Sea To Summit Ultra Sil Compression Sack

Sea To Summit Ultra Sil Compression Sack — an indispensable tool for the space-conscious backpacker

This is a guest post written by Jodi Ettenberg.

During my many months on the road, I’ve tried out a wide variety of packing solutions. Cubes, folders, stuff sacks, giant plastic bags – you name it. None have been as sturdy, lightweight or useful as Sea to Summit’ Ultra Sil Compression Sack series and I no longer leave home without them.

Made from Siliconized Cordura® nylon, they are extremely lightweight, durable and are water resistant to boot. Because of the slippery nature of the material, the compression sacks are easy to empty quickly when you are on the go. I’ve tried out several different brands and my clothes tended to get stuck inside the compression bag when I tipped it upside down. With the Ultra Sil bags, my clothes emptied quickly and easy with a little shake. For packing on my round-the-world, I used a large size for my clothes and an extra-small size for my socks, underwear, scarf and swimwear. They’re colorful too!

The quick & dirty: Where you can find one:
REI: $23.95 (6-liter)
Backcountry: $24.21 (10-liter)
Backcountry: $26.81 (15-liter)
Backcountry: $29.61 (20-liter)
Amazon: $31.46 (30-liter)

Why they rock:

• Siliconized Cordura® is one of the lightest nylon materials for any compression bag, and with the added toughness of injected silicon, they withstand a good amount of abuse.
• Water-resistant.
• The four straps on the sides of the bag allow you to compress evenly and with ease.
• The bags compact down to a mind-bogglingly small size.
• Handle on the flip-lid allow you to pull out the compression bag from its hiding place in your backpack.
• Slippery finish allows for swift and simple packing and unpacking.
• Durable seams are double-stitched and mine have yet to rip after 2+ years of travel.
• They come in a variety of fun colours.

Seat-of-the-pants rating: 10 out of 10

If you are looking for a lightweight packing solution that will keep your clothes relatively dry and your pack’ contents smushed into a teeny tiny bag, these compression sacks are for you. If you are more concerned about waterproofing than bulk, check out Sea to Summit’ eVent Waterproof line instead.

Born in Montreal, Canada, Jodi Ettenberg is a former attorney who quit her job after 5+ years of lawyering to chase her dream of travelling around the world. Starting in April 2008, Jodi has traipsed through South America, Russia and Mongolia, China and a good part of South East Asia, blogging and eating the whole way. You can follow her on her Legal Nomads blog, or on Twitter.