Pack liners

[DowtyCamino]

Camino 2014 we were blessed with only one day of rain the entire 5 weeks. Crazy.

My wife and I both had pack covers. That we put on an off when the weather threatened.
Her's was a simple bag with an elasticized draw string that made it simple to put on and off.
Mine was a more complicated one with some velcro straps that was a pain.

I've seen many people prefer pack liners (purchased, or compactor bag). My multi-layered question to those of you who've used or recommend liners is this:

I can't image using one on a regular basis. I mean, it seems like they'd sag, or bunch up at the bottom of the pack as you shed layers during the day, or buy groceries and add them to your pack, or unload and load your pack each day. I know this is a nit in the scope of Camino, but I was wondering if you had tricks that made their use more friendly. Or perhaps this isn't actually an issue. I just imagine that they'd be a nuisance.

Secondly, if you use a liner only, was having a soaked pack itself a problem within the albergues?

Any Finally. For those of your that have had the opposite fortune of hiking multiple days in steady rain, how did you best manage/cope with wet gear over multiple days?

Thoughts/comments?

 

[SYates]

I just use a sturdy rubbish bag as a liner. And a rain cover over the bag. And a poncho to cover me and the back pack. And zip lock bags to keep things like passport and credencial dry. I had a very bad experience with strong rain on my very first Camino - that might explain why I am now obsessed with keeping my stuff dry ...
Buen Camino, SY

 

[Glenn Rowe]

Let me take a shot at this. I have not yet walked the Camino, but have considerable experience carrying packs through multi-day rain events. (I'm originally from Mobile Alabama, which is the wettest city in the continental USA. Seattle has more rain days, but Mobile gets more rain -- about 6 feet per year.)

I recommend using a pack cover and, instead of one big pack liner, I'd suggest using several smaller waterproof bags. Not only does it make for better pack organization, but it's far better not to "have all your eggs in one basket", so to speak. In that way your chief difficulty will be dealing with wet pack straps.

 

[notion900]

Hi @DowtyCamino I am gonna cut n paste from an answer I gave earlier today about daybags, sorry for boring anyone that just read it:

"In very hot weather I have used bag transport services by taking the waterproof liner out of my backpack and using it as a sack for the transport, and carrying the almost empty backpack.

In changeable, cold or wet weather I don't use transport and carry my full backpack (36 litres 8-9 kg - so not massive) using the liner as a liner, as I need the flexibility to add or take off clothing, and I need the waterproofing of the liner.

By my method, I am never committed to either using, or not using, bag transport - I can just look at the weather forecast the night before. Nor do I rely on those useless elasticated rain covers or need a separate day bag.

My choice of liner is a Sea to Summit Ultra-sil dry bag which weighs nearly nothing. They are best bought several litres larger than your backpack (they do bags up to 35l and a 50l pack liner). You could write your cellphone number and email on it with a marker if you were worried it might get lost by the transport. I also have a small separate one for my cellphone and passport."

And specifically in answer to your questions:

Reason for buying one a fair bit bigger than your backpack is so it crumples nicely to really fill out the inside of the backpack and can be pushed back to hang over the top edge a good amount when you are packing and unpacking - and it needs to roll over twice to be effective at keeping out water. If it's not likely to be wet you don't need to do the full faff of rolling and Velcro-ing either - just scrumple up the excess.

Bin bags are antisocial as they are noisy in the albergue in the mornings. I used to use a survival bag as a pack liner in NZ and this suffered from the same problem, but people don't get up so early to start walking there.

I have never had a problem bringing a soaking wet pack into accommodation. No one has ever said anything. If the weather is that bad they will be eyeing the mud on your boots more likely.

 

[Jo Jo]

I use garbage compactor bag liners. None of the packing issues you are concerned with (Just open pack, unroll top of liner, cram in layers, take out lighter layers, reroll liner bag, close pack--takes almost no time). I do not put food in the bag liner--just clothes; food is usually in a plastic grocery store bag and stays dry enough as is. Same with alternative footwear (I carry walking shoes and sandals). The compactor bags are lighter than pack covers, durable enough to last entire trip, and can be put around pack at end of the trip to protect it if the pack needs to go as checked luggage. And they kept the pack contents dry during day-long rains in Galicia (and a tropical storm on the JMT, but that's a different forum). My pack is made of Dyneema, so it does not really soak through. Wet pack in Alburgues was never issue.

