View Full Version : Are pack covers useless?
Sassafras Lass
08-11-2010, 16:19
Been hearing many different takes on this subject - what are your thoughts?
DH and I are getting a Packa for our AT thru next spring, and will be lining our Atmos 65 and Aura 50 packs with liners/garbage bags/whatever is durable and lightweight to help offset accidents - but have been wondering if it would be sensible to get a good pack cover in the instance that it's pouring rain, we stop for lunch, and I want to stay covered in the Packa.
Thoughts?
HiKen2011
08-11-2010, 16:22
Are pack covers useless????????????? No!
MattBuck30
08-11-2010, 16:38
Pack covers help some. They do not keep everything completely dry, but they do keep everything from getting completely soaked.
couscous
08-11-2010, 16:38
Pack covers are like stoves .. some consider them mandatory .. some never carry them. I never carry one and just put a trash bag over my pack when I take it off.
I don't know when you hike, but I often go in the fall -- hunting season. I have a flame orange pack cover that I wouldn't leave home without. I also use a trash compactor bag and water repellant stuff sacks, but maybe I'm water phobic. Still, my flame orange pack cover is one of my most valuable hiking items.
Llama Legs
08-11-2010, 16:41
I use a BRIGHT orange sil-nylon pack cover when I'm around hunters. Otherwise, no.
garlic08
08-11-2010, 16:53
I don't use one anymore, just a trash compactor bag liner. Some hikers use a cover to keep the pack dry(er) so the pack itself doesn't get waterlogged and heavy. My pack is made of silnylon and doesn't absorb any water to speak of, so I don't notice that effect.
kayak karl
08-11-2010, 17:00
i had to read it 5 times. if you keep thinking like this you will be carrying extra hiking poles. the packa is great. if it looks like a bad rain day put your lunch in your packa pocket. if you must take off your pack put it on a rock a stand over it.
when it rained that bad i just kept moving. it funny how rain days give you more energy.
packa or pack cover, not both.
I think the weight is negligible when you consider just how much more heavier your pack will become after it's rained for about an hour.
I bought one. Used it. Realized it was damn near useless. It'll keep the pack dry just as long as the rain isn't really bad enough to worry about using it and won't be terribly effective in a heavy all day downpour. The last time I was out in a heavy rain I had it with me and didn't even bother putting it on.
The caveat to this is I keep things that absolutely have to stay dry in dry sacks within the pack so it's not a big deal for the pack to be soaked.
No, they add one more layer to your protection and keep your pack from absorbing water and becoming heavier.
Danielsen
08-11-2010, 17:09
I'd recommend seeing how your pack's material responds to heavy rain, simulated with a garden hose. My Granite Gear pack is made of a tough cordura that doesn't absorb any moisture, even under heavy rain. It just beads off. You have to put it in a puddle for a minute or two for any water to get in. I never needed or wanted a pack cover during a month of lugging it around the andes during the rainy season.
My minimalist stripped-down walmart pack that I'd use for an AT thru, on the other hand, is made of some sort of gridstop nylon that will let water pass and be absorbed. I've always just used a trash bag on the outside of the pack, though.
I would suggest that if you are going to use one, make sure it fits your pack properly and also make sure it has a drain hole in the bottom of it. In heavy rains the water will get in (unless wearing the packa or a poncho to keep water completely out) and then it will pool in the bottom of the rain cover.
Like others have said, a pack cover won't keep your pack completely dry but it works pretty well in a drizzle or when a rain cloud blows over.
The thing I like about a pack cover is that after it rains and the ground is all wet and muddy I can take my pack off and lay it on its back without the pack itself (and all the stuff I have stuffed on the outside of the pack) getting muddy and dirty.
flemdawg1
08-11-2010, 17:20
I just keep a track bag in my pack to protect whatever I dont want wet + water resistant/proof stuffsacks.
kayak karl
08-11-2010, 17:49
I think the weight is negligible when you consider just how much more heavier your pack will become after it's rained for about an hour.
they already have a packa. should they ditch that and take a pack cover instead?
Mountain Wildman
08-11-2010, 17:59
The Packa is a good choice since it completely covers you and the pack, If you want to keep your pack dry while resting or having lunch, A trash bag would be lighter than a pack cover and will cover the whole pack and suspension so it is dry when you put it back on, Pack covers just protect the pack body and not the waistbelt etc...
Wise Old Owl
08-11-2010, 18:14
Never used one, some swear by it... A small gallon trashbag inside was nice and a sill nylon wet bag for the sleep bag for dry compression. I think its a few ounces short of a full pack cover.
