[url=https://liteaf.com]LiteAF[/url] is a new cottage outdoor company focusing on ultralight Dyneema (aka Cuben Fiber) products. We first started discussing them here on Seek Adventure [url=https://www.seekadventure.net/d/35-liteaf-ultralight-gear-open-today]here[/url], and currently, their products are limited, but it looks like they have some packs they are developing for the future. I was lucky enough to grab a Large Food Bag from the [url=https://liteaf.com]LiteAF Website[/url] in time for a trip I have starting this Sunday. Once I ordered I contacted LiteAF and let them know I was trying to take the gear out on a trip this coming weekend and they made sure to get it out in time and hook me up with some super fast shipping! Which is impressive because LiteAF is based out of New Jersey and I live out in Southern California. Here is how LiteAF advertises their Large Flat Bottom Food bag: [quote] Purpose - Our food bag kit has everything you will need to keep your food out of harms way. The 19.6-liter waterproof roll top food bag has enough room for 5 to 6 days of food. [/quote] LiteAF also advertises the weight as 1.9 ounces. So, of course, the first thing I did was put it on my scale and check: [img]https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-wgqxCpC/1/a92c5819/X3/i-wgqxCpC-X3.jpg[/img] My scale had it weighing it a nice ultralight weight of 1.62 ounces just under what LiteAF advertised, so that is a great start! My first reaction when I opened the Large Food Bag was "Damn this thing is huge" and I guess the dimensions they advertised on their website just didn't sink in when I was ordering. They were not kidding this thing can hold a good 5-6 days of food! [img]https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-bZGv6zR/0/fffc75fd/X3/i-bZGv6zR-X3.jpg[/img] [img]https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-PGndFHC/0/5d8c83b2/X3/i-PGndFHC-X3.jpg[/img] The entire top of the roll top has a thin piece of velcro allowing it to be closed tightly and despite being thin it is nice and strong: [img]https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-HpxsnBc/0/909af092/X3/i-HpxsnBc-X3.jpg[/img] At first, the velcro was strong that it was kind of a pain to open up just because the bag is so light itself, I was afraid I would break things trying to open it. But then I noticed two tab-like pieces in the center at the top. I am not 100% sure what these are for, but I grab one with each hand and voila, super easy to undo the velcro when pulling from these two tabs: [img]https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-wk4CLNZ/0/91c19ca9/X3/i-wk4CLNZ-X3.jpg[/img] I haven't taken the Food Bag out into the wild yet, but what I like about it so far is how wide it is. I have used some smaller stuff sack type things in the past to hold my food, and it was a pain searching through and picking out my food. The wideness of this food bag stuff sack thing makes it super easy to dig around and pull out the exact food item you are looking for. I stuffed a few food items in it to show you how this bag just eats up items you place in it, but its wide enough to see everything: [img]https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-KTMMv39/0/dda4f437/X3/i-KTMMv39-X3.jpg[/img] Once the bag is full of your food, it easily rolls down and clips together nicely. No food is going to be falling out of this bag once you roll it down and shut it, overall I am very pleased with my purchase. [img]https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-nfr9vvR/0/43862300/X3/i-nfr9vvR-X3.jpg[/img] [img]https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-rZqxMWV/0/693db20a/X3/i-rZqxMWV-X3.jpg[/img] The price seemed pretty good for a Dyneema bag this light and this large, and on final inspection, the craftsmanship was pretty good but not perfect. I will chalk it up to being one of their first run items, but the stitching on one end was not perfectly straight and even: [img]https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-QFMQdz5/0/35586ebc/X3/i-QFMQdz5-X3.jpg[/img] You can see in the above picture where the stitching looks pretty good on the left side nice and parallel, and then just to the left of the pull tab it starts going wide. I don't think this will affect the use of the bag, but its still nce to have perfect stiching when paying for a nice item such as a Dyneema bag. Other than the very very minor cosmetic issue, I am happy with the purchase and can not wait to let you all know how it survives its first trip next week! [img]https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-7MmvTVX/0/fbbb866b/X3/i-7MmvTVX-X3.jpg[/img]

First Impressions: LiteAF Large Flat Bottom Food bag

LiteAF

Thank you so much for the thorough review. We are glad you like it and hope to see some great pictures of your upcoming adventures!

Thanks,
Chris
LiteAF

CaliHiker

LiteAF That Food bag looks great that Mike ordered, I should be checking out and purchasing some of your gear now that someone out there "Tested the waters" and it looked like you passed!

Any news or insight you can share with use about the packs you guys are working on?

LiteAF

CaliHiker hi, we are currently working on several designs made of 2.98 Dyneema and also 5.0 Dyneema. We plan on testing four pack designs next year on a thru hike of the Appalachian trail. When we finish our thru hike/gear testing we will then begin making and selling packs! I think a thru hike of 2200 miles is the best way to test a pack!

I will be releasing a 30 liter all black 5.0 oz Dyneema pack this weekend on all social media networks.

Thanks,
Chris
LiteAF

MikeJones

So I got back from my first trip on the Trans Catalina Trail with the LiteAF Food Bag and it was an awesome way to store and easily access my food at the end of a long day of hiking.

On this particular trip, I did not have to worry about hanging the food bag because there were food lockers at almost all the campsites.

Our last campsite did not have a food storage locker and we just hung our food bags next to a pole. Either a bird or a squirrel of some sort got into my girlfriend's food bag. I have no scientific proof but I like to think the animal didn't like the Dyneema fibers on my LIteAF food bag ;-)

MikeJones

LiteAF also just announced they released a green version of their Dyneema food bag if you are not into their blue one.

LiteAF

MikeJones I’m glad you enjoyed the food bag on you last hike! Looks great and we are really enjoying your pictures.

Thanks,
Chris
LiteAF

MikeJones

LiteAF it honestly was the best piece of gear that I never knew I needed. Can't wait to use it on more trips in the future!

Also can't wait to see your packs! Impressed you are going to do that much testing with them!

weneed_mobrown

Hey, I'm looking into options for food storage on backpacking trips. What are your thoughts on this bad holding up against squirrels? Thanks!

MikeJones

weneed_mobrown I think the bag will do great, but I would probably still hang it!

Sorry I took a bit to respond was on a kayaking trip for a couple days.

MikeJones

@LiteAF do you seam seal or seam tape these bags?

I just came back from a Kayaking trip On Catalina Island and had your food bag with all my food in it sitting in the bow storage in my kayak. Long story short your food bag got tested sitting in a puddle of water in the Kayak for a few hours and everything was bone dry when I got to camp! Great job on the stitch work!

LiteAF

MikeJones That’s great to hear! We use Dyneema seam tape on our seams.