I have a tenba sling bag that came with a rain cover but i was shooting in the rain today for a few hours and realized a major flaw. The bag was overall well protected from the rain. But my rain jacket was covered in water and the back of the bag isn't covered by the rain cover. So the bag pressed against my jacket throughout the day and got wet. Amazingly the bag was dry inside, but it had just about soaked through the first layer... What else can i do?
luisdent wrote:
I have a tenba sling bag that came with a rain cover but i was shooting in the rain today for a few hours and realized a major flaw. The bag was overall well protected from the rain. But my rain jacket was covered in water and the back of the bag isn't covered by the rain cover. So the bag pressed against my jacket throughout the day and got wet. Amazingly the bag was dry inside, but it had just about soaked through the first layer... What else can i do?
That’s the problem with rain covers…they have a weak spot right against your body where there is no cover. If you are heading out in bad weather use an internal liner in your pack that will keep the contents dry just in case your external cover doesn’t do the job. Another option is to get a large waterproof parka or poncho that you put on overtop of your pack. I’ve done this successfully while trekking in heavy rains through Vietnam rice fields.
chez wrote:
That’s the problem with rain covers…they have a weak spot right against your body where there is no cover. If you are heading out in bad weather use an internal liner in your pack that will keep the contents dry just in case your external cover doesn’t do the job. Another option is to get a large waterproof parka or poncho that you put on overtop of your pack. I’ve done this successfully while trekking in heavy rains through Vietnam rice fields.
So put the entire camera cube in a trash bag or something and put that in the bag? Definitely not ideal, as i used the bag a bunch through the day, but i suppose that could work.
luisdent wrote:
So put the entire camera cube in a trash bag or something and put that in the bag? Definitely not ideal, as i used the bag a bunch through the day, but i suppose that could work.
Try the poncho out. Keep your pack under the poncho. Always have a dry towel handy to dry your hands if you want to access the gear.
My experience tells me that there is no perfect solution, one that will keep everything perfectly dry indefinitely while allowing good access to the gear over a long period of time.
Sometimes, in fact, it is a matter of slowing the increasing risk of dampness enough that you can complete the photography you need to do. That’s partly a matter of the gear (waterproof bag, perhaps rain covers on gear, sometimes using an umbrella, tolerating a little bit of moisture but not too much, reducing the number of shots when possible, and getting the gear dried out when you finish.)
I’m not aware of any pack/bag solution that totally resolves all of these issues, especially along the access-versus-protection spectrum.
For me it is a combination of reasonably protective bags with rain covers, extreme care in removing the gear from the bag and returning it, plastic bags in some cases (for example, in the backcountry where I can’t retreat to a vehicle), a towel to occasionally wipe stuff off if it gets too damp, and trying things off well when finished.
Although it is just about impossible to actually work out of one, in some situations adding the foldable top dry bags to your kit can be pretty bomb proof.
What kind of material is the bag made from? If it's nylon, there is a tent water seal available from camping suppliers that you can paint on the inside to seal it. You especially want to paint the seams, getting into the stitching. Doing this from the inside keeps it from showing outside. It did a great job of waterproofing the seams of my backpacking tents where the fabric was already waterproof, but the stitching let the water in rapidly. After the treatment, the next time out hiking we got caught in the rain for 2 days, and we stayed dry for the whole time.
Don't ever get stuck in a tiny backpack tent that long with anyone, even a close relative. Cabin Fever is Real. Especially when that close together for that long. My son and I were at odds after the first 1/2 day, and it got worse from there. When the Sun came out and we were back on the trail again, and we laughed about it.
A simple, cheap possible solution is to simply line the inside of the pack (either the whole thing or individual compartments) with large-ish plastic bags. I know that sounds funky, but it can be effective, it is inexpensive, and it doesn’t require a ton of extra stuff or efforts.
I do something like that when I backpack with camera equipment. In a steady rain it becomes hard to keep everything completely dry, but having a few plastic bags available for camera and extra lenses can get me through those conditions safely.
In the end, if is is pouring rain and you are out and about, moving gear in and out of a pack, much less changing lenses, you are going to have a very tough time keeping everything completely dry.
The best option for easy access waterproof protection is a pelican case or similar, although they are bulky to carry and don't fit well in backpacks. Next best thing is a waterproof backpack. I have a Watershed Big Creek that works great, but there are other options out there. Make sure it is advertised as 'submersible', anything less will eventually leak in persistent rain.
luisdent wrote:
I have a tenba sling bag that came with a rain cover but i was shooting in the rain today for a few hours and realized a major flaw. The bag was overall well protected from the rain. But my rain jacket was covered in water and the back of the bag isn't covered by the rain cover. So the bag pressed against my jacket throughout the day and got wet. Amazingly the bag was dry inside, but it had just about soaked through the first layer... What else can i do?
One more thing: In real world use, some “waterproof” gear does get wet in its outer layers, while remaining dry inside. That’s certainly the case with many waterproof-breathable rain jackets. (They bead up when new, but eventually that effect diminishes, and even the new jackets get wet outer layers if you are out in the weather for hours.)
So maybe keeping the inner sanctum dry is enough, even if the outside soaks up a bit of moisture? (You might also try spraying waterproofing on the outside fabric to slow down the wetting process.)
