Looking for waterproof backpack

A large solid drybag inside.

Thanks roger, but I need a few pockets and the outer bag gets totally soaked after the first day. I have a drybag with shoulder straps that I modified with a hip belt. I'm looking for someone who make a drybag like backpack with waterproof zippers. The fold down type lets rain in when trying to get something out (Its always raining).
I'll be in an area that is totally exposed with no cover anywhere (for days). There is one guy in Alaska who makes a backpack (sagebrush Bags)but they are $350! I could buy a lot of gear for that much. I need to find something more reasonable.

Why not just pack a small/light umbrella in an outer pocket for the times you have to open a drybag? Also, the ULA Arctic Pack got good reviews, but it's just under the cost of the one you mention.

The Dana Design Racer X is another drybag-harness pack with several outside pockets. It is discontinued but occasionally I see one for sale – usually at a very reasonable price. I don't know of any retailer that still has one in stock though. May take some hunting.

Racer X in BPL Gear Guide:
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/dana_design_racer_x_gg.html

Larger pic here:
http://www.moosejaw.com/moosejaw/product.asp?pf_id=PAAAIAMIDLAJPJAG&ad_id=TB_P_May07

Christopher, thanks for the response. An umbrella wouldn't be practical in this environment- the wind blows more and harder then the rain. It would rip the umbrella to shreds in no time, plus I need both hands to get stuff out of the bag (mostly fishing equipment, flies, line, lunch etc.)
I'll check out the ULA- if its usable for other things other then this trip the money would be worth it (I would rather have a conduit or circuit thought and just tough it out for another year)

Jason, this looks more like what I'm looking for! (though I would like it a little larger) I wish I could now locate one.

I think it accepts different size drybags. DD also made a 'Raid Z' which is a bigger version of the Racer X, with a slightly different pocket configuration.

Sorry to have gotten your hopes up, but the first few pages of a google search didn't turn up anything promising. On a long shot, you might try posting on whiteblaze or some other forum, to see if anyone has an old one they'd want to part with.

You might want to try looking at these web pages. None of the solutions are ultralight, but then you can eliminate the pack liner and pack cover, so perhaps they come out lighter inthe end? I've never used any of these:

http://www.ortliebusa.com/cartgenie/prodInfo.asp?pid=166&cid=2

http://www.ortliebusa.com/cartgenie/prodList.asp?scat=3

http://www.thewaterproofstore.com/backpacks.html

http://www.travelgearblog.com/archive/rkv-reykjavik-backpack.html

http://www.travelgearblog.com/archive/dryzone-rover.html

http://www.travelgearblog.com/archive/crossbreed-dry-pack-1500.html

There are actual dry bags with shoulder strap harnesses on the market now days. I don’t know if it’ll fit your needs or the dry bag you’d have on mind but you can always buy a lumbar frame for them (only $5) and add on pockets for other gear and still come out far ahead price wise:
Lumbar Drybag Frame

or go with a dry bag with integrated frame:
SeaLine Waterproof Packs

That said, my solutions have been much simpler even when mixing backpacking with canoeing trips. Who cares if the pack gets wet it’s the stuff inside that matters. My normal pack with a dry bag inside has handled lots of major dunkings in the river with no issues. If I need additional pockets accessible that remain dry buy little dry bags (or even just zip lock bags) to shove in the external pockets or for organization inside. Walmart has some fairly light dry bags from Outdoor Products in a pack that has some small volume bags for cheap right now and they passed my initial tests by keeping my sleeping bag dry in pretty insane rain where there was significant water accumlation in my pack.

If you want another option, go with a water resistant bag and wear a poncho with it. This only works if you either have managable wind or don’t mind strapping the poncho around you with some cord to keep things in place.

Every bag I’ve tried that simply had waterproof zippers was a complete failure. Even when the material is completely waterproof such as PVC the zippers aren’t good enough for a good dunking. The packs that are dry bags with harnesses, of course they will work just fine. As will packs like the Arcteryx Naos, but you may have a case of sticker shock.