The ONE time I used one, IT got all of my gear at the bottom of the pack (read MY SLEEPING BAG) Soaked due to a build up / puddle in the bottom of the cover. Similar T-storm the day before when I didn't use it & stuff was dry. SO, everything is now in plastic bags, or as I call them "Internal pack covers". Everything stays dry now, & the "used ONE time" pack cover is forever retired.
By one time, I do mean ONE time on ONE trip, it was on for about 2 hrs. S base of Blood to the Yi.
As others have said, a pack cover will keep the back (which most folks call the "front", even though it faces the direction you came from) dry (if it's in perfect condition - watch campfire sparks - I know from experience). Rain will still run down your back and soak the suspension and the pack fabric facing your back. I once carried a pack cover as well as a poncho and was glad I did because I was too warm in the poncho, so I just got wet and changed when I got into camp. My silnylon pack absorbs water and doesn't have a top lid, so I use both a pack cover (because there's a big hole in the top of my pack) and a couple of kitchen garbage bags ( I carry a spare, just in case - it is still be lighter than a stuffsack).
Wise Old Owl
08-11-2010, 18:38
Ouch - there still some use in it left Doctari -- Have you considered it as a good shower cap?:-?
Portable bucket?
Rocketman
08-11-2010, 18:40
The ONE time I used one, IT got all of my gear at the bottom of the pack (read MY SLEEPING BAG) Soaked due to a build up / puddle in the bottom of the cover. Similar T-storm the day before when I didn't use it & stuff was dry. SO, everything is now in plastic bags, or as I call them "Internal pack covers". Everything stays dry now, & the "used ONE time" pack cover is forever retired.
By one time, I do mean ONE time on ONE trip, it was on for about 2 hrs. S base of Blood to the Yi.
I had read similar stories, and had looked at some of the "elastic band" or "shower cap" pack covers as prone to end up holding water.
The Equinox pack cover I acquired was for an external pack, and it didn't have elastic and it didn't have a bottom to trap water.
I have used it with an internal frame pack with no wet packs, but I have been lucky/unlucky in not actually being tested with torrential downpours.
There are quite a few really bad designs out there that appear designed for the convenience of the manufacturers taking your money.
Tinker said:
"I once carried a pack cover as well as a poncho and was glad I did because I was too warm in the poncho, so I just got wet and changed when I got into camp."
I bought a Packa at Trail Days this year and used that for maybe 800 miles of my thru-hike this year (Pennsylvania to Katahdin). I very rarely used the jacket part, as it was generally so warm in June and July that a person didn't want rain gear on when it was raining, but I appreciated having it as a pack cover.
On trails where rain is more scarce, I like the "bag liner only" approach. On the AT I found that I appreciated having a pack cover of some sort; I used a friends cast off pack cover when he got himself a new one, and then used the Packa. In fact, I quickly decided this year that with a pack cover I didn't need to bother with a pack liner, as most of my stuff that I care about is somewhat water proof (call it "water resistant") in the pack, so combined with the pack cover or packa, my stuff inside was always dry.
I think it really depends on conditions, but for the AT I like a pack cover. For the PCT I wouldn't accept the weight hit, too seldom would it be deployed, unless maybe section hiking WA state. For the CDT --- I'm currently thinking I'll start out with the Packa and see how it goes. Friends who did it last year told me they got a lot of rain in Colorado.
Bags4266
08-11-2010, 21:25
Yea I'm a big fan of that blaze orange pack cover from Cabela's in the fall.
Rain Man
08-11-2010, 22:30
Hike Your Own Hike, but for me pack covers are useless, unless it's hunting season and they are blaze orange.
I use a trash compactor bag in my pack to keep things far dryer than a pack cover every could. Also, I waterproof my silnylon pack, so it doesn't absorb any water to speak of, certainly no more than it would with a pack cover.
Just my two cents, but note my trail name. :D
One caveat, and that's if you can make your pack cover multi-functional.
Rain:sunMan
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Anumber1
08-12-2010, 00:40
I use a thick garbage can bag with a big rubber band around it and my pack does not get wet other than the straps in front. Otherwise the outside pocket fills with water.
This garbage bag also doubles as a tent footprint.
with a packa the only extra protection I would consider is a light weight garbage bag or turkey roaster bag, can be used inside or outside the pack for hanging on cables etc. or for hauling out garbage from a trashy campsite/shelter - on a day of hard rain I will always try for a shelter for any long break/lunch
GeneralLee10
08-12-2010, 07:58
To me a pack cover is trash. Just use a trash bag or buy a good liner. If you do buy a pack liner DONOT buy the Sea to Summit one. I had it, and the PVC material inside of it started to peel off after 3 months or so this year.
