Will the contents of my bag stay dry?

[travisap]

Will the Sea to Summit SN240 Pack Cover paired with the Outdoor Research silnylon Ultralight Ditty Sacks set of 3 keep the contents of my pack dry?

I'll be using the GoLite Jam 2 pack.

I've heard using a garbage bag as a bag liner works really well but I wasn't sure if a pack cover, bag liner and silnylon stuff sacks were all required.

[Spokes]

Some people like pack covers, others curse them. I fall into the second half. A trash compactor bag liner always works for me. I also use the ultra light bags to store my clothes and it doubles as my pillow too.

[Montana Mac]

Biggest problem I have found with a pack cover is that they collect water in the bottom.

Then this water is constantly dripping down the back of your legs and soaking into the bottom of the pack. I have a heavy duty trash bag inside my pack for a liner.

When I take the pack off and lean it against a tree or something they is when the pack cover helps to keep the rain off.

[garlic08]

Ditto the compactor bag working by itself. I hear some hikers don't like the pack itself getting wet and adding weight. I use a silnylon pack which doesn't absorb enough water to worry about, so that's not my concern.

And if you rely on a single bag for water protection like I do, you have to be very careful about inspecting the bag and packing it right. If you don't trust yourself on that point, you may want more layers.

[Blissful]

I am a soul of caution - I use a pack liner, a dry bag for my sleeping bag, Reynolds oven bags to double bag my clothes and jacket, and a pack cover.

[Blissful]

Biggest problem I have found with a pack cover is that they collect water in the bottom.

Then this water is constantly dripping down the back of your legs and soaking into the bottom of the pack. I have a heavy duty trash bag inside my pack for a liner.

When I take the pack off and lean it against a tree or something they is when the pack cover helps to keep the rain off.

Yeah you need the holes at the bottom so it drains. I got a new one this year a sea to summit with drain holes, and will see if it works better.

[Ender]

My old pack cover when I did the AT back in '98 I made drain holes myself. I found an old nail in a fire pit, heated it over my stove, and melted a couple holes into the bottom of the pack cover. Worked great, and because I melted the holes and didn't cut them, I never had any fraying issues at all.

I like pack covers, mainly because they keep your pack itself from becoming totally saturated with water and getting heavier. Still, some things inside it's best to also keep in their own dry bags/ziplock bags. Also, during warmer weather I use a poncho instead of a rain jacket, and that also covers my pack.

For things that really can't get wet, like electronics, use a heavy ziplock bag.

That said, nothing stays truly dry during a thru hike... water has a way of finding its way into everything when you're out there for more than a few days. And you'll find that it's not really that big a deal either. You just get used to it.

[sixguns01]

I am a soul of caution - I use a pack liner, a dry bag for my sleeping bag, Reynolds oven bags to double bag my clothes and jacket, and a pack cover.

Caution good. I use Polycro Liner Bags from BPL for my Bag, Cuben Dry Sacks for my clothes and food, and a Cuben Pack Cover. All comes in at 4 ounces.

Check some cottage companies for some real quality handmade items at affordable prices. Mountainfitters.com and Zpacks.com are excellent.

Also used the hot nail idea on my pack cover and worked great.

[Trailbender]

Yeah you need the holes at the bottom so it drains. I got a new one this year a sea to summit with drain holes, and will see if it works better.

Or just take a knife and make your own.