Pack cover - which one to buy?

[CasualNerd]

Pack covers aren't for waterproofing your contents, they are to stop canvas packs wetting out and becoming even heavier.

That's the only reason I use one. It's also a bit of insurance because dry bags are prone to getting small holes.

For those with canvas packs, can they be coated or treated in any way to shed water more effectively ? I don't like using a pack cover for lots of reasons, but I don't see an alternative.

FWIW, my macpac pack cover has lasted ages and was relatively cheap. My osprey cover has to protected from anything abrasive, got a hole in it the first time I used it.

[whitefang]

The best pack cover I had was the one I threw away. I'm all for using a pack liner instead.

[johnk1]

I am a firm believer in each to their own, but I still have a laugh when I see pack covers with a drain hole at the bottom. Sturdy plastic bag inside and dry bags for me.

[norts]

I like a pack cover because it has double use, I like to have gear that can double up.. i use it also as a small tarp to put gear on when the ground is wet while packing/unpacking.

[Orion]

The question remains whether a pack cover is useful for its intended purpose. If the answer is "no", then it isn't double use. In that case it's just a heavy, weird shaped tarp.

[norts]

Yes it is useful I use a canvas pack here in Tassie and I like to keep my pack a bit drier.
Also slips thru scrub a bit easier( I am not sure about this only second hand info). I have a friend who used one on the Cannibal Run(lots of scrub bashing and rain) and said it seemed to help in the scrub as there wasn't as many things to catch and seemed to slide through scrub.

Norts

[whitefang]

Yes it is useful I use a canvas pack here in Tassie and I like to keep my pack a bit drier.
Also slips thru scrub a bit easier( I am not sure about this only second hand info). I have a friend who used one on the Cannibal Run(lots of scrub bashing and rain) and said it seemed to help in the scrub as there wasn't as many things to catch and seemed to slide through scrub.

Norts

The material itself might help to avoid being caught on scrub, but couldn't the scrub catch between the cover and the pack pulling the pack cover off?

[norts]

I cant comment , I am just reporting what he said.