Stuff Sacks

[Vantage]

Does anybody NOT use them?
I've wondered about packing my gear loosey goosey lately.
I spend ages stuffing the sleeping bag, liner, pillows etc into their stuff sacks and I'm sure it'd be quicker to just bung them into the panniers loose. It would fill the bags better (no gaps between sacks) and provide some cushioning so other things don't clang about so much.
I can't at this moment think of any downsides but maybe someone else could.

 

[mjr]

I don't. Only dry bags and compression bags. But I'm not carrying camping gear.

 

[Tigerbiten]

Rain.

Which would do you prefer to do ......
Try and stuff your loose sleeping bag, etc into you're pannier while standing in the rain.
Or just jam the full stuff sacks in the pannier while standing in the rain.

YMMV .........

 

[snorri]

I spend ages stuffing the sleeping bag, liner, pillows etc into their stuff sacks

I only have to stuff the sleeping bag and liner into their bags, which does not seem such an arduous task.
I only use one pillow case and put my clothes in it to form a pillow, so that is easily dealt with.
Sometimes it is neccessary to take things out of the pannier during the day and it seems better to have the sleeping bag tightly bundled and under control in its stuff sack rather than lying loose. When stowed loose it tends to overflow when you open the pannier lid to remove a jacket, hat or whatever.

 

[Vantage]

Rain.

Which would do you prefer to do ......
Try and stuff your loose sleeping bag, etc into you're pannier while standing in the rain.
Or just jam the full stuff sacks in the pannier while standing in the rain.

YMMV .........

It'd go into the pannier whilst in the tent

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Never take my panniers off. I just take out what I need on an as and when basis. If it rains or there’s a heavy dew, most of the drive train and rear mech and cassette are sheltered.

Bike bags: I Don’t use stuff sacks.

Panniers: I use packing cubes. In both cases I get best use of the space.

 

[Tigerbiten]

It'd go into the pannier whilst in the tent

Then you'd unpack a wet tent and a wet sleeping bag ........
Pitching a rain drenched tent after it was packed away wet, I've always had to dry the floor inside before unrolling my sleeping mat on it.
I'd never pack my sleeping bag in the same pannier with a wet tent unless one or both where in fully waterproof bags.
Anything thing else is just a recipe for a disaster.

Even being on tour when it's rained for days on end, I've never had a wet sleeping bag, just a slightly damp one ..........

 

[Vantage]

Ah I think there's been some misunderstanding...
If raining or in damp conditions, all my camping gear gets stuffed into the panniers while the tent is still erect and providing shelter. The tent gets a quick wipe down after a good shake to clear most of the wetness on it and then strapped to the rack top. Absolutely nothing remotely damp goes in the same pannier as the sleeping bag as its down filled.

 

[andrew_s]

I do the same as @Vantage - pack everything except the tent whilst still inside the tent.
The only exception is when it's sunny and dry (including the ground), when things may get spread out for an airing if I'm being leisurely rather than getting a move on.

Detail varies depending on whether it's 4 panniers, 2 panniers and a saddlebag, 2 panniers, or just a saddlebag, but if the tent's to go in a pannier, it does mean that sometimes things need to be pulled out temporarily to admit the tent.
However, only stuff that's already damp or is allowed to get wet ever goes in the same pannier as the tent (eg recently washed or rained on clothing, stove, panset, waterproofs etc), so rain doesn't matter. There's enough that doesn't mind wetness, but doesn't soak up any water (eg the spare gas canister) to allow sufficient flexibility to keep things balanced.

Ortliebs are waterproof enough that there's no problem with just stuffing a sleeping bag straight into the pannier, but they also keep any damp in, which then just transfers to everything in the pannier, so the rule is never to put anything damp in with the sleeping bag.
It can sometimes happen that loose bits insist in getting in to the bit of pannier you're trying to roll closed, so a loosely packed stuff sack on top can be useful (as well as for separating clean from not clean).

 

[MichaelW2]

You would have to restrict pannier contents to dry goods only. Fuel and food can and do leak in panniers. I usually have enough loose clothing to pad hard objects and protect the pannier fabric.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I use stuff sacks for clothing, more for organisation than anything else. One for night clothes, one for bike clothes, one for off bike clothes. I'm a recent convert to not using a stuff sack for my sleeping bag. It goes in the middle of the pannier, gets compressed & fills every nook & cranny.

Also with vantage on packing in the tent. Only in the most extreme conditions (in my experience) is it a problem.

To be honest, it's an example of taking a "big picture" view of your gear. A teeny tiny tent might be lighter & pack smaller, but would make my packing system only suitable for fair weather.

There's a trade-off for every gear decision. If we're lucky we know what they are before we make our choices

 

[Vantage]

To be honest, it's an example of taking a "big picture" view of your gear. A teeny tiny tent might be lighter & pack smaller, but would make my packing system only suitable for fair weather.

That's the reason I'm switching from using my 2 man tent to my three man tent.
I was contorting myself into silly (and painful) positions while trying to put my gear back into their stuff sacks whilst in the tent last time.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

That's the reason I'm switching from using my 2 man tent to my three man tent.
I was contorting myself into silly (and painful) positions while trying to put my gear back into their stuff sacks whilst in the tent last time.

Now that's pampering yourself!

Whatever it takes to get us out, enjoying ourselves and wanting to do it again is what's important.

 

[mudsticks]

Like many others I use dry bags to be a bit better organised, and as extra insurance against rain.

Shelter is stowed separately on back rack.

Goes up first, comes down last.

More often than not I the leave panniers on bike, and take things out of them as needed.

Keeps everything drier if it's raining.

I guess I could shave maybe a hundred grammes off my overall baggage with fewer dry bags, but I think it would have too many downsides.

A wet down sleeping bag wouldn't be very funny, for instance .

 

[Gravity Aided]

That's the reason I'm switching from using my 2 man tent to my three man tent.
I was contorting myself into silly (and painful) positions while trying to put my gear back into their stuff sacks whilst in the tent last time.

Same here, but just a Wal*Mart cheapie. I like to change tents every few years. Keeps me current. Getting a bit long in the tooth as well, so don't tour as often.