Pack Covers

Featured review by Bheiser1

The Sea to Summit pack cover is a lightweight and weather resistant pack cover that does a good job in keeping the pack dry. My main use of this item so far has been on a 30-day through-hike on the John Muir Trail where I experienced rain on 10 of the 30 days. The cover got a good amount of use on this trip with lots of "putting it on, taking it off" each time I stopped. Even so, it did its job well and stood up to the rigors of the trail.

There is some disagreement about whether a pack cover is worthwhile or necessary. Some prefer to use trash bags or other waterproof materials to wrap around their packs to keep them dry in inclement weather. While there are advantages to that approach, there is something to be said for using a purpose-built piece of gear. Some advantages of using the Sea to Summit pack cover in lieu of a plastic bag or other material include: more durable than a plastic bag or other light material includes an elasticized trip around the edges to hold the cover on the pack includes a snap straps to go around the pack includes its own micro stuff sack for compact storage On the flip side: it's heavier than some of the alternatives at 4.6 oz (including the attached...

Read more: Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Pack Cover reviews (4)

Reviewed by Ignacio Sáez Gajardo

Lightweight and durable bag to protect your backpack when travelling, basic but enough for this purpose.

Features: Weight: 12 oz (330 grs) Volume: 90 liters Size: 118 cm (H) x 72 cm (W) (Diameter)          21 cm x 21 cm (once packed) This is a bag designed for backpackers who wants to protect their backpacks when taking a flight or travelling by public transport which generally does not care about your equipment. It’s made with a lightweight material, thicker than a normal rain cover and probably more durable. At top it has a piece of Velcro that allows you to join both sides of the bag and then roll it up easily, finally once you get it rolled you can close it by using a 20mm buckle made of plastic which has two rings one in each side that allows you to use a padlock.

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Featured review by J Bloom

This item served its purpose. The large size fit the Osprey Xenon women's 85 well. It kept the pack dry in a lovely Icelandic rain or two. I didn't find it difficult to fit it back into the attached storage pocket, even after use. I wouldn't leave home without it, especially when headed into a potentially rainy environment, as it lessens use of funky chemicals for waterproofing and it wasn't very space or weight consuming. The only thing is the gigantic label on the raincover, which if in a different country or a potentially risky place where one could get looted, allows others to know you have a nice pack and isn't entirely what one could call low profile.

Read more: Osprey Ultralight Raincover reviews (2)

Reviewed by Jboothmtnbkr

100L size fits well and sheds water well off my 88L pack.

I've used this cover for a couple of seasons and so far it hasn't leaked any water onto my pack. I ended up getting the orange version but now wished for a more natural color when hiding my pack in the woods. I've used it a couple of times in drizzly rain and once in a hard rain and it went on fast, held up well and no leaks. I use an 88L Mountainsmith pack and when it's fully loaded, including my Z-Rest on the bottom, the 100L cover fits perfectly. The one nag I have is the extra rip-stop zippered bag that came with it.

Read more: REI Duck's Back Rain Cover review (1)

Reviewed by Robert Collins

This turns a frame into a load hauler, with the flexibility to hold things that would never fit in a pack bag. My personal experience is that it has allowed carrying a cased chainsaw, my disassembled pulk, firewood, a 65-liter dry bag with additional camping gear for my kids.

I've owned a Kifaru Cargo Panel for approximately 3 years, and use it primarily with a 26" duplex frame, but have also used it inside a Kifaru Marauder. My use has included combining it with multiple other bags, including a 65 liter SealLine dry bag, Kifaru pods, and carrying large items such as a cased chainsaw, a climbing tree stand, firewood, a rescue sled, and a sand filled 4" PVC frame for training. The Cargo Panel has a multitude of attachment points for nylon webbing with ITW buckles, using the "common loops" mounted to it, as well as the PALS webbing.

Read more: Kifaru Cargo Panel review (1)

Featured review by Sanskrit

With a 65L Atmos Osprey, the Medium is ample big. Do not buy the large as vendors have Large for 65L. Only reason not 5 stars is no really drenching rain test yet.

Main point here is about the fit. I went all over various sites and while vendors list the Large rain fly for the 65L and larger packs ... you'd make a BIG mistake (er ... pun intended ...) buying a large. The Medium fits very nice.   See my review of the Crazy Creek Long Back Chair (for end-of-hike luxury and sleeping pad all in one) which the fly fits over together with a backup pair of water shoes tied to bottom of my Atmos 65 (photos included). I've been in steady rains ... no wind/torrent apocalyptic rains yet -- and it's done perfectly. Easy/quick to put on, tie off, and quick-drying/easy to tuck back into its built-in storage pouch.

Read more: Osprey Raincover reviews (2)

Reviewed by G00se

For $9 at your local Walmart, this is one of the smartest purchases you can make.

Back in my cycling days, I bought into the notion that, "You're not a true cyclist unless your bike is worth more than your car." Over time I came to realize it doesn't matter where your gear comes from as long as A) it works, and B) you're happy with it. Case in point is the Outdoor Products rain cover. This item retails off the shelf for $9 at your local Walmart. I weighed mine at 3oz. It fits all of my internal frame packs and cinches down well. Of course, the value of a pack cover is how well it keeps your gear dry, and I had no complaints as rain was a constant companion on my last week-long trip.

Read more: Outdoor Products Backpacker Rain Cover review (1)