As a small fraction of a small niche in the outdoor world is aware, I hiked the northern section of the Oregon Coast Trail (OCT) last week with two friends. The amount of planning that went into this hike was negligible, but one thing I did think about was my gear.
We planned this hike in Oregon, on the coast, in November. That is A) not the right season to be hiking out there and B) a recipe for getting really, really wet. My primary concern was staying as warm and dry as possible, so I went balls to the wall with the waterproof items to protect my sleeping bag and clothes. I’m glad I did, because it absolutely dumped rain for a chunk of the trail, and the underbrush was soaking wet as well. Here’s my waterproof gear strategy, and how it worked:
Backpack With Waterproof Materials
Hyperlite Mountain Gear 2400 Southwest
Calling a backpack “waterproof” is not entirely accurate, but the Hyperlite Mountain Gear 2400 Southwest is pretty close. It’s made with a hefty Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF… look it up. It’s an expensive material, but durable and waterproof and the UL backpacking world loves it). The main part of this pack ended up being VERY waterproof as long as I could roll the top down enough times to protect the Velcro closure.
The side pockets were not waterproof at all, and my gear (including my phone) got wet when I thought they’d be protected. I have a shoulder pocket for this pack also, and the waterproof zipper failed on the first day.
TL;DR: Main compartment was impressively waterproof. Hip belt pockets are supposed to be watertight, but they were not. Shoulder pocket zipper failed.
OCT WATERPROOF RATING: 4/5
Waterproof Pack Liner
Mountain Laurel Designs DCF Liner
Last month I compiled an absolutely riveting piece of writing for Garage Grown Gear comparing different pack liners. While the work isn’t the most creative out there, I was stoked to have a large collection of pack liners to choose from for the OCT. This ultralight DCF liner from MLD was my top pick from the roundup, and it worked splendidly. My pack was 55 liters, so the size large pack liner worked perfectly. It snaps together and buckles, then rolls down to add another layer of protection. I also used it to separate my soggy ass tent from my other gear.
TL;DR: Expensive, but durable, lightweight, and waterproof. Definitely recommend using a DCF liner; just make sure it’s the right size for your pack. Good for separating dry from wet gear.
OCT WATERPROOF RATING: 5/5
DCF Pack Pods
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Pods
I wouldn’t necessarily purchase these overpriced pods, but I have them from a media trip a few years ago, and I really do like them. These are made of waterproof DCF, structured for easy opening and packing, and have taped zippers. I used two of them: one for my dry camp clothes, and one for my food. They worked great, but they were also protected under my waterproof pack and my pack liner, so they didn’t have a ton of chances to get wet.
TL;DR: DCF is pricey, but these are durable and worth the investment if you want to upgrade your waterproof pack items.
OCT WATERPROOF RATING: 5/5
Sleeping Bag Compression Sack
Sea to Summit eVent Compression Sack
Keeping my sleeping bag protected is almost a neurotic preoccupation for me. I used this compression sack on the Appalachian Trail, and it’s amazing. It’s incredibly durable, easy to compress, and very waterproof. I have a 10-degree sleeping bag, and I believe this is the 10L compression sack. It gets my sleeping bag down to the size of a volleyball. This isn’t the lightest on the market, but for the durability and peace of mind, it’s worth it.
TL;DR: Always protect your sleeping bag. I usually don’t use a liner and a compression sack, but my sleeping bag staying dry was a priority, and it worked great.
OCT WATERPROOF RATING: 5/5
DCF Waterproof Tent
Zpacks Free Duo
This one is kind of a no-brainer, because your tent by nature should be waterproof and protect yourself and your gear. I did choose this tent specifically because it’s freestanding so I could pitch it on the beach without stakes, but also because of the waterproof DCF floor and fly. I trust DCF to not soak through, but the single-wall nature of this tent also meant it collected a lot condensation.
The vestibule is also cut high, doesn’t extend super far, and doesn’t have a full closure, so you aren’t as protected as you’d be with a larger zippered vestibule that extends to the ground. Overall, the tent kept the rain out from the top, but sideways rain can blow in from the vestibule, and it collects a lot of condensation. For weather protection, sort of a wash I guess?
TL;DR: Tent material is waterproof; small vestibules don’t offer a lot of blowing rain protection; lots of condensation
OCT WATERPROOF RATING: 4/5
Waterproof Socks
Bridgedale Storm Socks
I got these because they were on sale. I’ve never worn waterproof socks, and I never ended up wearing them to hike. The idea of a waterproof sock is a good one, but they were too thick and clunky, and I was pretty sure I’d get awful blisters if I tried to hike in them. Instead, I wore them as camp socks and hiked in my wet socks during the day. I’ve never minded hiking in wet socks, so this was no different.
TL;DR: Bought them, assumed they’d give me blisters, didn’t wear them
OCT WATERPROOF RATING: N/A
Rain Jacket
Enlightened Equipment Visp
I love this rain jacket for how packable, breathable, and lightweight it is, but it didn’t totally hold up to the torrential downpour of the first few days on the OCT. Water came in from the sleeves, and the hood was tricky to keep in place. I know that rain jackets aren’t infallible, but I was surprised to peel it off at camp and see how wet it was on the inside, especially when I hadn’t been sweating.
TL;DR: Was a good layer for wind, but didn’t keep me entirely dry after hours and hours of pouring rain.
OCT WATERPROOF RATING: 3.5/5