Sleeping bag on pack?

KyMama · #1 06/30/13, 05:06 PM

My DS15 needs to attach his sleeping bag to his pack for a 9-day camping trip and I can't for the life of me figure it out. I think this is the one he has, we bought it at a local store but it looks just like that one. It has straps on the bottom that his sleeping pad will fit into, but they are too small for his sleeping bag. I considered buying a thinner sleeping bag, but we have spent so much money on this trip already that I really can't afford it. And his sleeping pad has to be on there too, so if I figure out how to attach the sleeping bag at the bottom where do I put the sleeping pad?

Any ideas? Thanks.

Sleeping bag on pack? - Survival & Emergency Preparedness

Sleeping bag on pack? - Survival & Emergency Preparedness

Belfrybat · #2 06/30/13, 05:28 PM

The sleeping bag normally goes inside the pack, usually at the bottom. Some packs have a separate compartment on the bottom for the sleeping bag. It is important sleeping bags not get wet which is why they go inside the pack. Here's a video of how to pack one: http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advi...-backpack.html

BTW, it looks like the picture you posted is a day pack, not one meant for several days backpacking. The latter are usually on a frame to help spread the load better.

Brighton · #3 06/30/13, 06:20 PM

That is a "day pack" not a nine day pack!! I have an older, from the early 80's pack, it has a rigid frame and the sleeping bag goes in the bottom compartment, with the sleeping pad hanging off the back!

KyMama · #4 06/30/13, 06:39 PM

Sorry, more info is definitely needed here. They will have a base camp where most of their equipment will be. From what I understand they will be going on day hikes as well as 3-day SAREX with primitive shelters. It's the 3-day I'm trying to get the sleeping bag attached for, their food and essentials will be provided for that too.

Sorry, my brain was in overload earlier and I guess I thought y'all could read my mind.

ETA: He has a larger frame pack also, but the other boys that have been before are telling him not to take it, that he doesn't need it.

Badger · #5 06/30/13, 07:04 PM

To attach a sleeping bag to a day pack you first need to get a dry bag - use it as a stuff sack for the sleeping bag. The dry bag will have compression straps on it - You can attach these any number of ways to the daisy chain on the pack. Sorry - it's an added expense but it is important that the sleeping bag stay dry - A wet sleeping bag can kill you.

jwal10 · #6 06/30/13, 10:26 PM

Put the sleeping bag in the dry bag, if the dry bag does not have straps, wrap 2 straps around it, attach these straps to the straps at the bottom of the daypack. Or, if the weather is good wrap the sleeping bag in the pad and attach them to the bottom of the daypack....James

texican · #7 07/01/13, 02:33 PM

As long as this is summer camping, in the 'flatlands' (not the mountains) the worse that can happen is he'll get a little cold at night if he loses his sleeping bag. Which, as a backcountry ranger for the NPS, I can attest happens quite frequently to people who 'tie' their sleeping bags onto the outside of their packs. I've slept in the cold w/o a bag, and it's no fun... but it does make a great story afterwards. I've usually carried two bags, both inside my internal frame pack... one a regular bag, the 2nd one a pile liner bag... If he were going on a long day hike (with a chance of having to bivouac, a smaller liner bag can be precious.

IF I had to carry a bag on the outside of my pack, I'd make sure my sleeping bag 'bag' had heavy duty sewn in hardware buckles that I could securely cinch tight to my pack. If any river crossings were involved, carry an empty 2 liter bottle tied to the pack and or bag, with some parachute cord looped on the back of the pack.... ditch the pack if necessary in deep water, and you can 'see' the 2 liter bottle bobbing in the water. One of my 'worst' patrols in the backcountry dealt with finding a complete backpack, soaked in mud... had to set up camp, spend a day washing and drying out the gear, then packing their 45lb of gear on top of my own 55lbs... (the food was consumed...

