Mesh Stuff Sack Set

The Sea to Summit Mesh Stuff Sack Set is three stuff sacks made from black 75D nylon mesh, each closed with a drawcord and topped with a colour-coded sleeve that tells you its size at a glance. You can see what is inside without opening it, and air moves straight through the fabric.

What it keeps dry, and how dry

These sacks are built to do the opposite of a dry bag: they let things dry. Wet socks, a damp towel, a swimsuit or a sweaty base layer go in the mesh, hang off the outside of the pack or a tent guy line, and air out instead of stewing in a sealed bag. On a humid Gold Coast hinterland overnighter or a wet week on the Overland Track that is the difference between gear that smells like camp and gear that smells like the laundry.

When something has to stay dry, put it in a dry bag. Keep the mesh for the things that need to breathe and the things you want to find fast.

Capacity and what fits

Two sets, each with three sizes:

• 3/5/8L set, 108 g: 3 L (23.4 x 13.9 cm), 5 L (28 x 16.5 cm) and 8 L (32.5 x 19 cm)
• 5/8/13L set, 136 g: 5 L (28 x 16.5 cm), 8 L (32.5 x 19 cm) and 13 L (37.4 x 21.9 cm)

As a rough guide, a 3 L sack takes the toiletries and first aid, a 5 L the electronics and cables or a day's snacks, an 8 L a warm layer and beanie, and a 13 L a set of spare clothes or a stuffed synthetic jacket. The smaller set suits a lightweight hiking kit; the larger set suits a bigger pack, a travel bag or a family camping box.

Material and durability

The body is 75D multi-filament nylon mesh, which is snag-resistant and dries quickly. The throat at the top is 30D Ultra-Sil nylon, so the drawcord runs smoothly and the opening does not tear when you yank it closed. Two hypalon pull-tabs give you something solid to grip on the drawcord and the throat, and the stress points are double-stitched and reinforced.

Packing and carrying

Each sack has a round base with a nylon webbing handle, so it stands up on a tent floor and pulls cleanly out of the bottom of a pack. The colour-coded sleeves mean the toiletries are the small one and the clothes are the big one, every time, even by head torch.