Waterproofing your Pack?

[trophyhill]

So for some reason if a pack starts losing its water resistance, can it be re proofed?

 

[Trapline]

i use a rubber laundry bag from the army navy store, goes in first then everything inside of it in the pack.

 

[croben]

I mostly just use a rain cover if need be. I also have dry storage I can bring for the inside of my pack if it’s going to be really wet out.

 

[BBob]

Nikwax or Gear Aid Revivex come to mind.

 

[JMasson]

So for some reason if a pack starts losing its water resistance, can it be re proofed?

Maybe but it will likely not be nearly as effective as the original waterproofing. I use a few different waterproof bags. Even if my pack was waterproof I would still have my sleeping bag and warm layers in a separate waterproof bag just in case. I’ve seen more than one “waterproof” pack fail and therefore don’t trust my necessary survival items to them alone.

 

[Theringworm]

The majority of “hunting back packs” are NOT waterPROOF. They may have some waterRESISTANT coating applied which I feel is what the OP is questioning about. The answer is yes, that “resistant“ layer over time does begin to fade and eventually fail. It can be renewed by applying either Nikwax or one of Grangers applications to it. Essentially this should be done periodically, or especially after every time it gets washed.

Dry bags inside the pack for essentials you don’t want wet are a must in heavily wet areas. After a couple of hunts in the PNW or SE Alaska you’ll quickly realize the futility of a pack rain cover. It’s the dry bags inside that matter.

 

[mrolen]

I use a small sea to summit dry bag to keep the important stuff dry if I need more room I just stuff a black contractor bag inside the pack that everything goes into. Bought a pack cover big haven’t used it.

 

[trophyhill]

The majority of “hunting back packs” are NOT waterPROOF. They may have some waterRESISTANT coating applied which I feel is what the OP is questioning about. The answer is yes, that “resistant“ layer over time does begin to fade and eventually fail. It can be renewed by applying either Nikwax or one of Grangers applications to it. Essentially this should be done periodically, or especially after every time it gets washed.

Dry bags inside the pack for essentials you don’t want wet are a must in heavily wet areas. After a couple of hunts in the PNW or SE Alaska you’ll quickly realize the futility of a pack rain cover. It’s the dry bags inside that matter.

Yes sir you are correct in the water resistant properties. None of my packs over the years have been waterproof but highly water resistant and in fact my DT1 actually has held water inside all night long when I filled it to let it soak over night several years back.

Last season I had a great year and after elk season took my Hoodlum pack to the car wash. Oops. Then I read somewhere I'm not sposed to do that. Well the pack came clean obviously And not sure how it will respond this coming season if I get caught in the rain. I typically have a tarp I deploy in those conditions so I'm never in the rain for too long.

Lol "after a couple hunts in the PNW or SE Alaska"

 

[hammer0419]

Nikwax makes great products. Will add some WATER REPELLENCY to gear. I like to use multiple ultralight dry bags I side. Waterproof and as organization

 

[Marble]

Granger's Wash + Repel DWR Treatment

Zpacks Offers the Best Lightweight Backpacking Gear: The Ultralight Granger's Wash + Repel DWR Treatment revitalizes the Durable Water Repellent (DWR) on your rain gear, at the same time as washing it.

zpacks.com

I think something like this could work.

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[Felix40]

I am tired of getting wet through my rain gear and my pack soaking up a bunch of water. Last week I decided to go crazy and try to fix it. I made a huge batch of diy seam sealer and painted it on my pack and over all of my rain gear. Time will tell if it was a bad decision or not.

 

[venado mula]

Nikwax TX Direct spray. I clean my pack and after it drys, I spray the pack, let it dry and it keeps it dry all season. Hope this helps.

 

[TaperPin]

Even the highest $$$$ mountaineering packs are only water resistant - there’s just too much going on to reliably seal them. Even if a rain cover is used, it’s common practice to also pack everything in plastic bags.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Thompson's Water Seal. Lay it on heavy.

 

[snowcamoman]

I had a custom xPac, rolltop pack made. Problem solved...100% waterproof

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[Desk Jockey]

A rain fly is probably worth it if ou spend a lot of time in the rain. A pack can soak up a lot of water if it gets saturated. A 4-5 oz sil rain fly is good for keeping a pack fairly dry and free of snow and ice if the weather is cold.

as far as keeping contents dry I prefer bags inside for the contents. The more dry I want something to stay - down sleeping bag or my toilet paper - the more care I exert to waterproof it.

 

[Jimss]

In Alaska where it can rain for days I've always used dry bags for clothes and gear that I want 100% dry and use a waterproof backpack cover for my pack. Here in Colorado and Wyoming I really don't worry about it too much unless I know for sure it's going to be super wet. I always play it safe with my sleeping bag and put it in a dry bag.

A waterproof backpack bag weighs only a couple ounces. I also buy the lightest weight sea to summit dry bags in different sizes.

 

[Boarmaster]

I use dry bags inside the pack.