)

Ernie · #8 07/01/13, 02:55 PM

I use a good, rugged Kelty back. I can shove a daypack down inside of it pretty easily. I strap the sleeping bag to the top of the Kelty frame and cinch it tight. I've never lost it.

If it's on the bottom of the frame, you're more likely to lose it without noticing (you shouldn't lose it if you've strapped it down well) but also it will bump against the butt or back of your thighs as you walk and annoy the crud out of you.

KyMama · #9 07/01/13, 05:22 PM

Thanks y'all. I'll be so glad when this trip is over and done with, it's given me nothing but a headache.

In case anyone was wondering, he is going to Hawk Mountain Ranger School with the Civil Air Patrol. I'm sure CAP is normally organized, but his squadron leaders never seem to know what's going on. They've changed the travel plans 2-3 times this week alone.

beaglebiz · #10 07/01/13, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ernie

I use a good, rugged Kelty back. I can shove a daypack down inside of it pretty easily. I strap the sleeping bag to the top of the Kelty frame and cinch it tight. I've never lost it.

If it's on the bottom of the frame, you're more likely to lose it without noticing (you shouldn't lose it if you've strapped it down well) but also it will bump against the butt or back of your thighs as you walk and annoy the crud out of you.

MY 15 yr old son returned today at 3 am from a 16 day trek at Philmont Scout ranch in New Mexico. He, and most of the troop use kelty bags. They are about the best a layman can get for the cost.. sleeping bag goes in the bottom of the bag. At Philmont, the boys sometimes stayed in the camp more than one night and took day hikes to Baldy Mountain, the Tooth of Time etc. I bought an ultralite daypack for him to use for the day trips, and he left the framed kelty at the campsite.. he said he had the greatest experience of his life

I would pack the framed pack, sleeping bag in the bottom and also pack a daypack for the days they will be returning to the same base camp. I truly believe that is the best idea. I hope he has a fantastic time, and sending him with the wrong equipment can be disastrous. Not sure if your hike is scout related, but if it is, call the scoutmaster and see what he says.
Our boys are all boy scouts(two youngest made Life a few months ago), DH and I are both leaders, so over the years we have been involved, we invested in good equipment. I have found if you buy the right stuff, it never needs replacing, and would also be used in a bug out situation. Relatives also purchased equipment for birthdays and holidays.
in case anyone is interested, this is where he was
http://www.philmontscoutranch.org/

terri9630 · #11 07/01/13, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beaglebiz

MY 15 yr old son returned today at 3 am from a 16 day trek at Philmont Scout ranch in New Mexico. He, and most of the troop use kelty bags. They are about the best a layman can get for the cost.. sleeping bag goes in the bottom of the bag. At Philmont, the boys sometimes stayed in the camp more than one night and took day hikes to Baldy Mountain, the Tooth of Time etc. I bought an ultralite daypack for him to use for the day trips, and he left the framed kelty at the campsite.. he said he had the greatest experience of his life

I would pack the framed pack, sleeping bag in the bottom and also pack a daypack for the days they will be returning to the same base camp. I truly believe that is the best idea. I hope he has a fantastic time, and sending him with the wrong equipment can be disastrous. Not sure if your hike is scout related, but if it is, call the scoutmaster and see what he says.
Our boys are all boy scouts(two youngest made Life a few months ago), DH and I are both leaders, so over the years we have been involved, we invested in good equipment. I have found if you buy the right stuff, it never needs replacing, and would also be used in a bug out situation. Relatives also purchased equipment for birthdays and holidays.
in case anyone is interested, this is where he was
http://www.philmontscoutranch.org/

Glad to see the fire missed it. They need to update their fire info though. The Silver fire is up over 125,000 acres now. The scouts here were going to go on a camp out but they are worried about the smoke. It was pretty bad when the wind shifted toward us yesterday.

beaglebiz · #12 07/01/13, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by terri9630

Glad to see the fire missed it. They need to update their fire info though. The Silver fire is up over 125,000 acres now. The scouts here were going to go on a camp out but they are worried about the smoke. It was pretty bad when the wind shifted toward us yesterday.

