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View Full Version : Is it worth carrying a pack cover?



LAS
02-23-2013, 17:06
So you may be thinking this is the stupidest question, but is it really worth carrying a pack cover? Someone told me that you're pack will still get wet in the back. This got me to thinking, is it really worth it? Ive used my pack cover before, but wondered if it is worth it on a long exhibition? I was recommended a hiking poncho that would cover me and my pack. Thoughts on that as well please. Minor notes: I have my down sleeping bag in a water-proof stuff sack.

jeffmeh
02-23-2013, 17:14
In the wet east, I would go with a trash compactor bag inside the pack, and www.thepacka.com (http://www.thepacka.com).

brian039
02-23-2013, 17:17
I find them fairly useless. I keep my stuff that I don't want wet inside trash bags and zip locks.

Cookerhiker
02-23-2013, 17:28
I went the big poncho route once, on my '07 Long Trail thruhike. It kept the back contents dry for several days of rain. But they're not easy to put on if you're alone. It helps greatly when someone else can help you to make sure everything is covered.

You can also do as Brian suggested and put everything inside the pack in baggies of various kinds.

What kind of "exhibition" are you referring to? Are you giving a program about hiking or participating in a show of some sort?

hikerboy57
02-23-2013, 17:35
the generally accepted method is trash compactor bag inside your pack. split down the middle as far as opinions on covers. i use one, feel it keeps the pack itself from getting water logged, but many prefer to do without.
depends a little on what pack you have, too.
cover or no, my pack still gets wet. maybe not as wet, but still wet.

Stir Fry
02-23-2013, 17:40
Its another layer of protection. On White Blaze alot will so no, but on the trail most seam to have one. If it raining enough not much will keep you pack dry. I use stuff sacks a pack liner and a pack cover.

The Gambler
02-23-2013, 17:55
i use a rain cover on the outside...a waterproof liner on the inside and put my down bag in a garbage bag....the three layerd system weigh 9 0z.....used this system on my 2011 sobo and was glad i did as it rained over 50 days...ran into a lot of folks with wet gear...some folks said it was overkill..two questions...do you like sleeping in a wet down bag that won't keep you warm? and how much do you recon a wet down bag weighs?

Sly
02-23-2013, 18:23
I find a decent size and thickness plastic trash bag and make a slit for each shoulder strap.

If it's a light rain, or it's warm out, I'll make a hybrid pack cover with hood, by taking my rain jacket and putting it over my pack and tying the arms through the shoulder straps. Works great.

Coffee
02-23-2013, 18:27
I've been thinking about the zpacks liner for my ULA catalsyt. Pricy at $39. What do you all think of this?

http://www.zpacks.com/accessories/dry_bags.shtml

Rasty
02-23-2013, 18:29
I've been thinking about the zpacks liner for my ULA catalsyt. Pricy at $39. What do you all think of this?

http://www.zpacks.com/accessories/dry_bags.shtml

Mine works perfectly! Hiking all day in the rain and not a drop inside.

Slo-go'en
02-23-2013, 18:31
Ditto on the tripple layer princable. I would never put a trash bag on the outside of anything as it tends to get torn up and doesn't last long. I know Sly qualified that by saying decent size and thickness, but even a 5 mill bag isn't that rugged.

As for ponchos. I've owned several and can never get them to work for me. Just too much of a PITA to deal with.

mother goose
02-23-2013, 19:04
At Walmart in the storage area you can find a XXL Ziplock bag big enough to put a large quilt in about three feet by 2 feet will slide right down into pack.

Lone Wolf
02-23-2013, 19:16
So you may be thinking this is the stupidest question, but is it really worth carrying a pack cover?
not a dumb question and yes it really is worth carrying a pack cover. anybody who tells you different doesn't hike in the rain much

RyanK817
02-23-2013, 19:29
My wife and I both used name-brand pack covers during our thru, and when it would rain steadily throughout the day, the inside of the bottom of our pack covers actually filled with water from all the runoff, so the bottom of our packs were in standing (and sloshing) water for the rest of the day. I still always take one with me because it's very light and it's nice to keep the pack dry externally when you can, but you definitely need something lining the inside (not just individual waterproof stuffsacks IMHO). We just use a heavy duty trash bag, it does the trick.

fredmugs
02-23-2013, 20:38
In the wet east, I would go with a trash compactor bag inside the pack, and www.thepacka.com (http://www.thepacka.com).

