Bushwalk Australia

Sea to Summit 22ltr Ultra Sil Dry Daypack $50AUD (approx) - THE ULTIMATE SIDE TRIP PACK

One of my favourite pieces of gear. I am onto my 2nd one. First one I bought about 3 years ago, used it almost daily - as a hiking day pack, a travelling day pack and also my daily 'handbag'.

First one lasted about 1 year before the seams started to de-laminate but I still never found that water got into it. I was pretty rough with it and after about 2 years it began to develop a hole (under the shoulder strap that I always used to pick it up by - always the same side - a bad habit I suppose).

Here's why, in my op. it's genius and is the ultimate 'side-trip pack':

1) it can carry 22L but when empty folds up to a soft drink can size - so when not-in-use it can be stuffed into a small space in your main pack (it does come with it's own little stuff sack too);
2) it weighs only 90gm but can carry about 7kg comfortably - the shoulder straps are not padded, but they are wide - and thus distribute the weight inside the bag pretty well;
3) and finally, of course, it's waterproof - sometimes when I was worried it was really gonna soak thru I would chuck everything inside a 20ltr dry bag and then pack that but I never noticed any soaking thru.
4) I never noticed it to develop any odour even though my armpit sweat would've drained litres onto that poor bag over the course of 3 years.

Hence I have now bought a replacement one after the first one 'died'. At $50 I think it's a real steal. I'd probably pay twice that.

Nice one Suz. How have you found the waterproofing on the ultrasil of your original bag held up?

I have a few S2S Ultrasil drybags, and have found my older ones aren't as air/water tight as they used to be.

I bought a couple of the smaller 20l S2S packable day packs (http://www.seatosummit.com.au/products/ ... ef=outdoor) and for waterproofing I usually use one of my 13L ultrasil drysacs inside (65g for the daypack and 40g for the drysack so a little heavier than the ultrasil dry daypack). I find the zip a bit easier to access things like a water bottle or jacket. Everything else goes inside the drybag inside the day pack. And if I am not expecting wet weather, I just take the daypack. I've found it to be a great carry on "handbag" when traveling with my main backpack. I used it as a great supermarket bag on travels in Europe as well.

Only my worry about how the waterproofness of the ultrasil dry daypack would hold up kept me from getting it instead of my second ultrasil daypack.

They are great and agree with the comments and take mine on most long walks and when travelling. I have the 20 litre non-drybag one (70g) where the waterprooofing is starting to fail on the fabric after several years but a plastic bag solves that. I have eyed off the dry bag one but until the other disintegrates I don't have to decide which to buy as a replacement. Overall I think the zip closure is more practical compared to the roll top version for shopping and general travel.

I also have a 20L zipper version and have found it very handy. I thought I might leave it in the glovebox of my car but it ends up thrown in the suitcase or larger backpack quite often.
I can stuff 2 people's worth of coats, beanies and scarves for the footy and not worry about the contents getting wet from splashed beer cups on the ground.
As a summer pack, I don't like it as much because you do get very sweaty and the black bits get super hot in the sun. The strap adjusters also don't hold too well on mine so I ended up tying them off. Probably should have chosen a different knot because now I don't think I can get it undone! (well, easily, anyway). I should actually pick up one or two more in different colours, because despite the small flaws, they are very useful and versatile. The small pack size means I just throw it in and use it if and when needed.

I have the 20l zipper one as well - used it constantly for a daypack for bushwalking and travelling.

it makes a great handwashing 'tub' when travelling. Stuff in your jocks, socks and t-shirt with some shampoo, knead vigorously, rinse and repeat. The material doesn't get wet so just turn inside out and let dry.

My only complaint is that the strap buckle has lost grip which makes it time for a new one I suppose.... that waterproof one with the bungee cord looks the ticket...

keithy wrote:Nice one Suz. How have you found the waterproofing on the ultrasil of your original bag held up?

Maintained waterproofness well for me considering the abuse i gave it - never had any probs but if the weather looks inclement I do take along my S2S airstream dry sack pump (wt 48gm) as a 'liner' dry sac bag. I thought it performed much better in the waterproofness dept than say, my rain jacket n pants. I certainly don't expect something that lightweight to last forever tho.

Mark F wrote:Overall I think the zip closure is more practical compared to the roll top version for shopping and general travel.

You get used to the roll top really fast. You only have to fold it over 4 times if you want waterproofness. If its sunny out and you just wanna close the bag, just roll once or twice. s'pretty fast.

