There is nothing more frustrating than flying economy class on a plane to save money, and being promptly turned away because your sleeping bag is too big! (True Story!) Anyhow, I am quite sure at least a few of you have had this experience. Although it’s funny to imagine some crotchety old fool like me arguing with an airline attendant, about how my sleeping bag keeps me warm, and MUST come along on my trip with me – it really wasn’t funny at the time. Soon you will realize the importance of compression sacks for travel away from home.
I was heading out to British Columbia, Canada for a fishing trip in the middle of nowhere, had all of my gear packed up: fishing pole, tackle, clothing of all sorts, some liquor for me and my friends, and my sleeping bag – the “black sheep” of my travel equipment. The attendant promptly told me I would have to upgrade my flight package to business ($75 more), or find some way to condense my “massive” sleeping bag.
After some arguing with ‘said’ attendant, a young lad that stood behind me suggested that he used compression sacks for travel on planes. “Compression sacks for travel?” I asked him. “Yeah, they make your sleeping bags, clothes, etc way smaller.” he told me “You can buy them in the gift store beside the lounge.” he said, and pointed to “Back-Pack Beyond”, a quaint looking little store not far from us.
Compression sacks for travel in areas like I was going, is a must, I later learned. But anyhow, I went to “Back-Pack Beyond” and bought a compression sack, compressed my sleeping bag into it, and away I went to British Columbia. I wish I had got that young fellas name…
