Pack cover problems - a solution

I got tired of pack covers blowing off or blowing around loosely and buckles that gouged my back.

I added straps that wrap around the pack to the front and buckle there. The straps hold the cover to the pack and there is no buckle in back to gouge. Simple. Maybe someone will start making them like that. Maybe someone already does and I don't know about it.

My pack cover has a drawstring.

Gossamer Gear has a similar pack cover with straps.

I just bought a water proof pack and I don't have to worry about a malfunctioning pack cover. I have had it in several down-pours and nothing has ever gotten wet. I do, however place everything in water proof bags on the inside of my pack just in case...Hope that helps. (you can get three(3) Outdoor Research water proof bags at Walmart for 10 bucks.)This individual way of bagging every thing helps to distinguish what bag has what in it. I kind of remember from the color of the bag(there are only three colors)... Hope that helps.....sabre11004...

The first step that you take will oneof those that get you there !!!!

Actually, a pack cover doesn't do much except keep the outside front and sides of the pack dry, plus stuff in the outside pockets. It won't keep heavy rain from running down your back and soaking in, and it's useless in case of immersion. I use one only because my pack is the basis for my pillow, so I like to keep the upper side dry. I'm going to experiment with other pillow possibilities to see if I can omit the pack cover, leaving the wet pack in the tent vestibule.

For a number of years I relied on using a 2-mil plastic trash compactor bag as a pack liner. Last summer I switched from the pack liner to putting my critical gear (sleeping bag and clothing) into Sea-to-Summit Ultra-Sil dry bags. With the trash compactor bag, I was spending too much time fighting with small items which I'd repeatedly shove down into the pack only to have them pop back out at me thanks to the slippery plastic. The dry bags earned their keep when I slipped and fell while fording a stream, ending up with a very wet me but completely dry gear inside the dry bags (there was a quarter-inch of water in the bottom of my pack). Since the weather was cold and rainy and I was 2 days' hike from the trailhead, I was extremely thankful for the dry bags!

My Jam2 is pretty waterproof also. The only thing that needs protecting is my sleeping bag, and it is packed inside my bivy when things get wet. The clothes more or less hold their own. Wool stays on. Synthetics don't hold water.

I've questioned whether the pack should be waterproof, or if it should in fact be breathable, for when stuff goes in wet. So far I haven't had a problem with it being waterproof.

I make my packs out of uncoated nylon. Things that I want to keep dry go into plastic bags inside the pack.

My pack gets wet from sweat and/or rain or damp ground. No problem. The water just runs through the pack and drains out.

In dry weather the pack can dry out quickly. I can also throw the pack into the washer between trips so I always start out with a fresh, clean pack.

I gave up on covers and just use a sea to summit pack liner. Kind of a pain to pack but it keeps everything dry. If I had it to do over I would buy a larger s2s liner to make it easier to pack but if I leave some stuff which can get wet outside of the liner sack it works OK.

I also gave up on covers, I use silnylon stuff sacks and a breathable pack. I keep my butt pad on top to deflect the worst of it and never have a problem - If it's truly horrible I wear
the silponcho over me and the pack.

When I hiked the AT I came up with the same conclusion. I always had two straps around the pack to hold anything, but when the rain cover came on they went around the rain cover. I've concidered sewing them to the rain cover, but then they loose functionality as they are always with the rain cover.
Scott

Hey TB! There's a country not heard from lately. Hope all is well with you!

It took me a while to figure out the new webpage... For some reason, I could not find the nice little button that read forums.??
TB

The pack cover has several uses. As a cover, I've been satisfied with it although in heavy continuous rain, I, too, like to add a poncho over everything. The cover is also useful as a water bag and gear hammock (though not at the same time