Ok. I picked up one of the roll top S2S packable daypacks on my way home - I might not have if I hadn't seen your post Suz! Although I think this is more due to my low impulse buying control, and also probably a good idea not to walk into gear shops after having a few bevvies...


It's noticeably taller than the my old zippered 20L version when compressed, but still smaller than a 375ml can. I could never get my zippered one down as small as it was when just bought, so I assume the dry one will end up bigger when I stuff it back in.

I'm traveling for a couple of weeks soon, and I'll give it a whirl as my carry-on bag (should fit my 10" laptop sleeve as well) and I'll see how it goes. I might get sick of the rolltop and go back to to the zip version.

I've had the zippered 20lt version for a few years and think it's great. The only small niggle is the lack of an inside pocket or two to keep stuff organised and saving the hunt for keys, wallet, notebook etc. I take it there are no pockets in the new version?

Keithy, I'll be interested to hear how you feel the dry one is in comparison to the zippered one.

No Lindsay, no pockets in the new one either.

There is ONE pocket inside, but it isn't very big. It is the bag it all gets stuffed into... [edit]As Keithy mentioned below, the stuff sack itself[/edit]

Been eyeing one of these for a long time now but kind of worried how the material would wear with items with hard sharper edges eg. Keys, cable plugs, camera lenses or even books. Great for soft clothing obviously.

GPSGuided wrote:Been eyeing one of these for a long time now but kind of worried how the material would wear with items with hard sharper edges eg. Keys, cable plugs, camera lenses or even books. Great for soft clothing obviously.

No problem with my zippered version so far (I bought mine in 2011 and it's been used for quite a few trips).

What I do with keys is to put them inside the stuff sack (which is sown to the inside to the bag) and cinch it up. It keeps my keys from falling to the bottom of the bag. There's the button stud closure loop on the stuff sack that you can attach a key ring to as well to stop keys from disappearing into the bag.

I've used mine for carrying groceries on overseas travels where you had to bring your own bag to their supermarkets, and it's had its fair share of pointy objects.

How would these packs cope if hinking through thick scrub?

robbieb - there is no internal pocket on the dry bag one - stuff sack comes separate.

mickyb + gps - personally i find the bag copes pretty well with sharp edges from the inside or out. maybe read reviews on cordura in general to make your assessment on the toughness of the material. I mean, i know it won't last forever like heavy canvas but for the weight, i think the durability is pretty optimal.

Suz wrote:robbieb - there is no internal pocket on the dry bag one - stuff sack comes separate.

Good to know, Suz, cheers

Ok, I'm in with the no-dry version for around $24. Thanks for all the discussions.

Isn't it just Murphy's Law.

Only a few weeks ago I said that my zipper version of the Sea to Summit Ultra sil Daypack had survived many years of travel service and had many pointy objects inside without issue.

Then this week I open it up and notice a hole poked through the back....


Not too big, and I've patched it with some McNett tenacious tape. I probably jinxed myself by saying it out loud...

Oops, bummer!

Suz wrote:Keithy, I'll be interested to hear how you feel the dry one is in comparison to the zippered one..

Just thought I'd pop back in to give a comparison between the "Dry" roll top one vs the zippered one:

From my earlier pic, the dry one folds up larger than the zippered one.

This is a pic of them both filled up (with inflated drybags inside):



The dry version is larger - even with the roll top rolled four times like it is in the pic above.

It fit my 11" laptop as a airline carry-on with other bits and bobs inside. My laptop also fits in the zippered version, but it was roomier in the roll top one.

I also liked the external attachment compression cinching laced system. I used it to hold a jumper when I wasn't wearing it.

Getting things in and out of the bag was a bit more difficult than with the zippered system but it is only a small pack, so not a great disadvantage.

Suz - did you know there is a press stud button on the inside of the bag that you can use with the press stud on the storage bag to clip the draw string storage bag to the inside of thedaypack? I only discovered this when trying to find somewhere to secure the drawstring bag to the pack. I thought this was a neat design idea so you don't lose the storage bag.

Overall, I like the "Dry" roll top version, not quite as much as the zippered version, but mainly because I can put the zippered version compresses smaller and I can carry it in my pocket easier than the Dry version when not in use.

You can see how much smaller the zippered version compresses down to:

Nice review Keithy. And no i didn't notice the stud on the inside of the pack. thanks