Im sick of my cloths and gear getting wet while canoing in the BWCA...I'm looking for water proof backpack that doesnt cost too much and large enough to pack clothes and other stuff. I have a hiking backpack which I love and I've been using for years, but its not water proof. Any recommendation?

Last time my canoe flipped and my digital camcorder got short curcuited...damn! It cost me a lot to get it fix...so I had to get a new one.

Thanks

I have a boundry waters bag that i ordered out of Cabelas. It cost about 40 dollars but i've used it for several years without a drop of water getting in.In fact I'll be hualing it into Quetico next week, can't wait..

I would recomend using water tight stuff sacks for electronics and other things you don't want wet. I use an internal frame pack (for comfort) and stuff sacks. you can hang your food in them and it will stay dry on those wet nights. If you dump it, your electronics stay dry. It is not worth the lack of comfort and space not to use a quality pack. A cheap broken strap does you no good in the back country, so don't skimp. If your cloths are getting wet from packing in the rain, use a rain cover or a water seal spray. If they are getting wet from the lake. lay off the booze and stay out the lake.
Here are some examples of the stuff sacks and rain covers

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/commerce/command/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=8951&prmenbr=226

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/commerce/command/CategoryDisplay?cgrfnbr=76428&cgmenbr=226&sort=A

DULUTH PACK!!! DULUTH PACK!!! DULUTH PACK!!!
get the picture ???
i go in every year and have never gotten anything wet NEVER!!
the duluth pack comes with a bag to go inside put all ypur stuff in that bag and then TIE THE TOP!!
no matter what happens my stuff has never gotten wet .
rain, sleet ,snow , getting tipped over , nothing has ever gotten wet ever , and they are durable as all get out and if you do have a problem with your pack dulth pack will fix it as long as you own the pack i love my packs and will never get anything different

just my opinion.........lol
CWB

We always line our packs with heavy plastic bags.(the leaf size garbage ones) This seem to work great for us. We throw in extra bags if the first ones get torn.

Same here-Duluth pack with thick mil plastic liners. Never had anything wet even after all day sitting in the canoe in a downpour to the point where we had a couple inches of water in the bottom so the packs were sitting in it. Bags soaked, stuff inside bone dry. Bring some duct tape just in case you poke a hole in the bag and rest easy.

I will concur with the last few responses. A Duluth Pack is the best way to go. You can either line it with the heavy duty plastic garbage bags or get the really heavy duty pack liners. I have several pack liners last four or more trips, so the cost isn't ridiculous. I always put my camera in a zip-loc and have never had a problem with things getting wet.

I'm leaving today for a week (going in Snowbank). I have pack liner for my clothes pack and garbage bags for the foodpack. I'll let you know if I had any water problems.

I agree with the Duluth Pack enthusiasts. I have done BWCA trips since I was a child, have swamped a couple of times scouting for portages, had 10-days of nothing but rain, etc. Each time my stuff has managed to stay dry with a Duluth Pack liner and good packing skills. Good luck. Wet get is truly no fun.

I agree with the Duluth Pack enthusiasts. I have done BWCA trips since I was a child, have swamped a couple of times scouting for portages, had 10-days of nothing but rain, etc. Each time my stuff has managed to stay dry with a Duluth Pack liner and good packing skills. Good luck. Wet gear is truly no fun.

just a quick note to say that get the heavy duty thik mil plastic liners (dont use garbage bags)if you spend the money now it pays for itself later!!
if you cut a lenth of rope after you have all your stuff in the plastic liner,push down to let the air out, twist the top till its tight ,fold it over ,and then tie the rope around it . thats what ive been doing for 12 years 2 trips a year 5 days apiece , and never once has that method failed me ......

just my opinion you can take it or leave it

crappie wonder boy

how much is the backpack? also, im looking for a water filter thats compact about the size of a water bottle, that's reliable and will last for 5 days in the wilderness. One of my friends have this huge filter which comes with a pump and everything but the size is just crazy.

any recommendation?

yink

The Duluth packs range from 80 - 120 for your standard packs. They come with a heavy plastic liner. Their customer service is fantastic if you ever have issue with the construction of the bag (ex stitching or riviting)... I believe, don't quote me on this, they have a life time guarantee. I have never had any problems with mine, but the food bag guy's got damaged on our trip (lot's of weight and hoisting into the air out of bear range)... we stopped in the shop in Duluth, and they took the bag, repaired it, and all he had to pay was shipping.

The water filter question... I have a hard time believing that there is a hassle free filter out there. I own a pur scout, which is about "water bottle" size. I like it. I also perform field maintenance on if a fair bit.... which requires taking it apart, removing the filter, and greasing the o-ring on the plunger and cleaning off any sand. The filters get clogged if your not careful where your pulling water from. (silt, little swimmy things, etc.) Middle of the lake from the canoe is your best bet. I also replace the filter cartridge yearly. And, as suggested by V-north, I soak it in some bleach water and rinse it after trips.

Sweetwater filters aren't too shabby either, but, again, they require field maintenance.

Our group usually has at least 3 filters with us in case of filter problems.

Hex,

P.S. The real trick is allowing yourself to get wet and stay warm at the same time. I gave up trying to keep dry a while back.

Water advice-if you go to deep lakes off of gunflint (Gabi, Peter, Ogish etc.) you may choose not to filter but take water right from the lake. I have done this for years and never had any problem. Shallower lakes or ones with lots of rivers and Beavers (western BW-moose river, LIS etc)I always filter. With that said you need to do what you are most comfortable with and do not come back and discuss the problem should you get sick by not filtering. I always take my PUR hiker with and decide if I am going to filter or not based on the water I am on and how it looks. I know some who have had good luck with filter integrated bottles from Sweetwater etc. I personally like the flexibility I get with a filter and the reusability.

Yeah, Duluth Packs are good, but since I live there, I tend to get sick and tired of hearing about them ;) We use some packs made by REI (you can do a search on their site for Dry Bags, Dry Packs, etc.) We found they were not as bulky as a Duluth Pack, and easier to portage. They also have many different sizes, from Wee to Ginormous.

i also have a pur hiker filter and it has clogged on me before but if you put a coffee filter on the inlet before filtering it helps tremendously!! with the pur hiker you can also buy a bottle made by msr and the out let fits directly to the bottle (works awsome!!)it holds a quart or 32 ounces wich ever you prefer.....lol
always always always filter i have heard of to many people getting sick (deep or shallow water) as far as packs its what you are cofortable with I like the duluth pack because as said previosly they are gaurenteed !!
happy camping
crappie wonder boy

This is what I have been using:
http://www.seallinedrybags.com/packs.asp?Action=Portage

Great hi-tech pack giving best of both worlds.

On your water filter question, look at the MSR.
http://www.backcountry.com/store/CAS0222.html?mv_pc=r112&CP=SiteMatch&CMP=KAC-Inktomi&ATT=CAS0222-waterworksexceramicwaterfilter

It's the size of a Nalgene bottle and attaches to one for ease.

Have fun!
Sag

i did 5 or 6 trips with canvas duluth packs and then switched to the SealLine Pro Pack for my last few trips. I will never switch to anything else for personal gear such as clothes, sleeping bags, mats and etc. We do one personal pack per person and one group pack for each two people. Each person carries their personal pack and either the group bag or the boat. The group bags are duluth style bags made by CampTrails. The contents of these bags do get wet but there is nothing in them that water can hurt. The food is bagged by days.
Each days food is in a 2 gallon ziplock. So, 4 people would have 2 group packs, 4 personalpacks, and 2 boats. We try to have no dangling items.
Not all who wander are Lost