Waterproofing equipment

[Buffalo Skipper]

Does anyone add any "additional" waterproofing to their gear? UQ? TQ? Hammock? Pack? Anything?

If you do, what products do you use and how effective has that been?

[Raul Perez]

Personally I dont think the UQ, TQ, Hammock really needs additional water proofing. Ripstop nylon has a decent water resistant coating to it. Also it might effect the breathability and cause unwanted condensation.

So far as long as I stuff my TQ, UQ, and Hammock in their silnylon stuff sacks and place them in my pack liner I haven't had a problem.

[lori]

The tarp (and any beak/door you have on it) are the things you need waterproof. The rest prolly is more comfortable if it's breathable.... I made a light undercover out of DWR fabric to add over the hammock bottom and underquilt, to take with me in shoulder season weather. A pack liner to keep stuff dry in the event I fall in a creek or hike in the rain for hours, and I'm fine. I've set up and slept in ongoing rain - I came out of it dry, except for the clothes I hiked in, and only had to shake water off the tarp in the morning when it cleared off.

Site selection and technique are key in hammock camping as well as tent camping. You can't just set up anywhere in a storm - angle the ends of the hammock into wind, set up with natural wind breaks (trees, boulders, etc) if possible and out of washes where flash flooding might occur... I've set up on a hillside before so the water wouldn't rise up from the bottom and the wind wouldn't blow me off a hilltop.

[JohnH]

I've seen lots of do it yourself silnylon setups. An extra dip in silicon never hurt and it doesn't add that much weight but it is a pain in the butt.