Buen Camino,
Jo Jo

 

[Mark Lee]

You can use one big liner, or several smaller ones, and both would work well. Just make sure you use a pack cover in conjunction with them. I also sprayed my pack and the waterproof cover down with scotchgard. Nothing wrong with triple or even quadruple redundancy when it comes to keeping your stuff dry. I've had a whole kit get soaking wet before (not on the Camino) and it really sucks.

 

[Deleted member 43780]

I use both. Pack cover and light weight bags (Sea to Summit) inside bag.
Pack cover serves multi purposes. Keep most of pack from being soaked. I don't want to lag more water weight. Keeps pack some what clean when putting pack below on bus and train. Also keeps the honest person honest. To keep fingers out of my pack. Pack cover also keeps pack dry when I am stealth camping.
Liners in side keeps items dry (if cover fails) and keeps things organized.

Each to their own. I like using both.

 

[Glenn Rowe]

Nothing wrong with triple or even quadruple redundancy when it comes to keeping your stuff dry. I've had a whole kit get soaking wet before (not on the Camino) and it really sucks.

Amen, Brother Mark!

 

[notion900]

Too true! If a down sleeping bag gets wet it's a real nightmare. Tramping in NZ I used double dry bags.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I just use a sturdy rubbish bag as a liner. And a rain cover over the bag. And a poncho to cover me and the back pack. And zip lock bags to keep things like passport and credencial dry.

Jeez! Anything more and you would be in a taxi.

 

[SYates]

Jeez! Anything more and you would bag be in a taxi.

I explain. Winter 1999 (my first ever Camino) I walked up O Cebreiro. I had my sleeping bag wrapped up in a sturdy rubbish bag, inside another sturdy rubbish bag that lined all my back pack which was covered by a rain cover and my poncho. As I arrived at the albergue in O Cebreiro my sleeping bag was soaked by the rain/sleet/snow of the day. Since then I do have a thing about protecting my gear against the wet... I wonder why ...

Buen Camino, SY

 

[GreatDane]

I use a (40L i think) waterproof liner in my pack. It doesn't bunch down. On my return flights I use it to drop my pack in since I send my pack through as luggage (I carry on my pack to Spain). That way all the straps are protected. It's a bright gold, easy to see color. It has a luggage tag attached plus my last name and phone number written in permanent marker.

 

[notion900]

Sea to Summit are the biz for dry bags IMHO.

 

[domigee]

I walked in very heavy rain (not on the camino) and only had a poncho. Yes, I got wet through eventually after days of this deluge but the poncho protected my bag. Also, everything in it (clothes, passport, phone....) was in dry bags, including the down sleeping bag.

Coping with wet gear: my clothes dried overnight. Thick socks didn't but I carried several pairs. As for my boots, I either bought or begged for old newspapers, did the trick. Even if they were still a bit damp in the morning, I didn't suffer from it.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I use garbage compactor bag liners. None of the packing issues you are concerned with (Just open pack, unroll top of liner, cram in layers, take out lighter layers, reroll liner bag, close pack--takes almost no time). I do not put food in the bag liner--just clothes; food is usually in a plastic grocery store bag and stays dry enough as is. Same with alternative footwear (I carry walking shoes and sandals). The compactor bags are lighter than pack covers, durable enough to last entire trip, and can be put around pack at end of the trip to protect it if the pack needs to go as checked luggage. And they kept the pack contents dry during day-long rains in Galicia (and a tropical storm on the JMT, but that's a different forum). My pack is made of Dyneema, so it does not really soak through. Wet pack in Alburgues was never issue.

Buen Camino,
Jo Jo

Ditto! You just wrote the post I could have written! I really love the white trash COMPACTOR bags, too. They are so very durable, big and roomy enough for most backpacks, yet not obnoxiously huge.

 

[RNC]

Aarn packs (which are superb) come with built in dri-liner fixed in place with velcro. We walked in torrential rain on Frances in October 2015 without any problems - just give the pack a shake when you take it off to get rid of any excess water.



Have also walked through rain and snow in Tasmania with a good, tough garbage bag fully lining the inside of the pack - and had no problems.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I explain. Winter 1999 (my first ever Camino) I walked up O Cebreiro. I had my sleeping bag wrapped up in a sturdy rubbish bag, inside another sturdy rubbish bag that lined all my back pack which was covered by a rain cover and my poncho. As I arrived at the albergue in O Cebreiro my sleeping bag was soaked by the rain/sleet/snow of the day. Since then I do have a thing about protecting my gear against the wet... I wonder why ...

