[Philmont] Rainpants & Pack Covers

I used a rain cover for the first time this summer at Philmont. The
one I got was an REI model. It worked out great. It rained a bit
every day but one. A few days were very wet. Very often the packs
were left in a pack line out in the open. The packs stayed dry under
the covers. We kept the covers on even when the packs were under the
dining fly. It takes very little time to put the cover on and the
pack stays dry. The cover does not absorb water most packs, even
waterproof ones do. Once water is absorbed you are carrying it. The
smooth surface of a cover seems less likely to get caught on branches
than most packs with loops, pockets, straps etc. hanging out.

I took the rain pants but as much as it rained, I never wore them. I
took the rain pants in case it got really cold and wet. It was down
in the 40's a couple of nights but I never got them out. I wore Cool
max running shorts the whole time. They dried very quickly in New
Mexico. I did take a pair of long nylon zipoffs and only wore the
legs a couple of times. I am not cold natured at all.

Everyone in our crew used the pack covers and I heard no complaints.
More importantly no one had problems with wet gear or packs. My son
and several others wore their rain pants.

On Aug 19, 2006, at 12:23 PM, Stephen Readett wrote:

> OK, I need advice on 2007.
>
> I bought an Osprey Aether 85 and the guy recommended an internal
> sack instead of a rain cover.
>
> His reasoning was that the rain cover would get caught on branches,
> time to take your pack off and put the rain cover on, and if it is
> raining after hiking the packs are generally under a tarp, and that
> the trend is going to internal bags that are water resistant.
>
> Another topic is rain pants. I have been told not to forget them
> and told to leave them at home. I just got back from Santa Fe and
> it rained at 2:00-3:00 every day. If I am not hiking I think that I
> would want the rain pants.
>
> Thoughts?
>
> Steve
>
> P.S. The troop from W.VA I met at the ABQ airport - How was your trek?
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Scouts and Scouters, do your best to be trustworthy,
loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
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Received on Sat Aug 19 13:41:12 2006