There was a period in my life when I used a series of disposable plastic baggies to organize all of my things when I traveled. Socks went into gallon Ziplocs, cords into sandwich bags, extra batteries into snack bags鈥攊t was a simple system. The only problem? Unless you鈥檙e packing a turkey sandwich, disposable bags are too flimsy and fragile to store things reliably.听And they鈥檙e bad for the planet. Fortunately, there鈥檚 a stuffsack for every situation, whether I鈥檓 trying to compress a load, separate my socks from my undies, or keep my chargers and cords dry. Here are my favorites.
Osprey StraightJacket Compression Sack听($25 and Up)听
is not your standard drawstring stuffsack: it has a long zipper for听access, with three additional straps that you buckle and tighten to compress the load. When flattened, it听has a rectangular shape, which helps remove dead space if you鈥檙e packing it in a square roller bag or at听the bottom of your multi-day backpack. Choose from three sizes鈥8, 12, or 20 liters鈥攁ll of which are made from a lightweight 40-denier nylon ripstop. It鈥檚 finished with DWR听to help protect your gear against moisture. I like the largest size for clothes, and I use the smallest听as an upgraded stuffsack for my sleeping bag; being able to crush down the bag inside the StraightJacket helps save a couple inches of packing space.听
SealLine Bulkhead Compression Dry Bag ($35听and Up)听
The Bulkhead is built to eliminate dead space: it has a compression system and foam valve that purges air from the bag. Roll shut, clip the straps, and squeeze the bag to release air from the valve, tightening the straps as you go. These features come in handy when you鈥檙e traveling in boats with limited square footage. While roll-top drybags aren鈥檛 made to be fully submersible, the Bulkhead will keep your gear dry as long as you keep your boat upright.听I thought the foam air valve could be a potential leak point, but I held a hose over it for several minutes, and afterward everything inside was bone-dry.听I also like that the closure system has built-in instructions, which helps eliminate some of the user error that鈥檚 common with roll-top drybags. It comes in four sizes: 5 liters, 10 liters, 20 liters, and 30 liters.听
Hyperlite听Mountain Gear听Stuff Sack Pillow ($40)
In true ultralight fashion, 鈥檚 stuffsack pulls double duty, working as a pillow when it鈥檚 not keeping your clothes organized. It鈥檚 made with lightweight Dyneema, taped seams, and a YKK zipper.听(One interior side of the bag is lined with Polartec fleece.) The result is a waterproof package that weighs just 1.69 ounces. Flip the sack inside out, fill it with a jacket, and zip it up for a soft pillow when you鈥檙e in the backcountry. If you鈥檙e like me, the stuffsack will come in handy if the pillow is the first thing you eliminate when you鈥檙e shaving weight from your pack. Pro tip: don鈥檛 put dirty clothes in this sack, as that trail musk will transfer onto the fleece lining. Available in two sizes: small (10 by听14 inches) or large (12 by听17 inches).听
Watershed Ocoee ($118听and Up)听
The Ocoee has been on river trips for years. It鈥檚 not the lightest (1.7 pounds)听or the easiest to use, but this fully submersible bag will absolutely keep your gear dry, even if you get dunked rapid after rapid. The key is the closure, which听creates an airtight seal that hasn鈥檛 yet failed me under pressure. You can test it yourself by zipping the bag shut, then standing on top of it. It鈥檚 built from 420-denier听Cordura with leakproof RF-welded seams and multiple D-rings for lashing it down. You get just over ten听liters of space after the Ocoee is rolled tight, which is enough for an extra layer, small towel, camera, wallet, and phone. Watershed bags aren鈥檛 easy to open; you have to with both hands and squeeze both ends together to form an S听before you can pop the seam open. But that extra work only adds to the peace of mind that the Ocoee brings to the water.听
Outdoor Research Zip Sack ($25 and Up)听
Depending on the trip you鈥檙e taking, can act as a Dopp kit, a media organizer, a first-aid kit, or a way to organize your beanies, gloves, and extra socks. I like the full-zipper access, which allows you to find what you鈥檙e looking for without dumping the bag鈥檚 contents. Meanwhile, the 70-denier nylon body with DWR coating adds a layer of water resistance if you鈥檙e packing sensitive gear, like electronics. It comes in two sizes: small (eight by five by four inches)听and medium听(ten by six by five inches).
Sea to Summit eVac Dry Sack ($28听and Up)
For the eVac, Sea to Summit combined a 70-denier nylon body with a bottom panel made from the waterproof and breathable eVent fabric. That panel is key, because it allows air to release from the stuffsack when you apply pressure with the roll top closed. The 听isn鈥檛 designed to be fully submersible (I wouldn鈥檛 use this on a river trip), but it鈥檚 a good option to protect water-sensitive items, like puffy jackets or sleeping bags, when you鈥檙e backpacking and might experience听the occasional rain shower.听