best equipment to stay and keep things dry

[moosejuice13]

So when reading through things I've found lots of different advice, sometimes conflicting, as to what to use to battle water. Ziploc zipper like closure or not? Dry bags spend the money or sturdy alternative? Gaiters useless and ugly or a must have? Just looking for things that everyones found usefull.
Thanks All!

[Tagless]

Plan A - I recommend starting with a garbage bag liner inside your pack. Load everything that needs to stay dry into that - fold the top over and tuck down along the side. Simple, effective, and inexpensive.

I always used a dry bag for clothes (http://www.seatosummit.com/products/display/15), but never really "needed it" because of Plan A.

Zip Locks are great. The double zips seem to work best and last the longest.

Gaiters are a personal preference and you'll get a variety of opinions on this site. Personally I like these (http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/appareldetail.cfm/ID1520) (not the yellow version!) and always hike with them. They delay feet getting wet for a limited period of time, especially when walking through dew and a rain, but that's about it. More important to me, they keep junk out of my trail shoes.

[kanga]

trash compactor bag for a liner. once everything's in, twist the top like a bread bag, fold it over double, and use a hair band/rubber band to keep it there.
i also put all the stuff i care about in freezer ziplocks (camera, money, food, lighter)

note: i have my water bladder OUTSIDE of the trash compacter liner, just in case.

[leaftye]

I have a large silnylon stuff sack for my clothes. In a pinch, I could stuff my quilt in it too. Most of my other gear is organized into zip lock freezer bags and most of it could fit into the stuff sack too. Finally, all of that would go into a trash bag. On shorter trips with a favorable weather report, I bring a oven bag instead of the trash bag, which means I can only fit the quilt and some clothing in it, which would then go into the stuff sack with some of the other gear. Oh yeah, the quilt is always packed in my bivy.

I haven't tested this out yet though...I keep lucking out and missing rain.

I don't bother with gaiters. They provide a minimal benefit at best.

[garlic08]

Great advice so far. I'll add that when camping, site selection is more important than your shelter. A simple tarp on a well-drained site will keep you drier than the most expensive tent pitched in a mud puddle.

The only way to keep camp clothing dry is to wear your wet clothes when you're hiking. That's a mental challenge, putting cold wet clothes on in the morning.

No raingear is going to keep you dry after more than a day of rain. You will get wet. The challenge is staying warm and wet, and keeping your insulation dry. Part of staying warm is eating well and drinking plenty of water, another mental challenge when it's cold and wet.

In summary, your head is your most important tool in adverse conditions, not your equipment. An experienced hiker with plastic bag and a tarp can often stay more comfortable than a newby with the latest Patagonia outfit and North Face gear.

[Ashman]

I use the sea-2-summit bags with the E-vent feature. I have one for my quilts and one for my clothes. The are going to cost more than the garbage bag or compacter bag but they are much more durable, more resistant to puncture, and you can pretty much submerge the bag and the stuff inside is going to stay dry. Some say that is over kill and heavy, but I know my quilts and clothes are gonna stay dry and that is worth it to me.

[sixguns01]

So when reading through things I've found lots of different advice, sometimes conflicting, as to what to use to battle water. Ziploc zipper like closure or not? Dry bags spend the money or sturdy alternative? Gaiters useless and ugly or a must have? Just looking for things that everyones found usefull.
Thanks All!

I'm overkill when it comes to keeping my stuff dry. I use Cuben Fiber dry sacks (1oz each) for clothes and down bag. Ziplocks, non zipper, for everything else. 2mil construction bag (2oz) for a liner and a Cuben Fiber pack cover (1.5oz).

Have been stuck in 3 day downpour two years ago. Soaked through and through. SUCKED!!

I like gaiters with my boots and trail runners. Keeps crap out.

I use 3 1L Powerade bottles for water. Sometimes use Rum Runner Flasks; 1L and .5L. Durable as a Platypus but a hell of a lot cheaper. (.5L hols my Jameson)

My 2 cents

[moosejuice13]

Thanks everyone i appreciate the advice!

