Why? Canoeing, fit in a jam2 for portages.
Where/When? Northeast in fall if it isn't too dry NFCT.
Who? Just me
How long? does it matter? I resupply whenever I can. Baseweight will be 8 lbs or so All my stuff fits comfortably in the Jam2 with room for 5+ days of food.

I have my old jam2 which I put some grommets in for water drainage. I need a drybag to fit inside it. I assume a 45 liter drybag would be enough. Any specific recommendations? Will a sil bag with a garbage bag inside it be enough if I dump? I was thinking of making a slick cuben bag, but am running out of time. if anyone has something that works, I am willing to buy... heh
-Gabe

Edited by gpramuk on 04/05/2010 16:33:39 MDT.

Gabe:

A dry bag will work, of course, but another perfectly good option is a 32 gal. 'contractor bag' -- basically a lawn and garden bag on super steroids:

o heavy duty large garbage bag --- 0.8 mil
o heavy duty lawn and garden bag - 1.1 mil
o contractor bag ----------------- 2.0 mil


I use mine as a liner. Once everything is packed inside, I twist it tightly shut and fold the end down like an upside down "J". This will keep out the most ferocious rain. For canoeing -- rubber band it. I had a canoe mishap once and not a drop went in. My buddy had his stuff inside an Ozark Trail "dry bag" and it flooded inside.

You can buy Hefty contractor bags at Wally World or similar. Weight is a mere 2.6oz.

18 gal. 2.5 mil Hefty trash compactor bag. They're white so you can see what's down in there.

+1 on the Trash Compactor Bag.

I inadvertently tested mine on a BWCA trip and was amazed at the physics of the situation. After doing the math, it still made me smile.

A 65# pack with an ~18"x24" back panel, displaces about a cubic foot of water, which in this case is about 3" of water. It was pretty funny going from "OH Shit" to "Huh...look at that". Floats pretty high. A 10# pack will hardly get wet.

Constant all-day rain, and the resultant lake in the bottom of the canoe, is much more of an issue. We put in our sand chairs first and then our packs, so they rode 2 or 3 inches above the water. That way bailing wasn't as frequent or as critical.

A TC bag twisted shut with the "pig tail" wedged to the backside of the pack was all we used.

Edit: ... all we used for 3 weeks, with no holes or leaks.

Edited by greg23 on 04/05/2010 20:55:52 MDT.

Watch out for trash compactor bags; it's getting very hard to find a variety that isn't perfumed (which may or may not be bear attractant, but certainly repels me!). A contractor bag might be a better choice. Check it every night for pinholes or snags and mend with duct tape.

The orange WXtec ones are the best. Totally bomber. I've had good luck the nylon and urethene Sea to Summit jobs too, which are quite cheap and durable. The S to S silnylon bags are also nice, and obviously lighter. Mine has held up to direct exposure to all day rain and slush very well (in a harness style pack), but I've yet to fully immerse it (in a canyoneering or river crossing scenario).

I would look at Sea to Summit. Personally, I'd use a smaller dry bag for clothing and sleeping bag, maybe one for food, and not worry about the rest. Your stove or tent, for example, aren't going to be troubled by getting wet. I like a STS Lightweight nylon dry sack for insulation, Big River for hanging food. 20L should be more than big enough for insulation, but if you have a bigger synthetic perhaps err on the roomy side w/the 35L. Food, 13-20L probably. They do make huge silnylon dry-sack/pack liners, too, at 50/70/90 liters. Thing is, I never saw the point in using a huge pack liner like that. I'm not going to shove potentially wet stuff (ie a tent after a rain) in with my dry stuff (ie sleeping bag) anyway. I only need a sack big enough for the stuff I'm actually concerned about keeping dry. FWIW, yes, this is the system I use for prolonged canoe trips.

I really don’t use a full on dry bag too often. Most of the time if weather will be a concern a tough garbage bag does the trick.

But I do have and occasionally use a Sealine See 20 dry bag. Its left over from my nautical days, is 15+ years old, and is a good fit inside my Jam. It can nest side by side with a 20 Liter stuff sack (A crafty weather proof packing approach).

But its like 300 times heavier than a garbage- contractor bag. So heavy in fact I’ve never bothered weighing it.

I was on the water (canoe trip) in Ontario (Wabakimi) about 1 1/2 years ago with 3 other individuals for 2 weeks. We were using the Knodos outfitters for packs and the Ostrom pack liner. Worked great. But its a large liner.

FWIW, the Sea To Summit dry sacks are not the old heavy vinyl Sealline bags. A 20L STS dry sack 1.8 to 4.2 ounces, depending on if you get the UL Sil or the Lightwt Nylon.