Waterproofing a pack

[Archie]

I have an old pack that is not at all water resistant... it's made of cotton I think.  I've been wondering if there is a way to waterproof it against rain.  (I know it would be impossible to make it fully waterproof.)  But it's a unique older Catquiver, and I don't want to ruin it, either.  

I was wondering if I could paint the whole thing with a silicon-based tent seam sealer.  Has anyone any experience with this?

Or is there another way to do it, besides getting a waterproof cover for it?

[Pheonixarcher]

The tent spray will work pretty well, but be sure to do it well in advance of hunting season. Allow it plenty of time to air out. The smell of most of that stuff lasts a long time!

[katman]

Originally posted by Pheonixarcher:
The tent spray will work pretty well, but be sure to do it well in advance of hunting season. Allow it plenty of time to air out. The smell of most of that stuff lasts a long time!

x2

[Jim Wright]

On cotton fabric that "tent spray" will work until it doesn't and that won't take long.

[Jakeemt]

If it is made of canvas you can turn it into oilskin as well. Melt down a 50/50 mix of bees wax and paraffin wax then while it is still liquid use a paint brush to impregnate the canvas. Apply a light coat about once a year.

[Jakeemt]

Originally posted by Jakeemt:
If it is made of a thick cotton you can turn it into oilskin as well. Melt down a 50/50 mix of bees wax and paraffin wax then while it is still liquid use a paint brush to impregnate the canvas. Apply a light coat about once a year.

[trx63]

You can try 303® Indoor & Outdoor Fabric Guard™.
I use it to treat the canvas top on my Apache pop camper. You can use it on any fabric. You can see videos of it being used on You tube.

[TonyW]

Jakeemt is right.
Oilskin is hard to beat. You can use a product called "Filson Oil Finish Wax" or "Outback Oilskin Duckback Dressing" if you want a ready made product.

Plenty of Youtube DIY on this. Check this one:  


Reproofing Waxed Canvas

[Msbow]

You can check out Never Wet. I've never tried it, but I've watched a lot of YouTube videos on it. Looks like some pretty good stuff.

[stalkin4elk]

Don't use Neverwet unless you like a blue colored result!

[John Scifres]

I'd probably do the wax too.  

But I have successfully "waterproofed" footwear with a homemade silicone sealer.  Mix silicone caulk (clear) with odorless mineral spirits to a syrup like consistency and brush it on.  This is a great and cheap tent seam sealer too.

[Archie]

I just read up on Never Wet, and it looks like it probably might not perform well for my intended application.

[Archie]

Thanks for the tip about silicone/mineral spirits, John.  This was my first thought, since I've sealed tent seams with a homemade concoction of the same thing.  I just wonder if anyone else has tried it, fully coating something as big as a backpack.

You could do like us canoe people do, plastic pack liner bags, Duluth Pack style.

[slowbowjoe]

I'm with pavan on this. I sometimes just use a good plastic bag (not the super thin grocery store types), but a good quality waterproof nylon stuff sack, like backpackers use, is preferred.

[Hopewell Tom]

What about using a dry bag inside the pack? They come in a variety of sizes, are waterproof with a roll down double buckle top. The right sized one could stay in the pack when in use. Open/close as needed.

[Nantahala Nut]

I did a lot of long distance hiking and I second the waterproof stuff sacks.  They will keep the water out and keep things organized too.

[rscornutt]

Originally posted by Jakeemt:
If it is made of canvas you can turn it into oilskin as well. Melt down a 50/50 mix of bees wax and paraffin wax then while it is still liquid use a paint brush to impregnate the canvas. Apply a light coat about once a year.

This will work well. I spend a good amount of time in the woods camping and hunting. If you have a canvas pack, this is the way to go.

I use a medium ALICE pack when I have to pack for more than a day, and a light spray with waterproofing spray helps.

Having a dedicated rain cover that you have treated will also help.

[ozy clint]

Originally posted by Hopewell Tom:
What about using a dry bag inside the pack? They come in a variety of sizes, are waterproof with a roll down double buckle top. The right sized one could stay in the pack when in use. Open/close as needed.

x2  use dry bags inside, they are actually waterproof and you can use them without the pack for many other uses.

[Archie]

Thanks for all the replies.  The dry bags inside sound like a good option.

Would it be a good idea to put a silicone based tent-seam type coating on the outside to keep the bag itself from getting wet and heavy?