[BrianLe]

I think that a dedicated "ultralight" dry bag for the sleeping bag is a good idea, I always use one now. I use a whole-bag liner when it's wet a lot, don't bother when it's not.

On the AT in particular, I liked having a rain cover for my backpack; I got a cast-off one from a hiking buddy along the way last year, but then bought a Packa at trail days, which is a pack cover and rain jacket integrated as a single unit. On other trails I've been happy with a poncho instead, but often on the AT I found I wanted my pack covered but it was too warm for me to want to wear a rain jacket, so a pack cover was particularly useful there.

A couple of spare quart and gallon ziplock bags can go a long way to helping out when it's wet out.

[Tinker]

I use the sea-2-summit bags with the E-vent feature. I have one for my quilts and one for my clothes. The are going to cost more than the garbage bag or compacter bag but they are much more durable, more resistant to puncture, and you can pretty much submerge the bag and the stuff inside is going to stay dry. Some say that is over kill and heavy, but I know my quilts and clothes are gonna stay dry and that is worth it to me.

Strange, eVent was designed for waterproof/breathable clothing. It has a polytetrafluorethelyne membrane (same material as Gore-tex) bonded to one of many different types of fabric.
:-?

[Rain Man]

I'll second the suggestion for trash compactor bags. I think they are sturdier and keep their water-proof nature longer than any sil-nylon bags.

I have a Sea-to-Summit bag and other brands, expensive and cheap. They all leak like sieves after some time and use. To test them, I fill them with water and hang them in my garage. There's always a puddle underneath, if I've had them over a year. I "reconstitute" them with home-made silicone/mineral spirit mixture, which works fine. Still, I don't totally trust them, as I've had them leak.

The other thing I use, which is tough and does keep its water-proofness is Reynold's Oven Roaster bags. I line my sleeping bag stuff sack with one and have never, ever had a wet sleeping bag.

Zip-lock bags are NOT water-proof, in my experience, based on using them in ice chests, either to keep melted ice in or out.

Pack covers are about worthless IMHO, without some secondary or back-up system inside the pack.

Rain:sunMan

.

[Rain Man]

Strange, eVent was designed for waterproof/breathable clothing.


Yes. I think the idea is that you can compress these bags even after closing them.

Rain:sunMan

.

[StormBird]

I used a Sea to Summit dry sack for my sleeping bag and camp/dry clothes. I had another dry sack for my warmer coat and long sleeved patagonia shirt. I separated these two pieces of clothing from my sleeping bag/camp clothes dry sack b/c i would sometimes stop and want a warmer piece of clothes but i didn't want to risk getting my sleeping bag or camp clothes wet by opening that dry sack.

For electronics, i used a freezer ziploc bag.

As far as feet, I wouldn't worry about trying to keep your feet dry, it is impossible. So rather, focus on what will dry the easiest (i.e. train runners). I didn't use gaiters either.

I didn't wear rain pants but I did have a lightweight rain jacket. It worked for the first part of the day, but by the end, I would be soaked. This is the reason I had a dedicated dry sack to my sleeping bag and camp clothes that would not open unless my tent was set up, or I was in a shelter. That way, when i am cold and wet at the end of the day, i can stage off possible hyperthermia by changing into dry clothes and getting into my sleeping bag.

Obviously, in the summer none of this matters too much b/c you aren't at risk for hyperthermia.

Hope this helps! Good luck & happy trails!

[wrongway_08]

1) zip lock bags
2) I cut the back out of my rain jacket and sewed in a pack cover. This way the jacket/pack cover would keep everything 100% dry and the sweat evaporated out the top, keeping myself pretty much dry and well temp controlled.

