Travel Stuff Sacks Review

[Frank II]

I've put the Travel Stuff Sacks to the test and reviewed them on my website:

Gear Review: Tom Bihn Travel Stuff Sacks - OBOW Blog - One-bag, carry-on, light travel tips, techniques, and gear

[dwright17]

Thanks, Frank. Your review answered my questions about size very well. Good ideas on how to use the different sizes, too.

[pretzelb]

Wouldn't the #1 size be plenty for the pocket stuff at the airport? Having a hard time judging the sizes.

[Frank II]

It would except for my moneybelt which is an inch too long for the Size 1.

[jeffmac]

Still working on my review of these but I remember somebody asking for comparative size pics...so...

Family shot with the number 3 size in a travel tray


Sizes 3, 2 and 1 on top of a tristar Packing cube backpack


Size 4 with a small and medium TS packing cube



1,2,3 sized Under Mini, small and medium OP



big family shot with all 4 with small packing cube, travel tray and 3D clear organizer



I will post some with bags soon!

[gochicken]

Thanks for these great comparison pictures! Now I can order with more confidence and less guessing!

[dorayme]

These are excellent for scale for those of us who already have Travel Trays, 3-D cubes and packing cubes. Thank you for taking them and posting them!

[darbs]

These pictures are great! Between these and Frank's with the ruler, I think I know what size I need now! :)

[Darcy]

Excellent photos, Frank and jeffmac.

Here's another photo that might be useful: Travel Stuff Sacks in the Aeronaut
The little triangles with numbers on them indicate which size of Travel Stuff Sack you're seeing.



Note that the Travel Stuff Sacks in the main, middle compartment of the Aeronaut are on top of a Aeronaut Packing Cube, Large, packed with several pairs of pants.

[autolycus]

Thanks Darcy, that's exactly what I was hoping for! Looks like a #3 with a 3D organizer for liquids should work perfectly in an end pocket, so that's an excellent size for me. Now it just looks like I want a currently-non-existant #5 that's just a tad longer but otherwise about the same size as the #4. Please? :)

[pretzelb]

I just got my #2 bag and I might send them back because the size is much smaller than I expected. I can stuff 4 pair of medium (men's) cotton underwear into it and that is about all. I didn't test with socks or my travel underwear which is a bit thinner material. I'm going to hang on to them for a while and see if I can come up with an idea on how to use them but for now they seem much too small for any type of clothing storage. Good thing I didn't go with the size #1! My original plan was to give them to my dad on our last trip so he could stuff his dirty laundry into the bags and separate it from the clean. These are definitely too small for that.

[Yonkdaddy]

I bought a couple of #2's and a #3. To be honest, I have never liked the way my shirts come out of a TB packing cube, so I have been using a Sea to Summit "Travelling Light Shirt Folder". Turns out that this, along with my pair of number 2 stuff sacks (one with undies, the other with socks) fit in the exact footprint of a large TB Packing Cube in my Aeronaut's main compartment. A much better pack. And, true to TB form, these just aren't average stuffsacks... the oval footprint fits very well in structured bags. My Patagonia R2 fleece went in the #3-size stuff sack and that fit perfectly in the bottom of my Synapse. Very nice!

[briankerr]

I got a few of these without any specific uses in mind.

The #3 in delicious red turns out to be ideal for holding some "emergency" stuff I carry around, but don't often need: a reasonable first aid kit, pocket chainsaw, matches and batteries, water stuff, etc., in loksaks (LOKSAK | Resealable Element Proof Transport & Storage Bags) or similar. The whole thing is small and light (1.5 lbs) enough to just disappear into the bottom of the Synapse.

So essentially invisible in day to day use… but really nice to have on hand.

[cucumber.sandwich]

I am trying to decide on stuff sack sizes, and I am travelling with only a synapse 19 so I want to get the smallest sizes that would contain my belongings.

Would size 1 be large enough for a standard size (wet) washcloth and a sleep mask? Also, would Size 2 or 3 be more appropriate for a women's medium pair of swim capris, a tankini, and a long sleeve rash guard? And what size do you guys use for your shoes? I wear a women's 9 (the style of shoe is regular toms shoes).

[moriond]

Would size 1 be large enough for a standard size (wet) washcloth and a sleep mask? Also, would Size 2 or 3 be more appropriate for a women's medium pair of swim capris, a tankini, and a long sleeve rash guard? And what size do you guys use for your shoes? I wear a women's 9 (the style of shoe is regular toms shoes).

Hi @cucumber sandwich,
Size 1 TSS for washcloth and sleep mask sounds fine. I'd be inclined to use the Size 2 TSS for your swim Capris, tankini, and LS rashguard, but it may depend on the weight of the fabric (I'm assuming these are thin and light). For reference purposes, I generally use the Eagle Creek Specter II quarter packing cubes for items like swim suits and underwear or scarves, and they're about 1.2 liters (bigger than a 3D organizer cube, smaller than a 1.5 liter Side Effect). The size 2 TSS is larger than the Side Effect in volume (product page now says 2 liters -- I thought it was slightly under that), and can hold a women's down vest or parka compressed, so it should work for you.

Size 3 TSS may work for your shoes, but an alternate choice might be a small Aeronaut 30 packing cube that may fit the shape of your shoes better.

There's an old Perfect Packing Cube for S19 thread from 2014 that shows some Aeronaut end cube combos in the Synapse 19 -- this was before we had the Aeronaut 30 and its Aether packing cubes.

Maybe someone who has carried shoes about your size in the Synapse can chip in here or post pictures? (My feet shoes are size 6 or under, so not helpful for you)

HTH

moriond