Zpacks waterproofness ?

[Suzzz]

Question for the Zpack owners out there. Are they as waterproof as Zpack says they are? We all know how manufacturers tend to bend the truth and I'd rather know about it before than after all my gear is soaked. The weight of a few extra garbage bags is much better than sleeping in a soggy sleeping bag.

My new Arc Haul is being built as I write these lines and I cant wait to get it!

[MuddyWaters]

Always use a pack liner for insulation

Always

They are water-resistant
Taped seams peel, gear rubs tape off
Hard gear rubs holes in cuben, etc
Sometimes the stays themself can rub hole in cuben

Even xpac delaminates and falls apart near seams after use.

Nothing matters but insulation, clothing. Liner for those is less than 1 oz.
Most things can get damp or are in ziplocks already.

[Suzzz]

Thanks MuddyWaters!

That's what I usually do, I'll just keep doing the same thing.

[ldsailor]

While hiking Virginia last year, it was HOT! HOT! HOT! for some of the more difficult climbs. Thus, I perspired to put it mildly or more accurately, I was soaked through and through. After about 5 days of that, I reached into my pack for dry underwear and hiking shorts. Much to my dismay, everything in my laundry bag was damp and musty. There was no rain during that period. I had literally sweated through my Arc Haul and my non-waterproof laundry bag to dampen my "clean clothes."

When I finished up my LASH for the year, I had a trash compactor bag in my pack for Maryland and Pennsylvania. I suggest you do the same. I also have a rain cover for the pack.

[Suzzz]

Good point Idsailor, I wouldn't have thought about that. I'll keep it in mind.

[PaulWorksHard]

I used an ArcBLast for my 2016 thru hike. Did not use a pack liner. Kept my sleeping bag in the ZPacks dry bag. The only time I got anything soaked in my backpack was when I did not fully close my platypus before putting it in the pack. (Never did that again). By the end of my hike, the ArcBlast was definitely not waterproof, but it was good enough. At the end of a full day of soaking rain during the 100 mile wilderness, there was a very slight dampness on the inside at the bottom of my pack. Used the same pack last year for the Colorado trail and had no pack liner (but sleeping bag in a ZPacks dry bag). No problem again.

Note: You need to treat and handle cuben fiber with care. It punctures and abrades very easily. Put down and pick up the ArcBlast with care or holes will develop. After about 3000 miles of use, one of the vertical supports on the pack frame wore through the pocket that it went into and the horizontal support that goes through the hip belt broke. I sent it to ZPacks and they fixed everything up like new.

[bigcranky]

I have the Zpacks cuben pack liner, which in my experience is completely waterproof, and I use it inside my Arc Haul. Looking at the pack, everything is taped -- but as MW says above, things happen.

[DuneElliot]

CF is waterproof but seams are not. The Arc Haul dyneema is NOT waterproof but it is water resistant. I did have a damp food bag after getting rained on a couple of years back.

[KDogg]

I used an arc blast on my 2016 thru. For me it was completely waterproof. Didn't have a cover with me and never had any water inside. The seems on my pack were all seam sealed. I loved no having to worry about stopping and putting on a cover when it rained.

[Coffee]

I have many zPacks products and my Hexamid has performed exceptionally well in all kinds of weather over five years of use and probably closing in on 180+ nights at this point. Terrific shelter. I also like their dry bags and the blast food bag. The food bag is many years old and just was tested in a torrential rainstorm overnight - totally dry inside. I will note that the pack liner I purchased from them failed after probably 30-40 days of hiking. It developed pinholes that I couldn't see but my pack got saturated because my cover also failed and the pack liner leaked badly. I have since switched to trash compactor bags which are cheap enough to replace often and bombproof. I would not recommend a cuben pack liner.

[Deacon]

...I will note that the pack liner I purchased from them failed after probably 30-40 days of hiking. It developed pinholes that I couldn't see but my pack got saturated because my cover also failed and the pack liner leaked badly. I have since switched to trash compactor bags which are cheap enough to replace often and bombproof. I would not recommend a cuben pack liner.

I have similar experience with the Z pack liner.

I suspected some leakage when the content kept getting a lot of moisture inside, even a very small puddle in the bottom.

After one of my summer AT sections, I put my pack liner in the bathtub and filled it with water to find any leaks. Good grief, there were 10-15 little micro-streams leaking through the pack.

All together, I had used this liner a total of six months. It is now retired, and will try a nyloflume liner.


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[Suzzz]

Appreciate all of your comments... THANKS !!!

You are pretty much all confirming what I thought. Like everything else in life, in certain situations, for some people, stuff doesn't get wet and in others it does, so I will err on the side of caution continue to put my belongings in bags. It's a rather small inconvenience to have a dry sleeping bag.

I can't wait to get back to the trail!

[GankenBerry]

water finds it's way in sometimes.

[Maineiac64]

I put my sleeping bag in a trash liner and clothes on cuben dry bag for peace of mind but never had any issues.

[Dogwood]

Easy on ZPacks. Want the truth seek the truth. ZPacks doesn't claim their backpacks to be waterproof. For Zpacks backpacks from Zpacks advertisements, specs, and claims "All seams and attachment points are taped, making the pack highly water resistant. We still suggest using dry bags for your important items like your sleeping bag."

[Bearded_Shrek]

Like the OP said.... Keep using a liner!

[Jayne]

I used an Arc Haul zip on a section hike in 2017 where it rained almost non stop for 5 days. I never had any problems with water in my pack unless I put something wet in there and it drained out. I do put my clothes and down in a waterproof compression sack as a safety precaution. I suspect that over team the seams may be more prone to leakage but I was very pleased with the water resistance.

[meat803]

Triple crowner here-

On AT used Cuben arc blast. Leaked by Virginia (NOBO). Just continued using cuben dry bags I statred with.

On PCT Used Dyneema grid stop or whatever the non cuban arc blast is. Wonderful weather but had same leakage on the few occasions. Cuben dry bags did their job.

CDT Started with same old dyneema arc blast but too damn uncomfortable with long hauls of food and skinny shoulder straps/lack of padding. Basically loads too high for the design. Went with HMG 3400. We used compactor bags and dry sacks due to extreme weather and conditions and did not want to die. Worked perfectly even though the pack after heavy use will obviously leak like any other cuben bag. I cant say enough good things about my HMG. It is night and day better than the Z. Had a friend on the CDT only use compactor bag, which was old, and his bag got wet. He almost died. He was hardcore ultralight, no dry sack. Use both if your life depends on it.

Pack covers are worthless. All cuben bags will leak eventually. The top membrane breaks down from constantly rolling and unrolling. Use dry sacks. Compactor bags are cheap,light, and work great. You can buy them anywhere. Just throw an extra in the bottom of your pack under the liner. Getting your down wet can be life or death.

[colorado_rob]

CDT Started with same old dyneema arc blast but too damn uncomfortable with long hauls of food and skinny shoulder straps/lack of padding. Basically loads too high for the design. Went with HMG 3400.

My Arc Haul is finally starting to wear out (after 5 years and many many thousands of miles), and I was thinking about taking a close look at those HMG's, so thanks for this endorsement; it means a lot coming from a triple crowner. AND now that REI carries the brand, it's easier to check out in-person and thoroughly test out.

Is there any real difference between the 2400 and 3400 except size? I see no difference doing a "compare" online.

[DeadBushi]

Better safe than sorry. Use a liner. Nylofume (sp?) are cheap,durable and super light weight.