Or you can get this for half the price: http://www.golite.com/Poncho-Tarp-P885.aspx

Easily fits me at 6' 3" and my 85L pack.

Prime Time
02-23-2013, 20:40
I will bring one on my thru hike because the majority of rainy days in the East are of the light to moderate variety. The pack cover is somewhat effective in these kinds of rain because it helps keeps your pack from getting saturated and the rain from finding its way into your pack. Of course nothing works in a soaker, but it doesn't hurt to have a cover in those situations too.

Sly
02-23-2013, 21:59
Ditto on the tripple layer princable. I would never put a trash bag on the outside of anything as it tends to get torn up and doesn't last long. I know Sly qualified that by saying decent size and thickness, but even a 5 mill bag isn't that rugged.



With a little duct tape I've had one last quite awhile. When they get too torn I just replace it with another.

I've also used a blaze orange sil-nylon pack cover which works great in hunting season and wet/dry road walks.

jeffmeh
02-23-2013, 22:00
Or you can get this for half the price: http://www.golite.com/Poncho-Tarp-P885.aspx

Easily fits me at 6' 3" and my 85L pack.

Certainly. That said, the Packa is not really comparable to a poncho, as it is a full-sleeved, fitted, rain jacket with an integrated pack cover. In my opinion, it is far superior, particularly where you are likely to encounter high winds and would prefer not to become a kite. It is also usable as a pack cover alone when you do not wish to deploy the jacket. These are very different tools.

bigcranky
02-23-2013, 22:13
I use a pack cover, and a cuben roll-top liner. My pack has large mesh pockets on the outside, and I like putting useful stuff in those pockets, stuff I'd prefer not get soaked in a downpour. So, a silnylon or cuben pack cover is useful, for me anyway.

Violent Green
02-23-2013, 22:29
Is it worth it to carry one? If you're using one to keep your gear dry - no. They don't work very well. If you're using it to keep your pack from gaining 2 lbs of water weight - yes.

Ryan

Mountain Mike
02-23-2013, 22:31
I like them for dual use.19928Once I even made a small tub with the help of a few resupply boxes at Kennedy Meadows.

HikerMom58
02-23-2013, 22:41
I find a decent size and thickness plastic trash bag and make a slit for each shoulder strap.

If it's a light rain, or it's warm out, I'll make a hybrid pack cover with hood, by taking my rain jacket and putting it over my pack and tying the arms through the shoulder straps. Works great.

+1.... that's what I do 2. Works great!

Astro
02-23-2013, 23:29
Its another layer of protection. On White Blaze alot will so no, but on the trail most seam to have one. If it raining enough not much will keep you pack dry. I use stuff sacks a pack liner and a pack cover.

Stir Fry, +1 all around. I especially appreciate your point about how lot on WB many say no to pack cover, but on the AT most have them.

Wise Old Owl
02-24-2013, 00:28
Nope - put you bag in a waterproof sil nylon dry bag.. everything else... doesn't matter. Garbage bag inside the pack is cheaper.

swjohnsey
02-24-2013, 00:49
Wet gear is heavy gear. My Zpack cuben pack cover weighs less than a ounce.

rocketsocks
02-24-2013, 02:53
Is it worth carrying a pack cover...Yes. But let me expand...sure why not!

DeerPath
02-24-2013, 09:40
Zpacks are nice but cost $38.95 and weigh 1.8 oz.. I use a pack cover and a Glad Trash Compactor Bag, cost about $1.00 and weigh 2.4 oz.

LAS
02-24-2013, 17:09
Thanks for your help guys! It sounds like it is at least worth while using one. I have a large dry bag that I could line the inside of my bag with. Worse comes to worse, I could always ditch the cover along the way.

