I've used many products in the past, honestly don't remember any specific brands I used, but it was always for tents, general camping gear or turkey hunting stuff, so scent wasn't particularly important.

I got truly soaked through and through this weekend. Wasn't smart enough to remember that I had a pack cover with me until it was far too late. Anyway, I'd like to add some waterproofing to my pack and some hats, but not something critters will smell a mile away.

Any suggestions?

REVIVEX Durable Water Repellent 16.9 oz pump spray.

No odor.

Works extremely well when correctly applied.

Scotchgard Outdoor Water Shield.

Phil

Home Depot sells one called Olympic Waterguard. It comes in a number of forms for wood, decks, etc. I've used it on an old canvas canopy and it worked very well with hardly any odor. It comes in spray cans but I bought a gallon and just painted it on.

I have had good results with Revivex as well, and no strong odors.

I've used Revivex DWR on waders. It was what Simms recommended at the time and worked great. Obviously underwater and not just for rain.

More recently I have used ATSKO silicone, both the air dry type and the bake in type. I soak the hell out of whatever fabric. It does stink until completely dry. Seems better than Kiwi or Camp Dri stuff so far.

Once silicone, always silicone.

I think silicone or other surface applied products aren’t your answer. Gonna have to go with other outerwear.

This isn't (I wasn't) really a backpack hunting question, I just figured it was the best place to ask. I wasn't far from camp, the fact that my clothes were soaked didn't matter, I had more and was able to dry them. But my day pack and it's contents were wet for days afterwards.

I had a small poncho, but had moved it. Not where I expected it to be, I didn't think I even had it. And like I said, I had pack cover too and forgot all about it. But I'd like to waterproof the pack not just for rain and falling snow, but just in general. It spends a lot of time sitting on the ground in the snow, so even then personal rain gear or a cover aren't going to help.

Why did you let your clothing to be "soaked"? REPLACE them with what has been recommended for years on this site.

Spray DWR on all polyester or polyester blends, tents, tarps, etc.

I just used Revive-X on a US 3 day assault pack. Two coats. Pack and contents...dry.

I spray a coat on ALL synthetics even if they are factory DWR'd. Have not been wet from elements for years. Get the 16.9 oz spray bottle.

Obviously a pack cover is useful in really heavy rain encounters.

Practice NOT forgetting items when venturing into the outdoors, anywhere.


Thank me later.

Silicone once applied may prevent application of other products. Don't use it.

Most modern outdoor fabrics has DWR applied even if it is Gore-TEX or other newer breathable fabrics.

For best results use Revivex Pro Cleaner first. Hand washing it to get all the junk off the fabric. Then use the Revivex Wash In Water Repellent.
The hand washing sucks but it works better than the spray on.
Pro Cleaner
Wash in

No benefit to breathability by coating the interior of garments by using wash-in versions on muli-layered fabrics.

You want water vapor to pass through not be impermeable even in small amounts.

I'd just use a trash bag as a liner and skip treating the pack material.

You bring a flyswatter for mosquitoes am betting.

A pack liner simply works. Especially well on the Oregon coast which gets 100+ inches of rain per year. Revivex and silicone have their place for certain uses, unless there's an easier, simpler, and better solution. I've used both and they don't hold up when beating brush with associated abrasion, and the debris and dirt that get ground into the treatment. Nor on Cascade concrete (icy snow), which is harsh on DWR treatments under pressure.

Treating non-waterproof material, with DWR, and thinking that it'll be waterproof is just silly. Especially when you consider that seams, stiches, and zippers won't be.

So yeah, Revivex on a pack is like a flyswatter! Good one, SheriffJoe.