Listen if you REALLY want to hike the AT end to end in one season. You have to accept the fact you & your gear WILL get wet. I sweat so much that it went through the pack onto my stuff sacks/gear. NO rain jacket will keep you dry or some pack cover. You will get so hot with it on that you will sweat. Once you get Gore-Tex soaked with your dirty oily body it no longer works. The only thing rain gear will be useful for is in a Cold windy rain to help keep ya warm.
If you want to know about the Packa, I think you can go look at another members vids he just posted. He gave some what of a review on it in the vid.
dcmidnight
08-12-2010, 08:45
I havent used one for the past 10 years and just used a garbage bag if needed. But the new pack I just bought (Osprey Kestrel) has it built in so I will use it if needed. It seems to be well constructed and its IMO a good design.
double d
08-12-2010, 08:54
I just use a large Campmor poncho to protect myself during rain, but as Rain Man says, hike your own hike, what works for you might not work for me.
One caveat, and that's if you can make your pack cover multi-functional.
Rain:sunMan
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This one is multi functional:)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/New%20Website/th_034Gear.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/New%20Website/?action=view¤t=034Gear.jpg)
Raul Perez
08-12-2010, 11:13
based on your first post:
You can do 2 things with a Packa when it's raining:
1) place your tarp in the pocket of the packa while you are hiking and if you want to take a break set up your tarp and then take off the packa
2) hike to a shelter and take off your packa to rest
both were annoying to me. I also didnt like to have the 12.4oz for total rain top/cover. I ended up going with a cuben pack cover for 0.8oz, AGG rain jacket for 4.6oz and an oven bag large for 0.4oz.
I was sweating to death in the packa and the moisture from my body transferred to the pack area and created condensation in there to the point my pack was wet.
I'm a sweater so it wasnt working out for me and the whole taking it off and on in the rain was a little annoying to me as well.
I just accepted I'm going to get wet no matter what so I wanted a lighter version of what I had.
ChinMusic
08-12-2010, 11:27
My feelings on pack covers are mixed. I keep all my stuff that HAS to stay dry in dry-bags. I do NOT depend on the pack cover to keep my down bag (for example) dry.
1. Under dry conditions the pack cover adds to your pack weight and is a net negative.
2. Under sporadic rains (brief episodes) they help keep your pack from getting soaked and decrease your pack weight making them a net positive.
3. Under constant rains (light OR heavy) they do little to keep your pack dry and are a net negative to your pack weight.
Noah Genda
08-12-2010, 13:48
Pack covers fall under the general premise that "it's better to have one and not need it, than to need one and not have it." They might be considered generally useless 95% of the time, but I always pack it, and don't stress out when it rains...my stuff's not getting wet!
based on your first post:
You can do 2 things with a Packa when it's raining:
1) place your tarp in the pocket of the packa while you are hiking and if you want to take a break set up your tarp and then take off the packa
2) hike to a shelter and take off your packa to rest
both were annoying to me. I also didnt like to have the 12.4oz for total rain top/cover. I ended up going with a cuben pack cover for 0.8oz, AGG rain jacket for 4.6oz and an oven bag large for 0.4oz.
I was sweating to death in the packa and the moisture from my body transferred to the pack area and created condensation in there to the point my pack was wet.
I'm a sweater so it wasnt working out for me and the whole taking it off and on in the rain was a little annoying to me as well.
I just accepted I'm going to get wet no matter what so I wanted a lighter version of what I had.
The pit zips didn't work? Do you think the Packa could replace a regular rain jacket for winter use?
Raul Perez
08-12-2010, 14:27
pitzips didnt help much for me. I even zipped the front down half way and was still sweating to death.
Winter use... I'm not sure I havent used it during that time period. I have heard some that have and had good results.
Sassafras Lass
08-12-2010, 15:01
Thanks everyone. I know there will be times when I will get wet regardless of my duds and efforts - when you live in the woods it's inevitable. I've never had to hike in rain before so I'm just trying to make a smart decision.
Plastic trash bag works great. They make those big black ones such that you can put lumber and glass and whatnot in them. They're very sturdy. Poke a couple holes for the straps and you're good to go. It rustles and makes a horrible racket, though.
I think the packa is awesome and I wish I had one.
