the Packa (rainjacket/packcover)

[Hammock Hanger]

Still loving mine. Think I'll go check Ebay for one for the hubby. (BTW, whatever happened with your hammock/pack??) Sue/HH

[DebW]

I'm bidding on the small one. Should be a perfect fit for me and my pack.

[okpik]

I'm bidding on the small one. Should be a perfect fit for me and my pack.

The fun in bididng is not knowing when or where they are coming from.
I could never bid against you now (besides the smaller one won't fit one big ole' me. LOL). I am watching the big one though.

[Big Dawg]

I learned about the Packa today via this post, & WOW, seems like a great product, & I want one, but cannot afford the retail price,,,, seems like I'll be bidding on EBAY. My question is: I'm 6'5, 230 lbs, & my pack is approx. 5000 cu.in., will the xlarge fit me & my pack (pack is long & thin, & I only fill it up to about 4000 to 4500 cu.in.

[Cedar Tree]

James, the two Packas on ebay now probably won't work for you. But, I do have a couple more XL packas that I have modified to increase the packcover volume. Since I've modified them, I don't feel comfortable selling them as brand new. So look for them on ebay (and I'll post a notice here too) soon. Thanks for your interest James,
Cedar Tree

[Cedar Tree]

Packa on Ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ESSE%3AIT&rd=1


and

Silnylon mittens too:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ESSE%3AIT&rd=1

Cedar Tree

[Cedar Tree]

Royal Blue size S/M Packa on Ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

Thanks,
Cedar Tree

[HikeLite]

HH did hit upon the one small drawback of the packa--what to protect those few times when it is raining, and you want to be separated from your pack--you or your pack. This is the same problem poncho users have if the poncho is both the rain gear and packcover. I, Cedar Tree, lover of the packa--still carry another lightweight jacket to wear in these situations. Another good solution is to put your tent fly, or ground cloth in an easily accessable place. Use the fly to temporarily cover your pack and you wear the packa.
Cedar Tree

When wearing a poncho and needing something out of the pack, I can easily slide out of the pack, kneel down, bring my head down into the poncho, and find what I want from my pack. Do the reverse to put the pack back on without getting it, or you, wet. If you need to separate from the pack, just keep a garbage bag handy in the outside of your pack to cover the pack first before moving away from it. Easy enough.

[jlb2012]

looks like Exped is producing a product very similar to the Packa : Exped link

Cedar Tree - is this a licensed operation on their part or is it a rip off?

[Cedar Tree]

Thanks for the Heads Up Hog on Ice. Someone told me about Exped's product before, but that was the first I've seen of it. It looks different from the Packa in that it doesn't have sleeves or a front zipper. (Am I correct?)
But it does look like you deploy the poncho part without removing your pack, like you do with jacket part of the Packa. Anyway, Exped is a German company, and my patent is on good in the U.S.

The Packa on Ebay is at $10.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

Thanks, Cedar Tree

[Cedar Tree]

It's now at $22.50 with about 2 days left.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

Cedar Tree

[alalskaman]

Hard to believe, it's almost August here in usually rainy south-central Alaska, I've been out virtually every day, never had to use my new Packa. Until today - ta-da! It's great. I walked for a while in a poly t-shirt, was pretty wet when I decided to use the Packa, the ventilation is wonderful - with the pit zips, and without the pack straps pressing the fabric against me, I actually dried out inside the packa, walking a few miles uphill. Would have soaked myself in most rain gear. Count me as a satisfied user. Life is easier, too, without worrying about whether I've double-bagged everything in the pack. Cheers, Bill

[White Oak]

looks like Exped is producing a product very similar to the Packa : Exped link

How much does the Exped product cost? Can't find a price in deutche marks or dollars.

[jlb2012]

How much does the Exped product cost? Can't find a price in deutche marks or dollars.

If the link I found is correct the price varies based on size from $33 to $53 but this was not a site that was actually selling the item. link

[Cedar Tree]

Thanks Alaskaman for the positive comments on the Packa.
The Exped PackcoverPoncho is still confusing to me. If it has a front zipper, then it is the Packa, but as far as I can tell it doesn't have a front zipper.
Hence, it is different from the Packa. But, if there is no front zipper, how does it deploy? Is there enough fabric in the poncho (front) part so that you can slip it over your head without removing your pack?
Do you think thats how it works?
Or do you have to remove your Pack to deploy the poncho part?

As for weight comparison, it looks like they are pretty close, but I think the Packa wins barely. A custom made XL I finished yesterday weighed in at a whopping 9 oz. total. My new pattern design for the Packa is much improved.

This 9 oz custom Packa will be on ebay soon, and it is sweet.

As for cost, eventually the Packa will be much cheaper (I hope). As I've said before, I'm just a one person company, and at the numbers I buy, my cost is still too high to really get the price of the Packa down.

But, eventually I will go overseas with manufacture myself if I have to....

But, the biggest news is.....

I have recently been contacted by a MAJOR GEAR COMPANY that MAY be interested in either buying my patent or licensing the Packa.

Finally some recognition/respect from a big gear company.

But Mom says not to count my chickens before they hatch, so keep your fingers crossed for me.

Thanks,
Cedar Tree

[Cedar Tree]

Brand New Navy Blue Small/Medium Packa on Ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

Thanks,
Cedar Tree

[SGT Rock]

The packa is a cool product. If you are looking for a rain jacket with the ventilation similar to a poncho that allows you to have your pack inside with you - the packa is a good idea.

[dougmeredith]

The packa is a cool product. If you are looking for a rain jacket with the ventilation similar to a poncho that allows you to have your pack inside with you - the packa is a good idea.

I am certainly intrigued by this product, but I am concerned about some of the problems mentioned by the testers at BGT. The one that comes to mind was leaking around a draw-string hole or something like that. Anyone know if these issues have been addressed or if there is some reason I should discount the BGT comments?

[SGT Rock]

I didn't have leaking around the drawstring hole, but I did have a little leaking at the joint of the pack part to the back of the jacket. The jacked doesn't come seam sealed and except for a few possible high risk spots, it really doesn't need it.

[Cedar Tree]

I seam seal the grommet hole area on each one now before I ship it out.
CT