It's a waterproof stuffsac complete with an air-expulsion valve and it works remarkably well. How to tackle three problems at once...
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Mountain Equipment Pneumo
Stuffsac
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Price: £17.00 (15
litres)
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Weight: 171 granmes (15-litre
size)
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Features:
Waterproof, lightweight ripstop fabric, roll-over
drybag-type waterproof top closure with buckle fastener, air
valve for air expulsion. Available in 5, 10, 15, 25 and 50
litre sizes. Prices £13, £17, £20 and
£25 respectively.
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Vaccum stuffing for down and fleece.
Needs care fastening.
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The Concept Brought in from the States by Mountain Equipment,
the Pneumo is a waterproof stuffsac with a canoe dry bag-style
rollover top closure and a Therm-a-Rest type air expulsion valve so
excess air can be removed from the contents. The makers also say you
can inflate it and use as a float for river crossings and, though
they don't mention it, you can also use it as an inflatable pillow
when camping... Or even a comfy seat.
Features Pretty simple really, the Pneumo is a lightweight
drybag with the addition of the air valve. That valve's crucial as it
allows you to expel as much air as possible from the contents of the
sac, then close it up to keep everything compressed.
In Action Inititally put off by the Pneumo's vibrant orange
colour, which makes it look a bit like a maritime survival aid, it
sat around moping for several weeks. When we finally got round to
using it, we wondered why we hadn't tried it before.
Appropriately enough it's brilliant for packing down clothing and
sleeping bags. First, it's waterproof with what appear to be welded
seams and an airtight rollover top closure, so no more paranoid
layering of plastic bags inside stuff sacs, this will keep your bag
dry.
Next, it also functions as a stuff sac. First stuff the sleeping
bag or clothing into the sac, then with the valve open compress
further by folding down the rollover closure then, finally, sit or
lie on the sac until as much air as possible is expelled then close
the valve.
If you're dedicated enough, you can create a vacuum-packed effect
like one of those Hoover-activated storage bags off the shopping
channel., which is neat. It's also doubly effective because whereas
compressions sacs tend to produce strange, knobbly, cubic packages,
the Pneumo comes out as an easily packable, flattish, rectangular
block that's eminently rucksac friendly and takes up far less room
than a standard, non-compressed stuff sac.
We found the 15-litre test sac was ideal for a RAB - sorry ME -
Premier 900 'five-season' bag, but would also handle a much smaller
ME Lightline with ease. Down sides? You have to be careful with the
closure at the top when the sac is slightly over-filled, the shiny
interior surface means the sac isn't as easy to stuff as a fabric bag
and, in our experience, if you do go for ultimate vacuum-type
compression, a small amount of air will eventually leak in, though
not a significant problem. We figure it's down to creating a vacuum
and exerting pressure on the top seal.
Of course you could also use it a standard lightweight drybag or,
in the larger sizes, as a heavy duty rucksac liner.
A very neat idea that tackles two of the main headaches associated
with down sleeping bags head on and as a bonus covers a third as
well. It's waterproof, it compresses the contents by allowing you to
evacuate air from the contents and, as a bonus, it forms a flat,
packable shape.
It's heavier than a fabric sac, but then it's a lot more
versatile. We can think of occasions when a Pneumo would have been a
lifesaver, including an unscheduled dip in an Andean river that
turned a sleeping bag into porridge... Misery is wet down, believe
us.
The only reservations we have are that it can be a bit fiddly to
stuff and close, but hey, it's worth it in the end. Great idea for
backpackers and climbers.
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Pushed for time:
A very cunning waterproof stuff sac
based on a drybag design with an added Therm-a-Rest-type air
expulsion valve, which tackles two of the main headaches
associated with packing down sleeping bags head on and as a
bonus covers a third as well. It's waterproof, it compresses
the bag by allowing you to evacuate air from the contents
and, as a bonus, it forms a flat, packable
shape.
You can also use it
as a float, a pillow or a waterproof pack liner. A very neat
idea.
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