BirdBrain
02-24-2013, 17:44
It is worth carrying a pack cover and it it worth carrying a raincoat, but not both. Get a Packa. Just my humble opinion.

ChinMusic
02-24-2013, 18:03
It is worth carrying a pack cover and it it worth carrying a raincoat, but not both. Get a Packa. Just my humble opinion.

Went on a trip with my first Packa in December. I felt the sil version was a no-go for me from my arms getting soaked from sweat, but I loved the design. I tried to get Eddie to make me a custom breathable cuben version but decided to get the heavier eVent model.

I've done enough miles with the eVent version to know it does a good job of keeping me dry from the outside AND inside. IMO, worth the weight penalty.

XANGO
02-24-2013, 18:16
Compactor bag inside the pack is the way I go.

I used a pack cover until Virginia...It lost it's waterproofness....I started using a compactor bag and never looked back.

max patch
02-24-2013, 18:26
Absolutely. Don't leave home without it.

rusty bumper
02-24-2013, 18:43
I put my sleeping bag in a stuff sack, my clothes in a stuff sack, and both of those go in a trash compactor bag in the bottom of my pack. Next comes my food in a Sea-to-Summit ultra sil sack and 3 other small S-t-S sacks....one for kitchen stuff, one for hygiene stuff, and one as a ditty bag for all misc stuff. In the outside mesh pockets of my pack go items that can get wet...tent in stuff sack, rain gear, water bottle, fuel bottle, food bag hanging gear, Aqua Mira, and DEET. I do not use a pack cover and have never wished I had one. In a heavy long rain, my pack will accumulate water inside, but I just lean over to the left and then to the right, it drains out the bottom, and off I go. Nothing inside the trash compactor bag or the stuff sacks ever got wet on my AT end-to-ender.

CarlZ993
02-24-2013, 19:21
Like some of the others, I'll use the tri-fecta approach: cloths & sleeping bag in waterproof dry bags (Sea to summit), trash compactor bag to line the pack, and a pack cover to keep things on the outside 'less wet.'

Colter
02-24-2013, 19:30
not a dumb question and yes it really is worth carrying a pack cover. anybody who tells you different doesn't hike in the rain much

Baloney. It's a matter of personal choice. There are different ways to keep pack contents dry, a pack cover is just one of them. I personally don't use one.

Papa D
02-24-2013, 20:15
here is the system:

sleeping bag, clothes, other essentials - in dry bags
other stuff - kitchen, rain jacket, non essentials - just loose in pack
inside of pack - lined with compactor bag
spare contractor bag kept for putting your legs in for warmth - surprisingly warm
pack covered with UL pack cover - a wet pack adds about 1.5 lbs in water weight

a pack cover isn't foolproof in keeping stuff dry like a dry bag and contractor bags but it is the RIGHT tool for keeping your pack dry and your stuff more / less dry which is important

rocketsocks
02-24-2013, 20:29
For me it is more a matter of everything freezing once wet, keeping everything dry as possible when hiking in freezing temps I would think is paramount...no?

LAS
02-24-2013, 21:46
is a compactor bag the same thing as a trash bag?

Starchild
02-24-2013, 21:47
I have found that a pack cover goes a long way to keeping the pack dry in rain. It is wonderful to get though a rain and take off the pack cover to find that there is no wet spot on the pack. Does this always work - no, does it work enough to offset it's weight, in the NE at least yes to me it does.

Rasty
02-24-2013, 21:47
is a compactor bag the same thing as a trash bag?

Almost. They have them in the trash bag section at most grocery stores. They are about 4 times as thick.

Mr Breeze
02-24-2013, 22:32
I didn't carry one on my thru last year. Just put a trash compactor bag inside my pack. That kept all my gear dry. Also put my sleeping bag inside one. It kept that dry inside my sleeping bag compartment. So it is just a matter of choice. But they are for the most part useless

MuddyWaters
02-24-2013, 23:11
Yes, no , and maybe.

