[pct-l] The Packa vs seperate rain gear and pack cover

[Diane at Santa Barbara Hikes dot com]

I really wanted a Packa/Parcho but I wasn't willing to spend the money.

For rain I used an umbrella and rain chaps and some plastic bags. I  
liked the rain chaps a lot. The plastic bags didn't work very well  
because they got sweaty.

I really like hiking with an umbrella. It's so sensible. Doesn't work  
too well in overgrown, head-high wet brush, however.

I went over 7 days straight with wet feet in brushy Washintgton. My  
shoes and socks disintegrated. They only time I had dry feet was when  
I slept, but it turns out that if your feet are dry overnight, you  
won't have foot problems.

I used a big garbage bag for a pack cover. It worked great. It would  
puff out and make a lot of noise so I had to get creative with how I  
stuffed it behind my back. I don't think anything sold would work  
better than my trashbag. I cut little slits for my shoulder straps so  
the bag covered the entire pack. I stuffed the open edges into the  
back pad pockets and the thing was completely watertight. I wanted to  
keep my pack dry because it would get very heavy when wet.

I ended up buying a vinyl rain poncho in Snoqualmie Pass at the  
Chevron because of the inability to stay dry in wet, overgrown brush  
with just an umbrella and rain chaps. Naturally it stopped raining as  
soon as I started carrying it. I had it all rigged up with an elastic  
waist band that would wrap the back under my pack and leave the free  
for ventilation. A poor-man's Packa/Parcho.

I don't think you need to worry about your pack while you are setting  
up your tent. You can usually find a sheltered spot under trees to  
set up your tent. It can often be surprisingly dry under a tree.

Diane

Books I've written:
~ Piper's Flight
~ Adventure and Magic
~ Santa Barbara Hikes