Sea to Summit eVent - Review 2023

Overview:

The Sea to Summit eVent Compression Dry Sack is everything a dry compression sack should be--lightweight, waterproof, and easily compresses to a third of its volume.

While other companies have copied the design of this compression sack (valve-less, with an air permeable, waterproof base), what further sets the eVent apart from the rest of its competition is its consistently exceptional build quality.

Its waterproof exterior makes it ideal for almost all kinds of outdoor adventures. Whether you’re paddling down a river in Southeast Asia, or backpacking in the Austrian Alps, it’ll keep your compressed sleeping bag, backpacking pillows, tent, and spare clothes dry.

With its air permeable eVent® fabric, stuffing the eVent with your compressible gear is a cinch, especially once you’ve gotten the hang of it.

All that being said, while it has reinforced stitching and fully taped seams, it’s not as durable as compression sacks made with more robust but heavier ripstop nylon. Moreover, it doesn’t have additional D-rings or carry straps, and only comes in one color.

Features:

The Sea to Summit eVent Compression Dry Sack is a favorite among compression dry sacks. Made with waterproof, polyurethane-coated 70D nylon fabric, it’s as serviceable a dry bag as any of the lightweight dry bags in Sea to Summit’s product line.

The compression sack’s base is made with proprietary eVent® fabric, which effectively purges out air and keeps water out.

Like a dry bag, the eVent compression sack has a roll-top closure. It is also equipped with a lid and four compression straps, which allows for further compression (a third of the compression sack’s volume, to be exact).

While its 70D nylon exterior isn’t as thick as other dry bag exteriors (which we’ll get into later), the eVent Compression has fully taped, double-stitched seams, as well as reinforced stitching on all of its stress points, ensuring its longevity.

The compression sack also comes with an easy to use field repair buckle in the off chance that one of its buckles breaks.

While the eVent compression sack doesn’t have any extra internal compartments and only comes in one color per size, it does come in a variety of sizes to accommodate a wide variety of sleeping bags (and other compressible gear).

Ease of Use:

The eVent Compression Dry Sack’s ease of use is one of the things that make it stand out.

Since the highly breathable eVent® fabric at its base already releases air from within the compression sack, you don’t have to go through the hassle of making sure no air gets in while you’re stuffing the sack with your sleeping bag or Sea-to-Summit Telos tent. Push your compressible gear inside the compression sack, keep on applying pressure until there’s no more air escaping from the bag, seal the bag (fold the top of the bag three times and clip it, as you would with a dry bag), and then use the lid and the four compression straps to secure your gear and compress it further.

Once you get the hang of it, this shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes!

While it may seem convenient, it’s important to remember that you shouldn’t keep your gear compressed in any compression sack for a long time, as this can damage your gear. Compression sacks aren’t supposed to be used as storage bags.

Durability:

For the most part, the eVent Compression Dry Sack’s durability is top-notch. Its reinforced stitching and fully taped seams make it among the best compression sacks on the market in terms of durability. Nothing seems loose, and the stitching on the compression straps (as well as the compression straps themselves) all feel very solid. If you tend to go on extended backpacking trips, it also helps that the compression dry bag comes with a field repair buckle.

With proper care (as in, as long as you don’t overstuff it or deliberately put sharp objects in it), the compression sack should last for a very long time, even with extensive use.

That being said, the eVent Compression, with its lightweight 70D nylon fabric, just isn’t as tear-resistant as other compression dry bags that are made with thicker material, such as 210D nylon or ripstop nylon. You’ll have to decide what is more important, a lightweight sack that you need to take some care with or a more durable heavier sack. Moreover, the eVent® fabric at its base is a thinner, more breathable fabric than the 70D nylon the compression dry bag is mostly made of.

Waterproofing:

While Sea to Summit does not recommend full submersion, the eVent Compression Dry Sack’s 70D nylon fabric surprisingly does an excellent job at keeping your compressible gear dry even when fully submerged. As long as it’s completely sealed, you shouldn’t have any problems even when you’re hiking through torrential downpours or kayaking through rough waters.

You can rest assured that your gear will stay dry inside the eVent Compression. If you really need that extra insurance, it’s not a bad idea to wrap your gear in a heavy-duty plastic bag before stuffing it in the compression sack.

Portability and Usability:

As of this writing, the eVent Compression Dry Sack comes in five sizes. The extra-small model is great for spare clothes and waterproof ponchos, while its larger iterations are great for sleeping bags such as the long version of the Sea to Summit Ascent Ac1. At 3.7 (XS) ounces to 7.4 ounces (XL), the eVent compression sack is light enough that you won’t feel the added weight when you’re lugging around your compressed sleeping bag or puffer jacket along with all your other gear.

That being said, while its weight and compactness make it extremely portable, the eVent compression dry bag does have its limits.

As mentioned above, the eVent Compression Dry Sack doesn’t have any extra carrying straps apart from the rather thin pull handle at its base. While the pull handle can be used for carrying the dry bag by hand or lashing the compression sack to another bag or watercraft, it doesn’t feel thick enough to withstand constant stress. Since it compresses it can easily fit inside another bag or you’ll have to get some extra straps to lash it to your backpack or bike.

While the eVent Compression comes in multiple sizes, it only comes in one colorway, which can be an issue if you like to color-code your compressible gear (this can be easily remedied with a marker or some colored tape, however).

Value:

Sea to Summit has established a reputation for manufacturing high-quality outdoor gear, and the eVent Compression Dry Sack is a testament to this. At around $34.95 to $54.95, it’s among the pricier compression dry bags out there, but there’s no denying its stellar build quality.

Moreover, its waterproof exterior coupled with its innovative eVent® fabric base allows it to excel in the category of waterproof compression bags.

Simply put, you get what you pay for with the eVent Compression Dry Sack. If you’re looking for a versatile and durable compression dry bag for camping, kayaking, rainforest or waterfall hikes or really any wet adventures, then it’s hard to find anything better for the money.

Conclusion:

While it lacks certain features, such as additional carry straps and additional colorways, the eVent Compression Dry Sack is a great choice if you value versatility and build quality above all–regardless if you’re a beginner or a seasoned outdoor enthusiast.

Sure, there are cheaper alternatives out there that sport a similar design, but nothing beats the original if you want a reliable dry compression sack.