If you have a single compartment lightwt pack, its easy to totally waterproof with a liner. Whether thats garbage bag, compactor bag, nylofume, cuben drybag, or silnylon drybag. They all work.

If you have a pack with multiple compartments all over the place, its more difficult.

The bigger and heavier your pack, the more water its probably going to soak up too.

The straps and belt are uncovered and probably hold about as much as the rest of the pack anyway. Especially cheap packs that may use open-cell foam for padding. So benefit is somewhat limited. Water also will wick all over from the backpanel too.

Could a cover result in less weight carried when wet. Sure.
Does it matter for some small portion of the time, not really.

But the bottom line to me, is that a cover is one more doo-dad, a thing to keep up with, no matter how light it is.
Might come in handy, might not. But definitely not required for a single compartment pack.
I prefer simplicity, minimal # of items, same reason I dont bring my sawyer filter.
As much a philosophy, as anything.

DavidNH
02-24-2013, 23:32
LAS.. on the AT at least, there is no such thing as over doing it with waterproofing.

So yes use a pack cover.. it keeps the material of the pack from getting thoroughly soaked. But a pack cover alone will NOT help keep gear dry. Water gets under it eventually. It is absolutely essential to line inside of pack with 100% waterproof trash compactor bag. Your sleeping bag should go into a waterproof stuff sack and I would put all of that into a second water proof bag. In short.. you want MULTIPLE water proof layers to keep gear dry when hiking through extended rainy periods.

Again.. a pack cover alone is NOT adequate. Double triple and quadruple water proof protection for essential gear like sleeping bag and some clothes. A soggy sleeping bag could be disasterous. so Down or synthetic bag.. goes into water proof stuff sack and then into 2nd water proof bag.

DavidNH

ChinMusic
02-24-2013, 23:32
The straps and belt are uncovered and probably hold about as much as the rest of the pack anyway. Especially cheap packs that may use open-cell foam for padding. So benefit is somewhat limited. Water also will wick all over from the backpanel too.


This is where the Packa shines. It covers the whole dang thing as well as you. There is no gap between your rain jacket and pack either.

Now, I only have about 150 miles on my Packa but from what I've experienced it is a fine piece of gear.

Kookork
02-24-2013, 23:36
i use a rain cover on the outside...a waterproof liner on the inside and put my down bag in a garbage bag....the three layerd system weigh 9 0z.....used this system on my 2011 sobo and was glad i did as it rained over 50 days...ran into a lot of folks with wet gear...some folks said it was overkill..two questions...do you like sleeping in a wet down bag that won't keep you warm? and how much do you recon a wet down bag weighs?

It is interesting to read have a conservative approach from a member named "The Gambler"

Kookork
02-24-2013, 23:37
So you may be thinking this is the stupidest question, but is it really worth carrying a pack cover? Someone told me that you're pack will still get wet in the back. This got me to thinking, is it really worth it? Ive used my pack cover before, but wondered if it is worth it on a long exhibition? I was recommended a hiking poncho that would cover me and my pack. Thoughts on that as well please. Minor notes: I have my down sleeping bag in a water-proof stuff sack.

there are many common questions on Whiteblaze but no stupid question. Certainly not yours.

flemdawg1
02-25-2013, 13:05
Has anyone actually hosed down a loaded pack and weighed it to compare the wet weight w/out cover to wet weight w/ pack cover.
Pack covers absorb water too. Is it really worth carrying a 3-4oz cover to avoid absorbing 3-4oz of water that'll be near completely evaporated the next day?

Deadeye
02-25-2013, 13:55
I carry one, and everything in my pack is in baggies, trash bags, or stuff sacks, too. Experiment! But I guarantee this - you will never hear anyone complain (I'm keeping this G-rated) at the end of the day:

"DAGNABBITT - my stuff is all dry again!"

