I’ve heard of hikers skipping the pack cover and instead lining their packs with a heavy duty garbage bag. How exactly is the garbage bag “attached” or lined to the inside of the pack??
Raindripper
Garbage bag liners
system
#2
I just put a huge black drum liner garbage bag inside my pack, and then put my stuff inside of that. My stuff is inside two big silnylon stuffsacks, and i still use a packcover. keeping stuff dry is good!
it seems to work well for me. some people put two smaller kitchen garbage bags inside the silnylon stuffsacks, and that seems to work too. happy hiking
goldilocks
system
#3
Some use the trash bag as a liner but more the trash compactor bag as a liner-which is thicker and will last a trip. You just stuff it and load up, fold over the top when full…or mold up if you leave wet stuff in it too long.
Bushwhack
system
#4
I have found the advantage a pack cover has over a pack liner is it prevents the pack from carrying 10 pounds of extra water. A pack liner will keep your stuff dry until it has holes all over it, but will not prevent your pack from becoming an involuntary hydration bladder.
gruel
system
#5
On short backpacking trips I used midgrade garbage bags as a pack cover using the “T” tech., A Large T shaped cut is made on either side of the bag to put your shoulder straps through. Slip the bag over your pack and tuck flaps behind your back(ive seen people duct tape the flaps together but it is not needed in low wind conditions. I like the white thinner bags because they stretch better than the expensive 3 mil contractor bags and I can tell how may holes are in it at a glance. This might work well for a thru hiker because one or two bags can be sent in drop boxes and they are lightweight and multiuse.
Ohioan
system
#6
I don’t see the advantage of a pack liner over a pack cover other than maybe cost and not having to stop and put it on the pack. The disadvantage is your pack gets soaked. If you separate your pack contents into individual stuff sacks it makes getting to something in your pack easier and makes packing easier. I had sacks for my water filter, my stove stuff, my cook stuff, my cloths, my sleeping bag, my tent, my food and then one for my first aid kit and other stuff. Some of the sacks were a little oversized allowing me to shift stuff around. After a while I had a routine with packing. The pack cover was in the top pocket of the pack along with my rain gear. I used the cover if it was a solid rain but in light showers I forwent it. My stuff never got wet other than maybe damp after several days of nothing but rain. Also using the pack cover when it was raining I didn’t have to put a wet pack in my tent. I’m sure it is all personal preference as to your own security as related to stuff getting wet. By the way, I was carrying a down sleeping bag in a water resistant stuff sack and it got a wet spot once. That time it was due to the soaked tent I put on top of it.
I made a few of my stuff sacks. I ordered some sil-nylon along with cord locks. I used parachute cord for closure and nylon thread to sew them together.
Two Scoops
system
#7
I used the same liner bag though my entire hike and never had anything in my pack get wet. I as suggested above, I used compactor bags. They are similar to contractor bags but smaller, perfectly sized for a 3500 cubic inch pack.
I don’t think that my pack really absorbed more water than a pack fitted wtih a pack cover. The majority of water gets sucked up by the straps and belt, which are exposed even with a cover. My pack was sil nylon so it did not soak in any excess water. I just found it easier to always have my stuff protected than have to stop and get out my cover. I am the type of person that would just try and hustle to get to the shelter instead of stopping to dawn my pack cover. this way I was always covered.
The main advantage to a pack cover is it provides a little extra protection to the pack. Ashtry always had his cover on and never worried about where he set his pack down because the outside was always covered.
Good luck.
Camel '04