Best Stuff Sacks of 2025

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Roll-Top Stuff Sack is a premium-quality storage solution designed for those prioritizing weight savings and durability. Made from Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF), it is incredibly lightweight while offering impressive strength and water resistance. The roll-top closure with a strong buckle keeps contents protected from moisture, making it an excellent choice for keeping extra layers dry on wet days.

From the winter peaks of Alaska’s Chugach to the backcountry of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, we’ve trusted the Hyperlite Roll-Top to keep precious items dry without fail. We’re big fans of Dyneema’s weight-to-strength ratio and resistance to moisture. While this bag is not marketed as a full immersion dry bag, it has enough weather resistance for most backcountry outings.

Because the Hyperlite Roll-Top is a high-quality piece of gear, its price point may induce some sticker shock. As with many Dyneema-based products, it comes at a higher cost than traditional nylon or polyester options. We think the investment is worth it for those committed to ultralight backpacking and needing reliable water resistance. However, budget-conscious hikers might find similar performance in other materials at a lower price point.

When it comes to outdoor gear, few items are as humble yet surprisingly effective as the classic Ziploc bag. While it wasn’t designed with rugged adventures in mind, this kitchen staple has earned its place in the packs of hikers, campers, and thru-hikers alike.

Ziploc bags are, for all practical purposes, cheap dry bags. Sure, they won’t survive full submersion for long, but they’ll keep your snacks, maps, and electronics safe from rain, spills, and the mysterious dampness that always seems to creep into a backpack. We use ours to keep our backcountry electronics safe and dry and the quart size fits a Kindle, power bank, and cell phone all together snugly. When it comes to weight and versatility, it’s hard to beat the Ziploc. 

Both the quart and gallon bags have their uses depending on the volume needed. We frequently use the gallon as our labeled food bag, with each day’s snacks and treats portioned into multiple quart bags. They even can double as the poor man’s vacuum sealer. Simply squeeze or suck out the air to make a tight and compact bundle.

However, durability is where Ziplocs fall short. They are not built for repeated abuse, and after a few days of rough handling, start to fall apart. They also can become hard to clean for repeated use. We usually get 3-4 uses out of ours before the zippers rip, the bag becomes too hard to clean, or they tear open at the corners (some folks duct tape their bags around the seams to extend their lifespan). But for the price point, and an item that almost any household has, it’s hard to beat this humble kitchen staple for the price and performance.

We love the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Stuff Pods because they’re waterproof and perfectly backpack-shaped for easy organization. We usually only bring one at a time on backpacking trips for items like mid-layers or even a sleeping bag. Putting one of these fully packed at the bottom of your backpack creates the perfect soft base for your other gear to sit on. It helps with organization and can help give your load more structure for a comfortable ride. 

We mostly use these for packing our insulating layers located farther down in our pack, and the shape fits snugly in our pack. While they are designed specifically for Hyperlite Mountain Gear packs, the half-round shape of the Pods is versatile enough to work with other packs as well.

While expensive, the Pod is the best packing cube-style bag in our lineup. The clamshell design makes it easy to find items, and the water-resistant zipper and waterproof Dyneema construction help keep items dry inside. Using a pod in our packs has upped our organization game, and now we find it hard to go on overnight trips without one. Regardless of what pack you use, the Pod is sure to keep your items organized and your load balanced for all your backpacking adventures.

The Osprey Ultralight Dry Sack is a simple storage solution for backpackers needing lightweight organization and weather resistance. Made from durable 40D ripstop nylon, it balances weight savings and durability well. The material feels thin but holds up well to regular use, making it a great option for keeping gear, clothes, or food neatly packed inside a backpack.

The Osprey Ultralight Stuff Sack is a frequent companion for winter hiking, where we need to keep spare layers dry and protected from the elements. One issue we have is that the roll top has a hard time staying closed, leading to moisture leaking in. This is especially evident in deep snow and heavy rain. The material itself is waterproof, but when packed full, the closure system is not as secure as others tested.

While the Ultralight’s unique rectangular shape is unique, it fits somewhat awkwardly in a pack when full. We prefer cylindrical stuff sacks, so this one gets used less when we really need to pack strategically. Despite this small shortcoming, Osprey has made a simple yet reliable bag for wet days in the backcountry.

The Ursack Major Bear Sack is a lightweight, flexible alternative to traditional bear canisters, making it a popular choice for backpackers looking to cut weight while still protecting their food. 

Made from a tough, tightly woven Spectra fabric, it resists tearing and prevents bears from easily accessing its contents. Unlike hard-shell canisters, their volume shrinks during the trip as you eat the food within, a major advantage for those trying to maximize pack efficiency.