[Wise Old Owl]

You got a lot of good posts here with the trash bags, skip the gaitors, Tarps etc,

I like things that are dual purpose, even when I have a layer system on, having a sea to summit or some other poncho or some other tarp/poncho system. The guys are made from Concrete String, and titanium pegs with glow in the dark tape flags to avoid loosing them. You can pitch this between trees in the day or lower at night and still use a hammock. The idea is to make a break when the weather won't let up.

http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/1/5/5/2/tent_004a.jpg

[Blissful]

I didn't wear rain pants but I did have a lightweight rain jacket. It worked for the first part of the day, but by the end, I would be soaked. This is the reason I had a dedicated dry sack to my sleeping bag and camp clothes that would not open unless my tent was set up, or I was in a shelter. That way, when i am cold and wet at the end of the day, i can stage off possible hyperthermia by changing into dry clothes and getting into my sleeping bag.

Obviously, in the summer none of this matters too much b/c you aren't at risk for hyperthermia.



You must be talking about hypothermia (hyperthermia is a different condition of overheating), and yes, you are definitely in danger of it in summer at elevation on the AT (esp the Whites, but it can happen elsewhere). My son had it in July in a t-storm. So take precautions and keep yourself dry.

[lori]

Obviously, in the summer none of this matters too much b/c you aren't at risk for hyperthermia.



You are at most risk for hypothermia in temps 30 - 50 F. Most cases occur during spring/summer/fall, because people don't understand that hypothermia has nothing to do with the environment you're in - it has to do with the core temperature of your body. If your core temps start to drop below 97F, you're starting to become hypothermic - if they drop to below 95F you are moderately hypothermic, and if your core temp is below 92F, you are in serious trouble - your life is in immediate danger as you are unable to warm yourself, unable to walk, probably curled up in a fetal position and in pretty bad shape mentally. Unless you are minding your hydration, food intake, and taking care to put on or take off layers as needed, it's very easy to become hypothermic when it's 40-50F and raining.

[TheChop]

You'll get wet. Wet shoes. Wet socks. Wet underwear. If it's not from the rain it'll be from sweat and condensation under rain gear.

Don't care about being wet. Care about being warm. A dry sleeping bag, dry tent, etc. is essential. I use a dry sack for clothes and bag. For the most part you have two options in rain when it's a little chilly and you're prone to hypothermia. You either keep walking to keep warm or you stop and tent up to keep warm.

Whatever happens you absolutely positively do not want to get to camp and realize your sleeping bag has lost any effectiveness by becoming soaked.

[Papa D]

Sea to Summit bags are "industry standard"

[Gladiator]

You'll get wet. Wet shoes. Wet socks. Wet underwear. If it's not from the rain it'll be from sweat and condensation under rain gear.

Don't care about being wet. Care about being warm. A dry sleeping bag, dry tent, etc. is essential. I use a dry sack for clothes and bag. For the most part you have two options in rain when it's a little chilly and you're prone to hypothermia. You either keep walking to keep warm or you stop and tent up to keep warm.

Whatever happens you absolutely positively do not want to get to camp and realize your sleeping bag has lost any effectiveness by becoming soaked.

This begs the question - how does one set up a tent when its raining without said tent becoming soaked?

- Gladiator

[SweetAss03]

As quickly as you can!

[bishopj]

Petty easy question you put the cover on your tent then pack up the tent
when you upack your tent the cover will help keep it dry the just mop out the
the little bit of water that get inside You can also setup a tarp and use it for a rain cover then set your tent up under the tarp.

[SassyWindsor]

I use 2 "Sea to Summit" dry bags. I usually put bag and cloths in one and all other stuff that needs to stay dry in another. I'll list some of my other uses for these versatile bags.

1. Flotation. Will float me and my pack when taking to the water, on purpose or not.
2. Pillow
3. Hang food
4. Transporting water
5. Melting large amount of ice/snow. Careful not to burn, melt or puncture.
6. Anchor. Filled with soil, sand, rocks, or water
7. Shower. With special attachments hang with tarp clip(s)
8. Carry fire tinder. Usually wood, straw or pine cones.
9. When all goes to heck, tie a string to one of the colorful bags and sling in a circle to alert the rescue choppers. (not had to use this one yet)