Keep your pack dry.

[Mike Long 10]

Many companies sell pack covers because backpacks are not waterproof. My experience is that I have owned several and none has kept my gear dry.

My solution? Wrap everything in plastic.

 

I put a trash compactor bag (MUCH stronger than garbage bags) inside the main compartment of my pack as a liner. Everthing than goes in the main compartment is also wrapped individually in plastic or water proof/resistant stuff sacks. I then tie the compactor bag shut with a twist tie and tuck the excess plastic away so that the opening is pointed down.

 

I also line the stuff sack of my sleeping bag with a compactor bag. Stuff in the sleeping bag, tie the compactor bag and cinch everything shut. When I'm not hiking I use a garbage bag as a pack cover.

 

I tell my scouts that they should be able to drop their packs in a river and nothing important get wet. Last March in the Smokies we had that happen during a stream crossing. Using these methods the scout had nothing get wet except himself (and that was easily taken care of.)

 

Alway bring an assortment of extra bags(ziplock, garbage, and compactor) Be Prepared, ya know.

 

 

[P_Swigs 10]

Mike is right on the money! I've taken canoe trips into Canada's Quetico Provincial Park eight times with gear in a backpack. It only took one trip to realize the importance of dry clothes, sleeping bag, etc. I coined a phrase that is good in four seasons: "Wet is cold. Dry is warm". True, especially in winter, but summer too. Especially when it comes to sleeping bags!!

[eisely 13]

It must really rain a LOT where Mike Long is backpacking. His suggestions are very sound for canoeing and/or whitewater rafting trips. We also advise scouts to pack individual items of clothing in Ziplocks inside their packs. However, living and packpacking West of the Rockies, where it is more arid, I have found a commercially produced pack cover to be quite sufficient. The rainfall we get during backpacking season is less frequent, less drenching, and shorter in duration.

[Mike Long 10]

Just so you know, It does rain alot here in northeast Fl. My other favorite backpacking destination, the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, happens to be the wettest place in the East. I've been on a few week longs when the only time we saw the sun was on the road back home. I tell my Scouts that you are a truly accomplished camper when you can go out in conditions like that and be dry and still enjoy the trip.

[eisely 13]

I resurrected this old thread to concede a point to Mike. During our recent Philmont trek the inexpensive commercially made pack covers we were using did not keep my son's and my packs dry. However, there were some newer REI private label pack covers in use my others that were more effective.

 

Of course the objective is not so much to keep the pack dry as the contents dry. Since we had also put everything into ziplocks, we achieved a satisfactory outcome nothwithstanding the fact that the packs themselves got very wet.

[red feather 10]

might be time to bring this one back up.

 

yis

[Mike F 10]

I've seen the recommendation about using trash compactor bags before, but haven't noticed them for sale in local stores. Where do you find them?

[KoreaScouter 13]

The thick plastc hotel laundry bags with drawstrings work pretty good, too.

 

KS

[Mike Long 10]

Trash compactor bags.

Wal-mart has them but I get them from my local grocery store.

 

Update: Finally got a packcover I'm happy with. It's one of those new fangled silhylon jobbers and only weighs a few ounces.