Tips for trash bag rain skirt

[Stephen Parks]

So I've spent enough money on gear recently, and figured I'd just rely on a trash bag rain skirt to keep my lower body dry if needed this summer. I started with cutting up a compactor bag, punched some holes along the top for a shock cord "belt", and then realized I had made something that looked a lot like a trash bag with a built-in draw string. So next I just cut the bottom out of a tall kitchen bag. This is large enough for me to step into, is easy to tighten at the waist, and weighs just .75oz. It comes down to just below my knees, which I suppose is low enough as long as it won't be too cold. The main problem I can see is that when I try to take a large step up, the bottom opening is a little too tight and restricts my stride a bit. If I fold the bottom up to just above my knee, then it will ride up when I take such a step and so doesn't interfere with my stride.

How long and what bottom circumference do you like to use? I could use a larger bag and get more coverage, but I am tempted by the small pack size and low weight of the tall kitchen bag. Any other hints? I don't think I'll have any chance to test the bag locally before going on a trip in the PNW at the end of the month. Thanks!

[David Thomas]

Ah, but does it "make your butt look big"?

To take another idea from women's fashion: From the lower hem to a bit above your knees, cut a slit in each side. Terminate the slit in a patch of duct tape (like 1" x 1") to reinforce that spot. It will allow a much greater stride while reducing the rain shedding very little.

My next lesson will be how to sew darts into your tight shirts to accommodate your massive pecs.

[Ken Thompson]

No white after Labor Day. Black for evenings. Most manly, Hefty Force Flex bags.

[Kevin Schneringer]

"but I am tempted by the small pack size and low weight of the tall kitchen bag"

That just hit me as funny! tempted by a trash bag…
Well you must have drank an extra tall UL kool-aid.

My problem is while the trash bag works. My wife would wonder why everything else costs so much. I have to keep up appearances!

[Jerry Adams]

hmmm

David is also an expert in women's fashion…

[Stephen Parks]

I'm 5'10" and 135 lbs, nothing is going to make my butt look big. Pecs? Ha-ha, I wish.

[Stephen Parks]

"From the lower hem to a bit above your knees, cut a slit in each side. Terminate the slit in a patch of duct tape (like 1" x 1") to reinforce that spot. It will allow a much greater stride while reducing the rain shedding very little."

This helped quite a bit. I used clear packing tape instead of duct tape because it is lighter and to not ruin the clean lines and monochromatic smartness of the garment. I reinforced some other high stress points while I was at it, and added only .03 oz of weight.

The slits do help with the stride. Stair steps one at a time are no problem. Two at a time, my stride is no longer impeded, but the hem does ride up, exposing my knee, and the hem doesn't fall back down without some help. I think the only cure for that would be a longer bag. Maybe I'll try a little longer slit. Still, not bad.

[Bob Gross]

"but the hem does ride up, exposing my knee"

You can continue that until bystanders begin to whistle.

–B.G.–

[george carr]

"but the hem does ride up, exposing my knee"

You can continue that until bystanders begin to whistle.

–B.G.–

Poking out my minds eye with an imaginary ice pick…….

[Gerald L]

It may be better to refer to this design as 'Polyethylene Precipitate Protective Gear with Bilateral Articulating Joints'. Just sayin' ;)

[Stephen Parks]

Guys, enough with the trash talk. Ba-dum-bum.

The trash bag seemed to be functional but looked just a little too umm, trashy, so I'm making one out of clear window shrink film. Now I won't have to high step to tease with the knees – they'll be on display all the time. Oh yeah.

[Stephen Parks]

I just finished my polycryo rainskirt. With Velcro closures and snack size ziploc "stuff sack" it weighs .97oz.

The material is very slick and I dont know what the effect will be on how my pack belt stays in place. Also I don't know if the Velcro will maintain its grip when wet. It is less shameful than the garbage bag, at least.

[Daniel Pittman]

Dude's built like me! Whatever you do, don't use a black bag. Black is way too slimming.

5'10" 135 lbs represent!

