I have Deuter Race EXP

Just the right size for a day’s riding, really comfortable and I love the air-mesh thing to keep my back ventilated. The problem is, its not waterproof. It has a “rain cover” which goes over the top (and blocks the ventilated back) but it blows off if its too windy. I know I can line the pack with carrier bags, but why aren’t rucsacs waterproof? They don’t need to be fancy breathable gore-tex, just plain old sweaty-betty cagoule fabric should do.

I know Alpkit make the Gourdon, which does appeal.

but its out of stock, and it doesn’t have the elevated back bit.

Does anyone make anything like the Dueter, but in proper waterproof fabric, so no need for silly rain covers?

Hmm, Orlieb Airlfex-11 looks promising, if a little small…

The Wingnut packs are made from waterproof sail cloth, this makes them quite lightweight too. Rough Ride Guide are the UK distributors.

The problem with waterproof rucksacks is the large hole in the top a bit like waterproof gloves. Even those Ortliebs will leak if submerged.
Using a lighter coloured exped liner inside the Deuter sack would be my choice.

Exped make one, but its not cheap.

Also the roll top style bags like the Alpkit, Ortlieb and Exped are all submersible due to the rolling top, as long as its rolled 3 times, its completely waterproof.

So sorry to say Sandwich, but you’re wrong.

IMHO if you like the rucksack you’ve got already then just get some dry bags to go inside – they take up no room at all are considerably cheaper than getting a new bag. I’ve done an awful lot of living outside in the wet and the best way is to get a large dry bag and then use smaller dry bags inside that to pack a jacket, socks, whatever…no water’s going to get past that little lot! Try these ones: Clicky.

Even those Ortliebs will leak if submerged.

yes and no….

should say here that i’m a bit of an Ortlieb fan. have their panniers and had several of their stuff sacks and rucksacks.

i’ve got the flight:

i told my mate that it is totally waterproof so he jumped into the lake with it. he dunked it and swan around for 10 mintues and came ashore. the inside of the bag was totally dry.

i’m pretty confident that the roll top bags will hold up, too. there are water carrying systems from Ortlieb using the roll top system.

but how often do you totally submerge your pack?

i have a few complaints with the Flight.

the mesh on the back wasn’t taut enough and when the pack was reasonably full you would end up with the plastic thingy pushing into your back. i solved this by undoing the bolts that hold it in place and having a cobbler resew the mesh onto the holder thingy so that when i screwed it back together it was under more tension.
my second niggle is that there are no compression straps. this means that if your pack isn’t 70% full anything you have inside shakes about like crazy when descending.
and lastly the bag sits relatively high on your back. when going down something steep the bag interfers with back of my helmet meaning that i can’t fully raise my head to see where i’m going.

it’s good for commuting, but IMO isn’t a proper mtb pack.

an old uni friend of the GF works for them (the GF went for an interview there, but to my dispair declined the job offer – shitty provincial town, though) and she gave me a bag to test whilst guiding in 2010. (incidently, for her diploma work she deisgned the pannier bags for the recumbent bikes.)

Packamnpro2. a much better pack than the Flight and bang on 20ltr. it has polstered pads instead of a mesh on the back which works just as well and side compression straps. it also has a helmet net thingy.

then there is also this

that is similar to the one above it, but has the mesh thingy for the back. don’t know it is suffers the same problem as the Flight.

why aren’t rucsacs waterproof?

It isn’t usually worth it. The effort it takes to seal every seam and all openings pushes the price up for something that is gone the first time you catch the rucsac on something and hole it.

Not in my experience, no. I’ve had 2 welded-seam rucsacs from reputable brands and both let me down by splitting after not that much use. Crp technology for real-world use imo.

Get tough rucksacs and use drybags, forget the welded seam stuff. If I wanted another ‘proof one I’d get the Alpkit bag, it’s simply a tough drybag with straps on.

the material on Ortlieb bags is pretty robust. a friend carries his climbing ropes in one and throws/drags it about on the rocks and it’s still good to go.

I use the alpkit dry bags in my HAWG and Mule, never had any problems with wet gear.

When back in stock, go for the Alpkit one. It’s now my bag of choice. I’ve used it from everything from commuting to a lightweight hut to hut tour of Mont Blanc. The simplicity, waterproofness and lack of weight make them a winner in my book. I wouldn’t consider anything else now after years of DaKines, Camelbaks etc. The lack of air mesh back is a bonus for me. I’ve never thought, “ooh, this is sweaty!” Spending £20 is a lot more palatable than £100 plus for packs trade waterproofness for multiple pockets and cubby holes.

Hope this helps?

Get to a Decathlon store….they do a sac approx 20L for approx £35 that is waterproof. Intended for hiking, so not sure how good on a bike, but it does answer your request.

Personally I would stick with your Deuter sac and a waterproof liner, ditching the rain-cover/inconvenient water-trap/kite.

PaulD

http://www.over-board.co.uk?

no experience but look ok

Waterproof Backpacks

I have an alpkit one and it is very good for the price. bit basic in areas but does what I want it too.

You could try getting one of the light weight drybags (airlok?) and putting that in a normal rucksack.

If the orlieb drybags are closed properly you can submerge them. I wouldn’t recommend it with a £1000 camera inside but we used them canoeing and they regularly got submerged them.

+1 for Alpkit Gourdon.

Was previously using a dry bag in a normal rucksack and although it’ll keep your gear dry, the rucksack will still absorb water and therefore get heavier. The Alpkit is extremely light compared to others I’ve used, which is why I tend to use it in any weather, despite it being an arse to find stuff down the bottom of the bag once full.

I used a 25l Gourdon to keep my SLR in on the front of a sea kayak this summer.. I didn’t test it by dipping, but it kept the wave splash off fine. I’ve got one of the small 20l ones as a bike sack. It’s as good a fit as the Camelback it replaced.
The Exped bags do very slowly seep if left in a puddle (like in the bottom of a boat), but not to any great extent, and probably only because they’re old and tatty. I wouldn’t get the very cheap alpkit ones again though.. they’re very very thin. The Gourdons are a much tougher material
I’d just get a basic dry bag, and wait for the Gourdons to come into stock. They’re cheap and they work.. What more can you want?