Buen Camino, SY

One learns. I've rarely used my down sleeping bag after it getting a soaking on night 1 of a five day hike.

 

[Patch]

I didn't find rubbish bags a lot of use as they just didn't last the distance - they are OK to put your rucksack in when wading through rivers though. I did use the bags that the likes of amazon dispatch their goods in for a time. But the best ones of all were the purpose designed ones that come in a variety of sizes that have a twist top.
I only carry a spare of clothes so unfortunately its a case of putting wet clothes on if I couldn't dry them off over night - not pleasant but they soon warm up. If you have a sleeping bag you should really double wrap them as sleeping in a wet bag is difficult especially when its cold as well. Double wrap up your money, passport and tickets as well - don't forget your phone as many don't appreciate a good soaking.
What you have to bear in mind that no water proof coat/covering is going to keep you dry if its going to pour down with rain all day and for days on end - that just goes with long distance walking

 

[Glenn Rowe]

I just use a sturdy rubbish bag as a liner. And a rain cover over the bag. And a poncho to cover me and the back pack. And zip lock bags to keep things like passport and credencial dry. I had a very bad experience with strong rain on my very first Camino - that might explain why I am now obsessed with keeping my stuff dry ...

Jeez! Anything more and you would be in a taxi.

Rick, it sounds as though you may not yet have experienced the "everything-I-own-is-wet-and-its-gonna-stay-wet-and-nightfall-is-approaching-whatever-shall-I-do" phenomenon. If I'm correct, please count yourself among the fortunate.

You ain't lived, brother, until you've survived such an experience. Even being "safe" within the relative warmth of an albergue isn't a whole lot of comfort.

 

[notion900]

You should never get yourself into a situation where all your stuff is wet. You can get away with stuff like that on the French Way, but there are places I have walked where you could literally die if that happened.

 

[Glenn Rowe]

...but there are places I have walked where you could literally die if that happened.

And that, dear lady, is why I always carry a knife and a means to strike fire, even in the midst of the city. Also note that I'm in Los(t) Angeles, an area subject to devastating earthquakes at any moment...

 

[notion900]

And that, dear lady, is why I always carry a knife and a means to strike fire, even in the midst of the city. Also note that I'm in Los(t) Angeles, an area subject to devastating earthquakes at any moment...

You can't carry knives where I live. You get arrested.
I am surprised I am often the only person in an albergue with proper dry bags though. It's not like they are very expensive.
And don't get me started on ponchos. Awful flappy things.

 

[Glenn Rowe]

You can't carry knives where I live. You get arrested.

I see you are in London. Not even a teeny-tiny multi-tool, with an edge just big enough to shave thin bits from any available wood?

And don't get me started on ponchos. Awful flappy things.

They are great for some things but not-so-good for others; they're particularly troublesome in strong winds.

In my avatar I'm wearing the top of my rain-gear because, at that time, it was not-awfully-cold-but-very-windy. (8,200 feet in elevation, with patches of snow in the shadows.)

 

[notion900]

I see you are in London. Not even a teeny-tiny multi-tool, with an edge just big enough to shave thin bits from any available wood?.

Knife law in UK www.gov.uk/buying-carrying-knives
My colleague has been stopped twice carrying an axe for work, and the police rang in to check it was the truth.

 

[domigee]

I am surprised I am often the only person in an albergue with proper dry bags though. It's not like they are very expensive.
And don't get me started on ponchos. Awful flappy things.

I have dry bags! The sea to summit extra light ones, various sizes. (They aren't that cheap...)
I don't usually take my poncho now I have an umbrella but far from being flappy, it has served me very well for thousands of kms and in torrential downpours (@SYates : mostly in Germany!! )

 

[Glenn Rowe]

Knife law in UK www.gov.uk/buying-carrying-knives
My colleague has been stopped twice carrying an axe for work, and the police rang in to check it was the truth.

Thanks! Three-inches-or-less will definitely work for me!

 

[KariC]

Hi @DowtyCamino I am gonna cut n paste from an answer I gave earlier today about daybags, sorry for boring anyone that just read it:

"In very hot weather I have used bag transport services by taking the waterproof liner out of my backpack and using it as a sack for the transport, and carrying the almost empty backpack.

In changeable, cold or wet weather I don't use transport and carry my full backpack (36 litres 8-9 kg - so not massive) using the liner as a liner, as I need the flexibility to add or take off clothing, and I need the waterproofing of the liner.

By my method, I am never committed to either using, or not using, bag transport - I can just look at the weather forecast the night before. Nor do I rely on those useless elasticated rain covers or need a separate day bag.