The fires are terrible. and those firefighters that dies today just broke my heart.

K-9 · #13 07/01/13, 10:33 PM

This is being made way more difficult than it needs to be, put the sleeping bag in a water proof bag, take two pieces of 550 cord of the appropriate length put a figure 8 on a bit on one end of each piece of cord, thread the cord thru the two lashing points on the bottom of the pack put the cord around the sleeping bag put the running end through the loop and cinch the cord tight and tie off. Do the same thing for the sleeping pad on the top of the bag.

foxfiredidit · #14 07/02/13, 12:14 AM

KyMama, the dry bag is essential, and so is enough 550 cord or whatever cord you can come up with that is strong enough to hold the pack when pulled tight against the pack, and enough cord that he can re-do and/or work it out for himself, and say...."There ya go".

It will be okay. He is probably way more resourceful than you know.

terri9630 · #15 07/02/13, 01:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beaglebiz

The fires are terrible. and those firefighters that dies today just broke my heart.

Hopefully the rain that just went through will help but I don't know. There were 70mph winds and lightening. News just said the fire was just under 137,000 acres.

I just heard about the fire fighters. Awful way to go, I feel for their families.

Ernie · #16 07/02/13, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beaglebiz

MY 15 yr old son returned today at 3 am from a 16 day trek at Philmont Scout ranch in New Mexico. He, and most of the troop use kelty bags. They are about the best a layman can get for the cost..

I think they're the best period. I have some back and shoulder problems from schlepping around an ALICE frame military pack, "top of the line" they told us. Problem is, when you apply weight to those it stacks outward, not upwards like a Kelty. This applies a constant torque to your back.

The Kelty stacks weight upwards so it distributes straight down.

I think it's the best pack that money can buy. Rugged, durable, and really well designed. Heck, you can even buy replacement parts for it in case you burn or rip the fabric but don't want to buy a new frame.

Hollowdweller · #17 07/03/13, 10:02 AM

Those Molle packs are really ill suited to actual backpacking.

Also that pack looks way too small for 9 days.

I'd suggest a larger pack and a smaller bag.

http://www.amazon.com/Lafuma-Lightwa...d_sim_sbs_sg_6

This bag packs down to around 12" by 7"

Hollowdweller · #18 07/03/13, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ernie

I think they're the best period. I have some back and shoulder problems from schlepping around an ALICE frame military pack, "top of the line" they told us. Problem is, when you apply weight to those it stacks outward, not upwards like a Kelty. This applies a constant torque to your back.

The Kelty stacks weight upwards so it distributes straight down.

This is a key point and why Molle packs are not good. If you have stuff hanging all over the outside of your pack it is too small.

KMA1 · #19 07/03/13, 04:33 PM

Good grief! Get 2 utility straps with buckles at a camping supply store or military surplus and cinch the bag to the pack through the molle loop points. Or you can use some cord. Put the bag inside a contractor strength large garbage bag and roll the bag around it. Be sure the bag opening is down when mounted on the pack. Done it on many backing trips.

irondale · #20 07/03/13, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texican

IF I had to carry a bag on the outside of my pack, I'd make sure my sleeping bag 'bag' had heavy duty sewn in hardware buckles that I could securely cinch tight to my pack. If any river crossings were involved, carry an empty 2 liter bottle tied to the pack and or bag, with some parachute cord looped on the back of the pack.... ditch the pack if necessary in deep water, and you can 'see' the 2 liter bottle bobbing in the water. One of my 'worst' patrols in the backcountry dealt with finding a complete backpack, soaked in mud... had to set up camp, spend a day washing and drying out the gear, then packing their 45lb of gear on top of my own 55lbs... (the food was consumed...

)

You also water proof the contents of your pack with ziplock baggies and trash bags. That way it will not only stay dry but also float so you can use to help you in deep water instead of dragging you down.