Again, thanks everyone for the response- A couple of thing I forgot to tell you… I'm going the the Alaskan coast by Yakutat. I will be fly fishing all day long at the mouth of the rivers.. Sometime with the pack on and sometime it's sitting on the bank (sand). I also walk the river for a couple of miles back and forth searching for the fish (silver salmon). I'm wearing chest waders and a wading jacket. Without a good fit the pack moves around to much. Sometimes I wade a little deep for a regular backpack (did that a few years ago with a regular pack, luckily I was flying out that night)

Miguel- most of these bags are like the one I use now. Mine is bigger (much more then I need) and has a terrible fit (a pain to carry after half the day in the rain)

Joe- Because I'm fly fishing the poncho won't work. I'm not worried about a dunking- it the constant rain, a regular backpack just doesn't work even with a liner (been there, done that). The zippers would help for access, it's a pain to roll and unroll the pack every time I need to get into it. The harness idea might work (at least it is cost effective).

I think the ULA Arctic pack looks to be the best. The mess pocket would really help for stuff that can get wet, but the price is a killer when I am only out 1-2 weeks a year doing this. (Where's the real Santa Claus when you need him?)

Sounds like the SeaLine pack I mentioned would fit the bill, the harness is a bit better than other companies offerings. After all, it is essentially a dry bag that has a normal pack harness. They have an "urban" version that has additional water resistant zipper pockets and such and could readily accept aftermarket pockets for the belt and such if you want.

How many cubic inches are you looking for? I've seen external frames (barebones) with no pack that could easily have any normal dry bag strapped to it. Several companies have dry bags that have straps for securing them built into the bag.

We have two waterproof backpacks and bring them out this time of year here in Southeast Alaska. Both are day packs, a Patagonia no longer available and an Ortlieb that is still sold. The Ortlieb has a stiff fit on my back and is all but submersible. Aerostich http://www.aerostich.com has a good selection of Ortlieb bags. I've seen some WxTex waterproof bags for sale around Juneau and they look decent.

My waterproof bags were purchased to keep the wet out here and to keep the dust and mud out when I travel in western Alaska. I keep my laptop in them to survive the luggage dump on the airstrip.

All that being said, don't assume that you need a waterproof bag. A good nylon pack should hold up under most conditions, and if you use a drybag inside for electronics you should be fine.

"An umbrella wouldn't be practical in this environment- the wind blows more and harder then the rain. It would rip the umbrella to shreds in no time, plus I need both hands to get stuff out of the bag (mostly fishing equipment, flies, line, lunch etc.)"

You can use your existing pack. Here's how:

Put your lunch in a 1 gallon freezer ziplock and put it in a big back-mounted pouch pocket (or pack lid) along with your stove, pot & mug. Put your flyfishing gear in little tackle boxes in the outside pockets for waterbottles. If you don't have a big pouch pocket for lunch /stove / pot / mug, then put them in a standard stuff sack and use some bungy cord to create a spyder web on the back of your pack to hold it. Now you don't have to open your pack all day.

To keep your overnight / emergency gear dry (even if it's underwater for hours): Use 1 mylar turkey roasting bag for your spare clothes, 1 for your sleeping bag, and 1 for your food inside your pack. Put all three into a contractor-grade trash bag. (Twist the tops shut, fold them like an inverted "J" and tie them in place. Will be more dry than most commercial dry bags.) Leave your tent outside the trash bag in case you have to set it up in the rain. (I strap mine to the top of the pack so I don't even have to open the pack until I'm inside the tent).

If you put your lunch & tackle inside the pack, nothing will get wet when you open the pack – but you have to be a little careful not to puncture the trash bag (contractor grade ones are very sturdy though).

As a Kiwi I may be biased, but I think the Aarn Featherlite would fit the bill perfectly:

http://www.backpackinglight.com.au/prod3.htm