An idea to keep gear dry inside backpack

It's actually a great idea and works well. I use a white trash compactor bag instead of a trash bag. It works great because 1) it's easier to squeeze things in since it's offers less friction than the pack's interior 2) white (vs black) helps see inside easier 3) the trash compactor bags are way sturdier than trash bags and don't puncture/tear as easily. The last is critical to me given I need to keep my down gear dry in the northwest.

That's an interesting idea. If you do decide to try it, please report back about how it worked out for you. I generally don't trust my sleeping bag to a pack liner because I almost always use a down bag, even in fairly wet conditions. To make sure it stays dry, I carry my sleeping bag in a dry bag. These days I've switched to cuben fiber bags. They are incredibly light.

how sturdy, durable or water proof are they in your experience? what size did you get?

Same here. I use a Z-Lite cut down to 6 sections. I fold up the pad and put it in the compactor bag, slide the whole thing into the pack, and then unfold it so:
/_ _/
with the flat part against my back and the doubled sections on the sides. Then I slide the rest of my gear into the U-shape formed by the pad.

Justin,

I’m using a size 12×24 drybag from Mountainfitter.com for my sleeping bag.

It’s very good quality, and the material is totally waterproof. It will hold water when filled up and tested (sitting upright) with out any leaking. But like all dry bags I’ve ever used, it will leak at the roll-top closure, even if you roll it 3 or 4 times, if you put it on its side when filled with water.

With the weight of most cuben dry bags, I don't see any reason why not to use both a pack liner and a cuben dry bag for your down stuff.

A big garbage bag is one of the more popular ways to keep your gear dry, at least on BPL. Compared to a pack cover, it's usually easier, more reliable, lighter, and cheaper.

That's what I do. I put a heavyweight garbage bag inside the pack, insert my rolled pad and let it expand, put the sleeping bag inside along with anything else I want to keep dry (clothes, etc.) and close the bag. Items that can get wet and which I want to segregate from my dry bag (water bottles, foodstuffs, etc.), go on top of that. I've been through some heavy rains without incident.

At night, the sleeping bag, etc. come out of the garbage bag and, if it's wet out, my hiking clothes, etc. etc. go in for overnight protection.

> With the weight of most cuben dry bags, I don't see any reason why not to use both > a pack liner and a cuben dry bag for your down stuff.

They're also not all that expensive, and the build quality of the ones that I've seen in person (HMG, MLD) match the built quality of their other stuff. They seem pretty flimsy at first, but they seem to be holding up. I guess I'll have a better idea as to their durability after a summer of hiking and backpacking though :)

I've been using the stuff sack that came with my sleeping bag, but I'm intrigued with just stuffing the bag in the bottom of the pack and letting it ooze into all the space available, then packing the rest of my gear on top of it to compress the bag as much as needed. I'm also thinking about a cuben drybag to protect the down in case the pack liner leaks, but it seems the drybag couldn't compress any more once sealed. Do I remember correctly that someone makes a cuben drybag with a breathable eVent panel?

Granite Gear makes them. Backcountry.com has them in stock.

I prefer their Sil eVent ones. I don't yet trust abrasion resistance of cuben, especially at the Granite Gear weight. Note the weight of the Mountain Fitter drybags: about twice the weight – almost as much as the Sil eVent ones.

yes, yes it does…on topic though

I guess I just don't "get" the pack liner.

A purpose built dry bag is intended to keep water out, and the contents dry, a trash bag is intended to hold trash, with the top open for more trash to enter. Not made to keep water out, and just doesn't seem that waterproof.

On top of that, the trashbag method seems a pretty glaring example of single-purpose gear. My drybag keeps my sleeping bag and jacket dry during the day while walking, and holds my food as a bear bag at night while I'm using the down gear (also keeping said food dry). I suppose the trashbag could be an emergency poncho, but if that's the case, there goes keeping your gear dry. The drybag just seems more useful, or versatile.

Also, from what I understand, the trash bag weighs more than my drybag, over 2 oz as opposed to 1.4 oz for my 13L drybag. Less durable, less waterproof, more weight…I don't get it, am I missing something?

Liners work just great for keeping rain out. A Nylafume bag is lighter(1 ounce per bag) and tougher than a compactor bag. Pick one up from your local exterminator and try it before you dismiss it altogether. It is also large enough to keep everything in my Ohm dry. 2500 cid easily.

I used trash compactor bag pack liners for several years and then gave them up. The main reason was that I got terribly frustrated repeatedly shoving small items down into my pack only to have them pop right back out thanks to the slippery plastic.

Several years ago I switched to two dry bags, one for my sleeping bag and one for my insulating clothing. The two dry bags together weigh less than the trash compactor bag. This change shortened my morning pack-up time by at least 5 minutes and may have lengthened my life by lowering my blood pressure!