The idea came when my girlfriend asked whether she needed a raincover for Finland, I told her it would be a wise choice. But instead of buying a bulky cover, weighing you down, I got the idea of using a trash bag (or cheaper PMD bag if you're Belgian).
After the jump, I'll share some photos with you...
Her backpack is a Forclaz 50 from Decathlon, so it is an ideal size for the PMD bag.
Step 1:
Put the backpack in the trash bag and draw where the shoulder and hip straps are.
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Step 2: Take some scissors to it
Cut the bag so you can take the strap completely out. Then cut out a square piece, roughly the size of the strap.
If you can still follow me here -because I know damn well this is rocket science-, carry on to step 3.+Do not forget the hip belt, these need to be extra wide and cut out almost untill the centre of the back.
Step 3: Reinforce
Because the material is kinda flimsy I used tape to trace along each cutout. That way it won't rip further when you put your pack on or get the cover over your pack.
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| She does not like to be photographed |
The final result: a happy hiker with everything dry.
Some thoughts:
- Some clamminess might occur because the back sits against plastic. I think this will be a minor issue since we'll be using it in rain only, so you'll get wet anyway and this way it offers more protection (wind can't blow the rain into the cover).
- This solution is only intended for a lightweight purpose. Take care for the cover and do not go bushwacking in it, I told you this was rocket science!
Bonus: the bottom of the cover closes with two draw cords, a nice feat of the bag. So the down sleeping bag can stay dry :).
Thank you for reading!
Great idea - but why not put the bag inside the pack? It keeps everything dry, doesn't get ripped, and you never have to worry about putting it on. Just let your backpack get wet :)
ReplyDeleteWe thought about that but I think it is not so handy. Then you always have to use the liner, rain or not because when it starts to rain, repacking everything is cumbersome.
ReplyDeleteYou also have to reach in from the top instead of using the zippers. And I personally need double the time finding something trough the top opening.
However, I appreciate your tip and will use it once I'll adopt an UL backpack.
Thank you for visiting!