One of its biggest strengths is its ease of use. Instead of finding space for a bulky canister, you can simply tie the Ursack to a tree or established bear hang (it comes with an integrated six-foot length of 2,500-pound tensile-strength cord). 

It’s also lighter than most bear canisters, making it ideal for long-distance hikers who count every ounce. The cinch system is easy to use and also prevents little critters from getting to your food.

The Ursack Major Bear Sack is a great choice for backpackers who want a lighter, more packable food storage solution. It’s not a perfect replacement for a canister in all situations, but it’s a solid investment for those looking to balance weight savings with protection.

The Sea to Summit Mesh Stuff Sack is the only one in our lineup to come as a set of three. This excellent value comes in three arrays of volumes: 3, 5, and 8 liters or 5, 8, and 13 liters. We love these bags for luggage organizing while traveling, and the three sizes is the perfect assortment for all our odds and ends.

The 75-denier multi-filament nylon mesh is impressively durable and despite having large openings in the mesh, never ripped or showed signs of wear. We used these bags for traveling cross country as luggage organizers and for clothes on backcountry trips. 

While they work well for stowing soft items like extra layers, they are not our top choice for protecting more delicate items like electronics. The mesh construction makes it easier to locate items inside, but lacks weather resistance and scratch and abrasion protection for items that need protection while stowed.

The Mesh Stuff Sack has a reinforced opening, rubber pull tabs, and a webbing handle on the bottom for durability and ease of use. Sea to Summit continues its proven record of quality and attention to detail with this stuff sack. 

While it might not be the top choice for someone looking for impact and weather resistance, it’s perfect for organizing items during travel or for keeping extra layers packed in a secure bundle.

The REI Lightweight Compression Stuff Sack is a solid choice for backpackers seeking to reduce their pack’s volume with an affordable compression bag. 

Made from durable ripstop nylon, it holds up well to regular use and perfectly balances weight and durability. However, don’t count on this bag to keep your items dry (it’s a compression sack, not a dry bag).

The compression system is easy to use, with four straps that cinch down effectively, reducing the bulk in your pack. It works well for compressing sleeping bags, clothing, or other soft gear. The straps feel sturdy and don’t slip, which helps maintain a compact load throughout a trip. We use the five-liter version for our summer sleeping bag, and it works perfectly to compress it into a compact bundle. However, it requires careful tensioning to avoid being packed into uneven shapes that fit awkwardly in our pack.

Overall, the REI Lightweight Compression Sack is a great option for those who want a functional, lightweight way to reduce pack volume. It’s durable for its weight, and we like the price point. For a classic, simple, and dependable bag, the Lightweight Compression is an excellent choice.

Hilltop Packs is a small cottage company that makes a ton of really cool stuff sacks, but we particularly love their food bags. These sacks have wide openings so you can easily see what’s inside, and the button closure can be more convenient than tying and untying knots to access contents inside.

One of the best things about the food bag is that you can get it custom-printed with whatever image/color scheme you like. Custom printed bags are not only fun but also handy for popular campsites where many food sacks are stored in the same place (such as a bear box). The custom print makes them stand out from the crowd.

The rectangular shape helps it fit more efficiently, and the seams are well-stitched and reinforced, giving it good durability. A hang loop at the top makes it easy to use with a bear-hang system. However, the bag isn’t completely odor—or smaller critter-proof. This is not a true bear bag, but it is still great for keeping your food organized and compact.

Overall, Hilltop Pack’s food bag is a unique option anyone from the thru-hiker to the weekender will appreciate.

True to its name, the REI Durable Stuff Sack is one of our lineup’s most heavy-duty and protective stuff sacks. Constructed with a 200-denier Oxford polyester and a polyurethane coating, it gives it unmatched abrasion resistance. 

We’ve used one of these bags for multiple years as a clothing bag while working on a backcountry trail crew in Alaska, and it has yet to show any signs of wearing through or slowing down. The REI Durable Stuff Sack is the perfect option if you’re looking for a bag that can be dragged through rocks, tied to four-wheelers, or stuffed in a pack with a chainsaw.

With a nonfluorinated durable water repellent, the Durable Stuff Sack beads light moisture but does not replace your dry bag. Double-stitched seams throughout add durability, and the bottom haul handle makes it easy to carry the bag around when loaded. It’s available in an array of sizes up to an astounding sixty liters, so there’s a size for everyone.

This stuff sack favors durability over weight and is one of the heaviest bags in our lineup, so we don’t recommend it for ultralight trips. It only comes in a utilitarian olive green, so if you like flashy colors, there may be a better option out there. Otherwise, if you’re looking for long-term heavy-duty function, look no further than the REI Durable Stuff Sack.