touched on a number of items, but one was of particular interest. It stated that the printing on the ALOKSAK bags can be removed with denatured alcohol. I happen to keep a can or two of denatured alcohol around for stove fuel, so naturally I wanted to give it a try. Not only does the alcohol remove the printing, but it does so remarkably easily and completely. This would allow bag to be used to hold a map or other item and would offer a completely unobstructed view. This could be very handy to know.  

Long Term Experience:

The plastic has proven to be very durable, surviving multiple trips in my daypacks and backpacks. I am still using the full set of bags, but have managed to poke holes in two of them. The bags seem prone to being damaged by sharp objects when packed carelessly. The rough and tumble environment inside a backpack is a natural place to find the weak spot in a piece of gear and the ALOKSAKs are no exception. It must be remembered that they are a soft, albeit strong and resilient, plastic. Any hard and/or sharp object stored adjacent to the ALOKSAK is a potential hazard. With this in mind, I make a concerted effort to carefully place the bag with its cargo away from potential hazards. The only time the bags were damaged was when I was in a rush and careless about my packing. This isn’t to say the bags have to be coddled. The bag that has seen the most use is the one that I use to protect my topographic maps. This bag has lived pretty much non-stop being shuffled between backpacks, daypacks and fanny packs. It has been stuffed into top pockets, hydration sleeves, suspension yokes, shovel pockets and cargo pockets. After six months, it barely shows a mark. More importantly, my topos remain in perfect condition. 

I find that I have gravitated towards the smaller size bags, as the items that I am most interested in protecting fit nicely in these. The great variety of sizes means I can almost always find a bag that seems custom sized for the application. I have used the larger bags for food storage with good results, but the endless jostling of a backpack combined with a large number of various loose items in the bag seems to take a toll. The bags hold up far better than a typical zip lock bag, but I wouldn’t expect them to hold up to more than a seasons use in this application, but that is actually not bad for a plastic sack.

I find the real forte of the ALOKSAKs is their ability to protect specific important items from the elements. I am still using the same bags to protect my PDA, my cell phone, my backpacking radio, the aforementioned topographic maps and even my books. With one exception, these bags give every indication of lasting years. The one exception occurred recently when I packed my backpack in a rush for a quick weekend out. I tossed a few more odds and ends in the top pocket of my backpack than I usually do. After finding a campsite and unloading my pack, I noticed that the bag holding my cell phone and book had a small series of holes worn across one side. The culprit? My car keys, which were attached to a clip in the top pocket. I normally don’t use this and keep my keys in a secured cargo pocket, but the pants I was wearing on this trip did not have a sealable pocket, so I used the clip. Plastic will lose to metal every time. This same bag had survived at least a dozen other trips without a scratch.


Things I like:

1 - High quality materials and construction
2 - Easy to use
3 - Convenient variety of sizes

Things I don’t Like:

1 – Not much, I just have to remember they are made of plastic, not steel!

Summary:

The ALOKSAK bags have continued to be very good at protecting my electronics from the elements. They are also an excellent organizing aid. They have proven to be far more durable and weather resistant than the typical zip lock grocery bag, as long as they are stored away from sharp edged objects. If there is something in my pack that absolutely needs to stay dry and/or clean, it goes in one of these bags and I know that item will arrive in proper order. With a bit of care, these bags should last at least a typical season with regular use. While more expensive than grocery type zip lock bags, the ALOKSAKS offer a much higher degree of reliability, durability and protection and are well worth the cost when it comes to protecting expensive gear. I expect that the ALOKSAKs, especially the various convenient smaller sizes, will remain a permanent part of my gear inventory.