MontBell Aquapel Stuff Bag #1

Owner Review

Report Date: November 3, 2004

Reviewer Information

• Name: Edward Ripley-Duggan
  
• Age: 51
  
• Gender: Male
  
• Height: 6' 1" (1.85 m)
  
• Weight: 215 pounds (98 kg)
  
• erd@wilsey.net
  
• Catskills, New York State
  
  

Reviewer Background: See end of report

Product information

• Manufacturer: MontBell
  
• http://www.montbell.com
  
• Product: MontBell Aquapel Stuff Bag #1
  
• Year of purchase: 2002, 2003
  
• Manufacturer's weight: no longer available on website*
  
• Measured weight (consistent between years): 2.6 oz (74 g)
  
• Dimensions unrolled: 25 x 14.5 in (64 cm x 37 cm)
  
• Maximum capacity (top rolled three times as suggested): 5.4 gallons, 20 litres
  
• Color: blue
  
• Fabric: Hydropro (a MontBell proprietary process) coated nylon, water-resistant to a 30,000 mm water column (42.3 psi, by my calculation)
  
• Seal: dry bag closure (one side stiffened) with a lightweight snap buckle
  
  

*though not currently listed on MontBell's website or catalogue, the #1 bag may presently (November, 2004) be obtained by phoning the warehouse, the number for which may be obtained via the Boulder store.

Introduction

For backpacking at any time of year, keeping crucial items of gear dry (sleeping bag, clothing, etc.) is an important comfort and convenience. In the winter, this is potentially a life or death matter, especially where (for example) stream crossings are involved. Few packs are waterproof or anything like it, and that's especially true of most ultralight and lightweight packs. Garbage bags and similar improvised solutions are widely used and can be somewhat effective as pack liners, but these are not truly waterproof in the case of total immersion. A lightweight, multi-use, highly water resistant bag is an incredibly handy piece of equipment. The Stuff Bag #1 (and its cousins, the smaller #2 and #3) fills this niche perfectly.

Construction

The #1 Stuff Bag is constructed from a fabric of considerable strength (despite constant use for a couple of years, the first bag that I purchased is still completely intact). It is also very nearly waterproof, with a resistance to water of a pressure just over 40 pounds per square inch (46 kilos per sq cm). There are two seams: one on the rear of the bag, and one at its base. These are extremely securely seam-sealed by the manufacturer, and I have not detected any evidence of delamination. As is usual with MontBell's products (this one is made in Japan) the sewing is of immaculate quality. The roll-top seal utilizes a stiffening strip and a small two-part snap buckle of the kind found on some lightweight tents. One side of the bag bears the legend "Aquapel Stuff Bag 1" (with the manufacturer's name) writ large in white letters.

To launder, I put the bag in the washing machine and hang dry. I am unaware of any specific laundry instructions (there is no cleaning label in the bag).

Use

I have used the MontBell bags for day-hikes, backpacks and kayak tours here in the NE United States on a year-round basis, in temperatures ranging from 80 F (27 C) to -20 F (-30 C). For day hikes, I usually carry spare clothing in a single bag. For backpacking, I carry my sleeping bag and any down gear in one bag, spare clothing in another and food in a third. In consequence, I don't bother with a pack cover. Despite the nearly 8 ounces of weight the bags add, I consider this an acceptable trade-off, knowing that my gear will remain dry even if I fall in a river! The terrain has included New York's Northville-Placid trail, Catskills and Adirondacks, and the White Mountains of New Hampshire (among other places). Elevations have ranged from almost sea level to the top of Mt. Washington, 6288 ft (1900 m).

I have used these bags extensively in kayak touring, and (despite a weight that is a fraction of a standard dry bag) they have kept my things dry through a couple of capsizes and other misadventures. However, it is in backpacking that they come into their own. Despite the weight, I don't mind carrying two or three of these with me, as they have such varied uses. My pack may get soggy within from rain (packs dry fast so that's no big deal), but anything in the bags remains absolutely free from damp.

So good is the roll-top seal that, if air is captured within, it is retained sufficiently well for use of the bag as an air pillow (though as the fabric is slippery, this works better if the bag is inserted in a shirt or jacket). This same ability to hold air makes the Stuff Bag an exceptionally good bear bag. I always carry my food in one. At the end of the day I roll down the top, pressurizing the bag slightly, clip a carabiner to the locked loop created by the buckle, and I have a vapor-fast bag that will still be inflated the following morning. This minimizes the tempting smell of food that wafts out in the direction of marauding animals, be they mice or bears. I would (since food traces can easily get transferred by handling to the exterior of the bag) still recommend suspending the bag in most environments, and (of course) this system is not appropriate in areas where bear proof containers are mandated.

The same ability to keep water at bay and to keep air in also serves to make this a very handy container for carrying water in quantity from water source to campsite. The maximum capacity of the bag is about 5.4 US gallons (20 liters) with the top sealed as recommended by the manufacturer (a triple roll of the seal). Smaller quantities of water may be stored in the bag and poured out as needed.

The bag is also very handy in winter camping. Since I usually keep water in a container at the foot of my sleeping bag, it is comforting to put it in a sealed Stuff Bag, so that if a leak develops, the down will not be soaked. Similarly, wet boots can be placed in a Stuff Bag (turned inside-out) once the sleeping bag is removed from it, and then tucked down at the foot along with the water to prevent them from freezing.

I'm sure that other uses for the bag (in all its sizes) exist, but these few suffice to demonstrate the versatility of a remarkably resilient and handy piece of gear.

Reviewer Background

I enjoy walking in all its manifold forms, from a simple stroll in the woods to multi-day backpack excursions. Though by no means an extreme ultralight enthusiast, from spring to fall my preference is to carry a pack weight of 12 lb (5.5 kg), more or less. In recent years, I've rapidly moved to a philosophy of "lighter is better," within the constraints of budget and common sense.