Don't know if it has been mentioned, but if you can find thick white bags of the trash compactor type they are better for visibility inside the pack.
Franco
"pitzips didnt help much for me. I even zipped the front down half way and was still sweating to death."
It seems likely to me that if the jacket part of the Packa was too warm to wear in those conditions, that any other rain jacket would have been too. I agree about the weight --- wish it were lighter; part of that is that the jacket part is made intentionally large to facilitate better ventilation.
BTW, that AGG (Anti-Gravity Gear) jacket is an interesting option that I hadn't been aware of. But despite the weight, the Packa does have some advantages, at least in some conditions.
The fact that the Packa jacket sits outside of the pack shoulder straps and waist belt means that the venting can work in a way that a normal jacket's venting won't work --- the latter being constrained by the pack straps. While I've used the jacket part very little (in likely the the same conditions you're describing I opted to not wear the jacket), I had at least one time when I was sort of "partially" wearing the jacket in the rain (arms through the large pit zips, sleeves dangling, hood over my head) where I know that I would have been too warm in any other rain jacket.
There are always trade-offs, but I'm glad to have the Packa as I know that where I live (the Pacific NW) I'll certainly run into a lot of situations where the Packa is a very good option. I used to favor a poncho, on the theory that in some cases it could serve not just double but triple duty --- if used as a shelter as well. But in practice I rarely found myself doing that, I more typically end up wanting a dedicated shelter of some sort.
A Packa and a pack liner(trash compactor/turkey basting bag should do a good job of generally keeping your gear dry under AT rain conditions. If you are still concerned with keeping things dry, like your down sleeping bag, put that lg bread bag, dry bag, Sea to Summit style Cordura sack, or siliconize your sleeping bag stuff sack.
Needing to have a pack cover depends on how often and how hard you expect it to rain on the trail your hiking. How you hike and how you use your gear are also things to be considered. For example, I like to carry things like maps, trail description book, camera, MP3 player, sunglasses, bandana, Windstopper gloves, wool beanie, trail snacks, sunscreen, lip balm, compass, etc in outside pack pockets. I don't want all these things to get soaked and I don't want to have to remove them to place inside the main compartment of my pack lined pack when it rains so on trails where I know it can rain hard for prolonged periods I carry a pack cover and possibly even a pack liner.
For short hikes or when on less rainy trails garbage bags can work. Put one on the outside of your pack and line your pack with another one. However, in my experience, this method doesn't work for very long as the bags start getting ripped, full of holes, and never quite fit on the outside of my pack quite right.
I don't own a pack cover that weighs more than a whopping 3 oz! Certainly, not a knee breaking weight considering the protection it can give my gear. If I think rain is a high possibilty I carry one.
BTW, I've eliminated the awesomely heavy wt of a pack cover on several ocassions and got burned. No fun sleeping in a wet down sleeping bag and the nearest laundromat is several days away at your next town stop. Ever try drying out a sleeping bag as your thru-hiking?
Are pack covers useless? I don't think so.
a pack cover is only useless to somebody who thinks it is useless. i find mine very useful. can i live without it? yes. do i? no.
ChinMusic
08-13-2010, 14:49
No fun sleeping in a wet down sleeping bag and the nearest laundromat is several days away at your next town stop. Ever try drying out a sleeping bag as your thru-hiking?
Are pack covers useless? I don't think so.
I would NEVER depend on a pack cover to keep my down bag dry. It goes in a dry sack.......always.
Most of the rest of the things you listed go in ziplocks or dry sacks as well.
I don't care if my sunglasses get wet..........;)
I'm 50/50 on pack covers....trending more and more to go without.
I don't like rain spots on my sunglasses!
We all got a way that works for us ChinMusic.
I'm 50/50 too. All depends on how likely it's to rain heavily and that depends on season, trail, and how long I'm out for.
ChinMusic
08-13-2010, 15:19
I don't like rain spots on my sunglasses!
Tragic......:D
We all got a way that works for us ChinMusic.
As with most stuff. I could see me changing my mind along the way one way or the other from how I started. I'm not married to either style.
I know I gotta get a grommet placed in the bottom of my pack cover if I'm gonna use it. Damn thing (Osprey pack cover) collects about a pound of water in the bottom as it is if I forget to dump it out once in awhile.
hikerboy57
08-13-2010, 16:31
theyre usless in the desert, but definitely a big help when you're headed into nasty weather, worth the few extra ounces to keep your gear dry
I know I gotta get a grommet placed in the bottom of my pack cover if I'm gonna use it. Damn thing (Osprey pack cover) collects about a pound of water in the bottom as it is if I forget to dump it out once in awhile.