My choice of liner is a Sea to Summit Ultra-sil dry bag which weighs nearly nothing. They are best bought several litres larger than your backpack (they do bags up to 35l and a 50l pack liner). You could write your cellphone number and email on it with a marker if you were worried it might get lost by the transport. I also have a small separate one for my cellphone and passport."

And specifically in answer to your questions:

Reason for buying one a fair bit bigger than your backpack is so it crumples nicely to really fill out the inside of the backpack and can be pushed back to hang over the top edge a good amount when you are packing and unpacking - and it needs to roll over twice to be effective at keeping out water. If it's not likely to be wet you don't need to do the full faff of rolling and Velcro-ing either - just scrumple up the excess.

Bin bags are antisocial as they are noisy in the albergue in the mornings. I used to use a survival bag as a pack liner in NZ and this suffered from the same problem, but people don't get up so early to start walking there.

I have never had a problem bringing a soaking wet pack into accommodation. No one has ever said anything. If the weather is that bad they will be eyeing the mud on your boots more likely.

Let me second this comment. I didn't know about the sea to summit liners, but I'd definitely use one in the future. I used a plastic bag liner and I felt horrible if I needed to get at my pack during sleeping times because it made SO much noise! Kept bed bugs out (assuming there were any around, which I never heard that there were) and kept things dry, but for a future camino, I'd pick something quieter.

 

[brian560]

Camino 2014 we were blessed with only one day of rain the entire 5 weeks. Crazy.

My wife and I both had pack covers. That we put on an off when the weather threatened.
Her's was a simple bag with an elasticized draw string that made it simple to put on and off.
Mine was a more complicated one with some velcro straps that was a pain.

I've seen many people prefer pack liners (purchased, or compactor bag). My multi-layered question to those of you who've used or recommend liners is this:

I can't image using one on a regular basis. I mean, it seems like they'd sag, or bunch up at the bottom of the pack as you shed layers during the day, or buy groceries and add them to your pack, or unload and load your pack each day. I know this is a nit in the scope of Camino, but I was wondering if you had tricks that made their use more friendly. Or perhaps this isn't actually an issue. I just imagine that they'd be a nuisance.

Secondly, if you use a liner only, was having a soaked pack itself a problem within the albergues?

Any Finally. For those of your that have had the opposite fortune of hiking multiple days in steady rain, how did you best manage/cope with wet gear over multiple days?

Thoughts/comments?

I use a lightweight day pack to wrap my sleeping bag in. Everything else is not critical. However, you need a dry sleeping bag to get into if you're wet and chilled. You could also use plastic shopping bags to store gear obviating the need to buy a new plastic bag when shopping at the supermarket.

 

[Doodle99]

Hi @DowtyCamino I am gonna cut n paste from an answer I gave earlier today about daybags, sorry for boring anyone that just read it:

"In very hot weather I have used bag transport services by taking the waterproof liner out of my backpack and using it as a sack for the transport, and carrying the almost empty backpack.

In changeable, cold or wet weather I don't use transport and carry my full backpack (36 litres 8-9 kg - so not massive) using the liner as a liner, as I need the flexibility to add or take off clothing, and I need the waterproofing of the liner.

By my method, I am never committed to either using, or not using, bag transport - I can just look at the weather forecast the night before. Nor do I rely on those useless elasticated rain covers or need a separate day bag.

My choice of liner is a Sea to Summit Ultra-sil dry bag which weighs nearly nothing. They are best bought several litres larger than your backpack (they do bags up to 35l and a 50l pack liner). You could write your cellphone number and email on it with a marker if you were worried it might get lost by the transport. I also have a small separate one for my cellphone and passport."

And specifically in answer to your questions:

Reason for buying one a fair bit bigger than your backpack is so it crumples nicely to really fill out the inside of the backpack and can be pushed back to hang over the top edge a good amount when you are packing and unpacking - and it needs to roll over twice to be effective at keeping out water. If it's not likely to be wet you don't need to do the full faff of rolling and Velcro-ing either - just scrumple up the excess.

Bin bags are antisocial as they are noisy in the albergue in the mornings. I used to use a survival bag as a pack liner in NZ and this suffered from the same problem, but people don't get up so early to start walking there.

I have never had a problem bringing a soaking wet pack into accommodation. No one has ever said anything. If the weather is that bad they will be eyeing the mud on your boots more likely.

By any chance do you have a packing list you wouldn't mind sharing...