How Waterproof are Rucksack Covers?

[Martin-123]

Hi,

I can't find any pictures of the front of a rucksack cover so I'm wondering how they protect the front (against your back) with all the straps poking through.

This one from Berghaus claims to be "Totally waterproof" ...

http://store.berghaus.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product8_11201_10252_4-61429_-1___

Thanks for any comments.

Martin

 

[blacktimberwolf]

First of all, rucksack covers only protect the front, top & sides of your bag........ secondly, not all covers are equal when it comes to being waterproof, some are barely showerproof.
I personally think the best way of keeping your kit dry, is either dry sacks or a large rucksack waterproof liner ( a bin bag works fine) & for keeping a rucksack dry, throw the back of your poncho ( if you have one) over the bag.
I don't really trust these covers for anything other than April showers but my experience of them is limited, but is anything really waterproof in heavy, prolonged rain or under a violent thunderstorm ?

 

[Shewie]

There's always the Packa

http://www.thepacka.com/

I'm with btw though, protect your gear on the inside with a pack liner or individual dry sacks, a decent grade poly bag can work just as well as a proofed nylon jobby.

 

[Retired Member southey]

There's always the Packa

http://www.thepacka.com/

I'm with btw though, protect your gear on the inside with a pack liner or individual dry sacks, a decent grade poly bag can work just as well as a proofed nylon jobby.

Word homes! I'm with peeps on this, PEACE!

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Rum or Ganja ?

 

[Retired Member southey]

Just to add , i had a cheapish tesco 40 litre pack with a rain cover stored in a little pocket in the base, i used the pack on a three day ride to Scotland from Plymouth, through some very heavy rain, both stuck in trafffic and at speed, even though i had everything inside in a dry bag, the inside of the pack was never wet, BUT the coating on the rain cover degraded after about 2 years and would need reproofing again if i hadn't of spilt chain oil all over the pack and binned it.

Rum or Ganja ?

no rum on a school night, and I'm not a waste of atoms so the second doesn't apply.

 

[Bushwhacker]

It's only my sleeping bag and spare clothes that need to be kept dry so it's a case of putting that inside my goretex bivvy and wrapping it up.

 

[knifefan]

Waterproof bags all the way, the other big downside to covers is that they flap around too much in windy conditions

 

[EastSussexScout]

I used a Berghaus freeflow 20 when i did a 60 mile endurance hike across the south downs and never bothered with dry bags etc. the cover worked perfectly and didn't flap around in high winds if it's fitted properly. as for water getting into the back of the bag, your back tends to stop any water getting in, i suppose with the freeflow, that airgap is a bonus for keeping the rain out. i guess it just depends on the individual bag as to how effective they are, if you're in doubt you could always pick a rainy day and take it for a test run.

 

[SimonM]

I pack all my gear in different coloured dry bags. If I know I'm doing river crossings (not so often these days!) the whole lot goes in a big dry bag too.

The bags make setting up easier too , as I know which bag has what in it.

Simon

 

[Martin-123]

I'm planning a trip to Iceland so need to prepare for heavy storms.

I was trying to avoid bringing a dripping wet sack into my tent, but I can leave it under the fly and just accept that things are going to get a bit wet.

I'm going to accept your advice and go with, probably, the bivvi bag method as this involves no extra kit or expense. I suppose I could use the bivvi as a pack liner. Fold the bottom 2/3 of it into the sack and put all my stuff (Tent, sl bag, clothes & food) inside it, then fold over the top and close the sack. Side pockets can be plastic bags if necessary.

Thanks to all for your input. (I enjoyed thinking about the Packa!)

Mart.

There's no substitute for experience.

 

[PDA1]

+1 on lining your pack with a bin bag or similar. However, it is also important to keep the pack itself dry. AS the material becomes saturated, it will gain weight - a lot of weight. I have'n't done an experiment, but I suspect that a 3 lb pack could become a 10 lb pack in short order. Easy enough to make a shaped pack cover with drawstring/elasticated sides out of 2 mil plastic.

 

[Beardy Adam]

I have used the standard orange rain cover that came with my Lowe Alpine TFX Expedition rucksack, and even in the most heavy and prolonged rain it never once let any water through. After taking some abuse, to the eye the water did not appear to bead up and run off as it did when brand new, so it wetted out, but it still kept my rucksack dry. Of course, the benefit of them is also that they dry quickly and weigh little. I have never used a rucksack liner, nor would I for a large rucksack, I remember I once picked up a rucksack liner for a 60l rucksack and it weight 800g! Something to perhaps consider if you are trying to lighten the load.

 

[Teepee]

Pack covers are well worth getting and using for me. Whilst all my kit goes in silnylon stuff sacks, I still like to keep the rain off the pack and the cover helps stop my UL pack getting damaged on rocks/thorns to boot. I find it handy to keep on the pack at night to be able to leave it on the floor without getting wet.

 

[Lynx]

Sorry to butt in but on the same theme how do waterproof sprays work on canvas backpacks? Anyone have any experience? I have been thinking of buying a cover also but if spraying helps then I will do that.

 

[Limaed]

Rucksacks covers are horrible things, dry bags are the answer. They're not as expensive as you might think:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dry-Sack-125L...aultDomain_3&hash=item3a6724351a#ht_561wt_905
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dry-Sack-45L-...aultDomain_3&hash=item3cb9ab0a06#ht_504wt_905

However if you want to save the expense of these you can get very heavy duty rubbish bags from builders merchants, they make good sack liners. If you take two you can store your wet bag in the spare. I'm not convinced about using your Bivi Bag, it ll work for a while but will at some point wet out and leak.

 

[Martin-123]

Sorry to butt in but on the same theme how do waterproof sprays work on canvas backpacks? Anyone have any experience? I have been thinking of buying a cover also but if spraying helps then I will do that.

No problem Lynx. It's a good question.

 

[Martin-123]

Rucksacks covers are horrible things, dry bags are the answer. They're not as expensive as you might think:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dry-Sack-125L...aultDomain_3&hash=item3a6724351a#ht_561wt_905
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dry-Sack-45L-...aultDomain_3&hash=item3cb9ab0a06#ht_504wt_905

However if you want to save the expense of these you can get very heavy duty rubbish bags from builders merchants, they make good sack liners. If you take two you can store your wet bag in the spare. I'm not convinced about using your Bivi Bag, it ll work for a while but will at some point wet out and leak.

Those dry bags look the business but too heavy for my liking.

Re bivi "... will at some point wet out and leak" ... Am I showing my lack of experience here? Why would it leak if it's waterproof?

 

[Martin-123]

Pack covers are well worth getting and using for me. Whilst all my kit goes in silnylon stuff sacks, I still like to keep the rain off the pack and the cover helps stop my UL pack getting damaged on rocks/thorns to boot. I find it handy to keep on the pack at night to be able to leave it on the floor without getting wet.

One or two people are coming out in favour of them now...

So which pack cover do you use Teepee?

 

[tiger stacker]

Canoe bags inside waterproof cover outside, there are lighter more flexy bags on offer. Depends what you are carrying though, the disadvantage of living out of a bergen is you bag everything up inside to avoid wetness spreading. Rubble bags are a excellant alternative to dry/canoe type bags. I own two covers for two different bags. On there own they are fine, however being Scotland rain will get everywhere.