Good idea. This is a problem with the new, shower cap type. Never used to be with the older ones made for the frame packs.
IMHO, worth the 5.8 oz. Keeps it all dry, sticks right in front in your chest strap. Loud in rain though.
1st time I hiked with one I was skeptical... until 3 days of pouring rain in late March. :)
http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/accessdetail.cfm?PRODUCTS__ProductID=MTB150&code=GF4
ChinMusic
08-13-2010, 23:24
IMHO, worth the 5.8 oz. Keeps it all dry, sticks right in front in your chest strap. Loud in rain though.
1st time I hiked with one I was skeptical... until 3 days of pouring rain in late March. :)
http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/accessdetail.cfm?PRODUCTS__ProductID=MTB150&code=GF4
Don't have a third hand........;)
Thus, the part about "sticks right in front of your chest strap". :)
Brass Rat
08-15-2010, 08:38
Thus, the part about "sticks right in front of your chest strap". :)
How exactly does it attach? Got any photos?
Always take my pack cover with me. Wouldn't leave home without it.
mjkocher...no photos, but good idea - would probably help if I take one this weekend when I hike. The end of the umbrella has a little 'cup' that you can strap your chest strap right over, it sort of rests on your head/hat during heavy rain.
SassyWindsor
08-16-2010, 23:25
I've tried a pack cover and find it just OK. I now use 2 large dry bags for sleeping bag, cloths, electronics, and some food items, and FLOTATION, for which I'm sure will some day save my life. I will use my homemade tyvek tent footprint for a cover while hiking, if needed. I have a compact lightweight poncho to cover it while camped. Currently, this system works best for me.
Rocketman
08-17-2010, 06:23
Good idea. This is a problem with the new, shower cap type. Never used to be with the older ones made for the frame packs.
You must admit that the "shower cap" elastically closed newer pack covers are cheaper to make, and therefore better for the pack cover manufacturer than were many of the older kinds that actually required sewing to shape the pack cover. There is very little shaping that goes on with the "shower cap" design. The elastic makes almost all of whatever there is for a shape.
Until enough customers get angry enough about being dumped on by bad design, this sort of lousy design and lousy products will prevail.
Of course, there is always the need to fill the market of the low priced customer who doesn't know much.
Maybe, then, there never will be and end to cheaply made lousy products. There is a ready market.
Berserker
08-18-2010, 12:32
based on your first post:
You can do 2 things with a Packa when it's raining:
1) place your tarp in the pocket of the packa while you are hiking and if you want to take a break set up your tarp and then take off the packa
2) hike to a shelter and take off your packa to rest
both were annoying to me. I also didnt like to have the 12.4oz for total rain top/cover. I ended up going with a cuben pack cover for 0.8oz, AGG rain jacket for 4.6oz and an oven bag large for 0.4oz.
I was sweating to death in the packa and the moisture from my body transferred to the pack area and created condensation in there to the point my pack was wet.
I'm a sweater so it wasnt working out for me and the whole taking it off and on in the rain was a little annoying to me as well.
I just accepted I'm going to get wet no matter what so I wanted a lighter version of what I had.
This is about the only post that actually answered the question posed in the original post, which was how to keep the pack from getting wet while taking a break if using only a packa that will be worn during said break.
I agree with Raul, and use a similar although heavier setup. I carry a sil-nylon pack cover and use a tarp/poncho for my rain gear. The pack cover keeps the pack dry when I am not wearing it, and I want to wear the poncho. Sometimes for longer breaks in heavy rain I actually set up the tarp/poncho. The other 2 suggestions given above are great ones (setting up a tarp to sit under or planning breaks at shelters) in that it is not fun sitting around in a heavy rain wearing just your rain gear with no other protection (such as a the aforementioned tarp or shelter). That pretty much sucks, and you won't even want to open your pack due to the potential of getting everything inside wet.
I would NEVER depend on a pack cover to keep my down bag dry. It goes in a dry sack.......always.
Most of the rest of the things you listed go in ziplocks or dry sacks as well.
I don't care if my sunglasses get wet..........;)
I'm 50/50 on pack covers....trending more and more to go without.
If I was hiking and expecting a high risk of heavy or prolonged rain, like on an AT thru-hike or when hiking in the Pacific Northwest, I wouldn't rely on just a pack cover to keep my down sleeping bag dry either. I would also have a pack liner(usually a lg turkey basting bag or possibly a trash compactor bag, I think the turkey basting bags are more durable/puncture resistant though), wrap my sleeping bag in a clean bread bag, or siliconize my sleeping bag stuff sack.