Charlie Redwood
02-26-2013, 20:19
I see mentioned trash compactor bags (for home compactor systems) which average 18 gallons and around 3 feet by 3 feet. I think that is too small for my 5000 ci pack. I also see in some posts trash contractor bags mentioned (used for clean up of construction sites) and that are up to 55 gallons. Both are around 2 mil in thickness.
I just want to clarify are you backpackers using the compactor or contractor bags???

flemdawg1
02-26-2013, 20:44
I see mentioned trash compactor bags (for home compactor systems) which average 18 gallons and around 3 feet by 3 feet. I think that is too small for my 5000 ci pack. I also see in some posts trash contractor bags mentioned (used for clean up of construction sites) and that are up to 55 gallons. Both are around 2 mil in thickness.
I just want to clarify are you backpackers using the compactor or contractor bags???

comPactor bags, And the only things you need to worry about keeping dry is the stuff that needs to stay dry (clothing, sleeping bag). If your cook pot or food bag gets wet (assuming your food is in ziplocks or water proof containers), its no big deal.

buldogge
02-27-2013, 12:51
Both...

The compactor bags are a little nicer fit for my packs (35-45L)...but...the contractor bags work fine as well.

I stuff my sleeping bag to conform to the bottom volume of my pack, so either bag works fine...add my clothes and any insulation and then roll the top...done.



I see mentioned trash compactor bags (for home compactor systems) which average 18 gallons and around 3 feet by 3 feet. I think that is too small for my 5000 ci pack. I also see in some posts trash contractor bags mentioned (used for clean up of construction sites) and that are up to 55 gallons. Both are around 2 mil in thickness.
I just want to clarify are you backpackers using the compactor or contractor bags???

bigcranky
02-27-2013, 13:54
Almost. They have them in the trash bag section at most grocery stores. They are about 4 times as thick.

Right, compactor bags last waaaaaay longer than basic big trash bags.

The only thing to be careful about is making sure the top opening is rolled up sufficiently and that it stays that way. Ideally you'd do a twist and then roll, but most people put too much stuff inside the bag for that. A careful roll and jam method works if you can put something on top, like a food bag. If you end up getting water *inside* the compactor bag, it just stays in there and gets everything soaking wet. Say, for example, if you put your Platypus Hoser inside the top of your pack and the connector comes loose and all that water comes out inside your pack and manages to work its way inside the compactor bag. And your down bag gets really wet and it's going to be like 15-F that night. That might be a problem, not that I would know anything about it. But I do have a roll-top Cuben pack liner now and I don't use the &%^! bladder anymore either.

10-K
02-27-2013, 13:56
Thanks for your help guys! It sounds like it is at least worth while using one. I have a large dry bag that I could line the inside of my bag with. Worse comes to worse, I could always ditch the cover along the way.

It'll also keep your pack clean when you take it off and set it down while it's raining. Nothing like having a muddy pack.

Alligator
02-27-2013, 14:19
Has anyone actually hosed down a loaded pack and weighed it to compare the wet weight w/out cover to wet weight w/ pack cover.
Pack covers absorb water too. Is it really worth carrying a 3-4oz cover to avoid absorbing 3-4oz of water that'll be near completely evaporated the next day?3-4 oz weight of water is about 3-4 fluid ounces, which is a small amount of water. A pack will not stay totally dry with a cover but it does prevent a lot of absorption.

I keep some stuff in bags inside but have never felt the need to line the inside compartment of the pack. One thing I like to recommend is that for covers that don't fit the pack so well, for instance, too many outside items opening gaps, that small holes be made on the bottom of the cover to allow drainage. Sometimes water will collect and sit in the bottom of the cover and soak the bottom of the pack.

WingedMonkey
02-27-2013, 14:56
One of the times a pack cover is most handy is when walking through wet bushes. I mean over your head or up to your shoulder growth leaning over the trail with the water they hold.

They force water into a pack more than just rain alone.

A pack cover helps add a layer of protection.

QiWiz
02-27-2013, 17:06
I have used a cuben pack cover from Zpacks on the AT. I could probably have done without it since I had a pack liner too, but it did protect the things i had in outside pack pockets. One unexpected use for it was as a "basket" to keep loose bit of gear in when in shelters. Helps me not lose stuff or leave it behind, find things easily after dark, and avoid having someone grab something of mine they thought was theirs.