Waterproof pack liner?

[lisa r]

This year I got a new pack and finally made the switch from using pack cover to pack liner. I’m just back from a 6-day trip using a trash compactor bag for liner. It’s already got some holes in it from a week of use (and I was trying to be gentle with it). I’m wondering if there are similarly light but more durable options out there? I hate to go through plastic bags like that. Thanks!

[Pedestrian]

That’s surprising! I’ve used the same trash compactor bag in my pack for multiple trips over a couple of years at least.

Maybe you ought to look at what brand compactor bag you’re using? Or try getting the nylofume bags.

I got one of those Costco mega packs of compactor bags a decade or more ago and have used those myself and have given many to friends and family for similar use.

 

[A C]

Exped Schnozzel in Medium size weighs 2oz but it also doubles as a pump sack for my S2S Etherlite pad in between functioning as a dry bag/pack liner.

Also works without adapter on Nemo pads.  Needs an adapter to work on Thermarest

[jscott]

+1 on the Exped Schnozzel. One of the brilliant innovations in light weight packing that will stand the test of time.***

It’s held up as a dry bag in serious cold downpours/sleet for me. However, I jsut put my most vulnerable items in it–sleeping bag in its own stuff sack, all down items, and other clothes that are essential in cold wet situations. In other words,I don’t line my whole interior pack with it, altho perhaps I could.

**actually the Schnozzle itself is pretty thin and needs to be treated with kid gloves.

[David Thomas]

Anything sharp or rough get packing into that trash compactor bag?  Pot supports on a stove?  Tent Stakes? I’d expect to get more than one trip out of a trash-compactor bag, too.

Edited to mirror JScott’s thought: I only put clothes and quilt in a waterproof bag.  Tent, sleeping pad, and kitchen stuff are waterproof.  Then the plastic bag becomes, in part, an organizer bag.

[BlackHatGuy]

I use a cuben liner for my pack, been using it for a few years now. I either got it from MLD or zPacks, don’t remember which (actually, I might have one from both…)

[Matthew / BPL]

Lisa, are you sure it was a compactor bag? They are quite durable unless you had something very pokey in the pack.

That said, I prefer a nylofume bag. You can order them easily from Litesmith. They can be a little crinkly/noisy depending on how you pack them.

I have a ZPacks DCF liner too. I don’t think it’s worth the cost.

[Miner]

I’ve used regular white kitchen trash bags and they do tear easy in a trip or two.  A trash compactor bag (will say Trash Compactor on the label) of a well known brand should last months on the trail as they are noticeable thicker in comparison and will stretch much further than a normal trash bag without tearing a hole unless you like packing pointy things loosely.  The Glad brand one I thru-hiked the PCT with held up for another couple of years afterwards of long weekend type trips before I replaced it.  Did you buy some unknown bulk brand off Amazon or stick with a brand name like Glad or Hefty?

 

Mountain Laruel designs sells a clear sack of 2 mm clear polyethylene and a cuben fiber one if you want to try one of those.

 

 

[Geoff Caplan]

I use clear bags in heavy-duty polythene.

One is for my down and overnight stuff that gets carefully sealed and goes in the bottom of the pack.

The other is for stuff I need to access during the day – like my windshirt, padded jacket etc. My ancient pack leaks like a sieve so I need this protection.

My cook pot, which might be sooty and dirty my clothing, doesn’t need protection and gets packed on its own outside the bags. Anything wet, like my rain gear or tarp, also gets packed outside the bags.

The polythene lasts pretty well, and has the advantage that you can see where stuff is so you can dig it out quickly.

Just google for “large heavy duty clear polythene bags”

[John K]

I’m a fan of the Nylofume bags too.

[Elliott Wolin]

I’ve also had good luck with large, thick, clear plastic bags, they seem to hold up pretty well.  I bought a bunch of them so I change them out before they develop leaks.  When I run out in 2050 or so (if I live that long, I more likely will have to will them to my kids, as I’m 66 now) I’ll go with trash compactor bags.

[Geoff Caplan]

SectionHiker’s take on pack liners:

https://sectionhiker.com/5-backpack-liners-compared/

[JCH]

+1 for the Schnozzle…If you use an inflatable mat and it is compatible.  Otherwise I like the Nyloflume bags (like from Litesmith)

[Murali C]

Nyloflume bags from Litesmith last a long time. I used it recently on a 30 day CT thru hike and it survived with no holes and I reckon can go on for another 500 miles easily. It can be a little noisy if you are trying to be quite around other campers. But, at 1 oz, it is awesome!

[Rex Sanders]

I often use Reynolds turkey bags, one for the sleeping bag, pillow, inflatable pad, and sleep clothing, sometimes another one for all other clothing:

Turkey bags are strong, relatively cheap, and easy to find. I get more than a couple of weeks out of one bag, spread across several trips. Twist and fold the top. About 0.5 ounce each on my scale.

Available at finer grocery stores everywhere, plus Walmart and Target.

— Rex

[BlackHatGuy]

I use a cuben pack liner (from MLD I think, or maybe zPacks. I think I have one from each). I at times use a cuben stuff sack for my quilt as well, double protection. Have used this setup for the last few years, haven’t had to replace either bag, but did have to patch a hole in one of the cuben sacks due to poor packing.

[Author]

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