The other option that I find works well for me, because I do like carrying non-WP items like a camera, Mp3 player, trail snacks, etc, in outside and hipbelt pockets and don't want to remove everything from those pockets in case of hard rain or baggie all these little items is to spray my entire pack with a DWR. I have had really good results keeping all my gear dry by spraying on a product like Revivex DWR and using a pack cover that fits right.
I've tried the pack liner only and don't care for it because then my pack gets heavier when it absorbs the water and I still have the issue of items getting wet that I store in those hipbelt pockets.
From a wt perspective I use a Sea to Summit sn240 pac 3 oz. pack cover on my thru-hiking backpacks. I trimmed the little silny stuff sack off and replaced the larger bungee and adjustable clips with smaller ones and now it weighs a whopping 2 oz. Add a polyethelene turkey basting bad pack liner and the DWR Revivex spray and my gear, whether stored inside my pack or outside in pockets, stays dry!
If the poster is going to use a Packa as a pack cover he may also want to spray the outside of his pack with a DWR and possibly also use stuff sacks for things like his sleeping bag.
I found the pack cover to be useful. In conjunction with a good set of water resistant stuff sacks - your gear will stay dry. It was pretty tattered by the time we finished our through - but I'd rather have the pack cover shredded than my backpack. I kept it on through the notch and often used it as a seat on wet logs. Or if we were sleeping in a shelter with side driving rain it was good to put over the foot of my sleeping bag to keep the spray off. My pack didn't always fit under my vestibule (double rainbow) so I would throw the pack cover over it at night and keep the pack dry. It also makes for a decent grocery/laundry/etc bag in town. It's so versatile and weighs so little. Why not bring it?
woodstock64
12-11-2010, 21:58
I initially thought pack covers were a waste of money. "All I needed was a plastic garbage bag as a pack liner" I thought. Then I went on a rainy weekend backpacking trip in Shenandoah NP. While my garbage bag liner did keep my clothes and gear dry, it did absolutely NOTHING for keeping my REI Flash 65 pack dry. And let me tell you rain adds at least 5lbs to your pack weight. Needless to say when I got home I went right over to REI and purchased a rain cover! You should too.
I've always found them useful for keeping out most of the water.
Just think lots of wind.. I lost one that way... and by the time the wind is like that... trash bag liner man, I am.
Cookerhiker
12-12-2010, 08:13
My pack cover worked very well on my last backpack trip for the day we had steady rain. Also kept everything inside the pack encased in trash bags.
Rocket Jones
12-12-2010, 08:39
It's like clothing. Layers work better. Liner, pack, cover.
TallShark
12-14-2010, 02:28
If you're a gram weenie then no, but I have had success with mine (sea to summit), it has a drain hole at the bottom and a clasp that makes the cover virtually "blowing off in the wind" proof. as everyone has mentioned keep the essentials in waterproof stuff sacks and the pack cover will supplement the water proof-ness of your system. The sil-nylon packs up so small I completely find it worth it.
JaxHiker
12-14-2010, 11:40
My pack cover worked very well on my last backpack trip for the day we had steady rain. Also kept everything inside the pack encased in trash bags.
My last hike in May was solid rain. The cover was great until it became a funnel and just started directing the water down my back. :(
Pringles
12-14-2010, 15:41
I use one, whether it is raining or not. It does seem to help keep my things dry when it rains, but it is also nice to keep dangly things (socks, bandanas, etc.) from falling off or getting pulled off. When I stop for a break, I usually sit on it. Even if it's not raining, the ground or log or whatever might still be wet. And I'd rather watch ticks crawl around on the pack cover than me. I can pretty effectively shake them off the pack cover. :-) Sometimes when I sit on the pack cover, I pull it up around my legs or back, and use it as a windbreak. In an earlier post I read today, someone reported filling their pack cover with water, then carting it away and using it as a water source for washing up, and washing their clothes. I find my pack cover to be quite versatile.
http://zpacks.com/accessories/pack_cover.shtml
Zpacks makes a pack cover that weighs around an ounce. I think they keep your pack dry, not the contents of your pack.
I saw a guy hiking with a cape over his pack this Spring. I assume it was some attempt at a homemade pack cover.
Personally I go with a big trash bag. I think I stole the idea from Ray Jardine's book.
maybe clem
12-14-2010, 20:36
If you have a Packa you have all you need.