[Stephen Parks]

After receiving a PM from someone recently asking me how this polycryo rain skirt turned out, I realized I should update this ancient thread with my findings.

Although sexy as hell, it was a miserable rain skirt.  When wet, the material is very self-clingy and just wads up/ hikes up.  Which makes it even more revealing.  It first an only use was in Japan, and I probably just reinforced any stereotypes of immoral Americans.

I later bought a Zpacks skirt.  As far as a rain skirt goes, it is great, but I still think I’ll prefer some proper rain pants, once I can find somewhere that can make some to fit me.

[David Thomas]

While I can appreciate getting the bottom cut off and the side slits cut in advance if you expect to use the ever-stylish trash-bag rain skirt, I usually carry an uncut trash bag (or two).  Then I can use it as an emergency bivy (legs only), to keep other gear dry, or as – surprise! – as a trash bag.  I’ve always got a Victorinox Classic SAK with me, but in a pinch you can gnaw through the bag with your teeth.  I’ve done that to convert a trash bag into a poncho – chewing open a head hole and (optional, depending on the severity of the weather and terrain) two arm holes.

[David Thomas]

While I tend towards earth-tones for my hiking clothes and tent to reduce my visual impact on other hikers (except during hunting season), I’ve snagged a few yellow and orange trash bags figuring that if I’m resorting to trash-bag rainwear, maybe a few things have gone sideways and I’d like to be easily found.

The yellow ones came from a tire shop that places your snow tires into them before putting them in your car after our seasonal tire change-over.  The orange ones came from road-side clean-up events and were donated by a local industry.

There are now dozens of duct-tape colors and patterns available, but trash bags are lagging far behind.  Stripes, plaids, and floral patterns would be obvious places to start, but regional patterns (clan tartans in Scotland, camo in Georgia, lei motif in Hawaii) could be done as well.  The only one I’ve seen offered is the jack-o-lantern version sold in October.

5’10”, skinny and in a trash bag doesn’t have to be an eyesore:

[Jim Colten]

OK, now that she has trash bag rain gear design down pat, the remaining question is “How will those shoes hold up off trail?”

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

Perhaps take two drawstring kitchen bags and combine them into one very flowy rain skirt. Or if the plastic is too thin on kitchen bags, use trash compactor bags and tape and take the drawstrings out of the kitchen bags.

I have a ULA rain kilt. It works pretty well. It’s easy to put on, velcro down the side (or front or whatever) and the whole thing tucks into a little pocket that’s permanently attached. The only problem is that it’s just a little too narrow for taking big steps. You can’t really un-velcro that bottom velcro because it just sticks together again while you walk.

[David Thomas]

Piper,

“You can’t really un-velcro that bottom velcro because it just sticks together again”

You could store a bit of extra velcro (hook or pile), say, an 8″ length, on the kilt somewhere and then use  it to cover one side of the bottom velcro to allow for larger steps.

[Jordo _99]

Here’s an anecdotal story:

 

I used to work in cornfields every summer (from age 12-21) and the trash-bag skirt was the go-to rain gear for all of the veteran kids. Lots of kids would show up with rain gear that just didn’t work in the conditions and would also get destroyed over a week or two.

Conditions were were always cold and damp in the mornings; We’d be walking through 4-6ft tall corn with a dozen wet leaves slapping you every step. The problem with rain pants was that they didn’t breath so you’d sweat out inside of them within a few hours and defeat the entire purpose.

…then the trash bag skirt showed up and it provided great ventilation and still pretty good protection from dew/irrigation (farmers weren’t supposed to water when we were showing up but some did). Being young guys, we usually just tucked the top of the bag inside our waistbands and if you didn’t have too much hair, seal it to your skin with duct tape.

 

Overall…those conditions are far more demanding that what I’ve seen on the trail and the rain skirt and I’m a huge fan of it even if I look a bit goofy to those around me.

 

 

[Matthew / BPL]

Good thread, team. Funny, informative, just a little innuendo. Well done!

[Author]

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