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Home >> Camera Backpack Advice >> Waterproof vs. Water-resistant Backpacks

Waterproof vs. Water-resistantBackpacks

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Waterproof and water resistant are not the same thing; these two materials have very

different uses, especially when it comes to creating items of clothing or backpacks.

Understanding the difference between each type of backpack and its bene�ts is essential to

ensuring that you end up with the correct product for your activity or trip.

See Also: Camera bag & backpack reviews

What is each type of bag suitable for?

Before we move onto the differences between each type of material, it’s important to

understand the uses of each type of backpack. Water-resistant backpacks are useful for

activities in which exposure is limited to low levels of moisture, including:

Street jogging, or sessions at the gym or pool

Traveling or commu�ng in varying degrees of rainfall or snow

Splashes of moisture from water-based ac�vi�es and sports in which submersionisn’t likely

Conversely, those looking for a fully waterproof backpack might �nd more use for sturdier

products, as opposed to water-resistant backpacks, in the following types of situations:

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Overnight camping

Sports or ac�vi�es in which complete submersion is a possibility

Extreme weather condi�ons, such as hiking on snowy peaks or in torren�al rain

Prior to making a purchase or undertaking an activity, a brief but proper risk assessment can

help to gauge what type of product would suit best.

The difference between waterproof and water-

resistant

A backpack that carries the “waterproof” label can be entirely submersed in water, such as a

river or the ocean, without allowing liquid inside. Whereas lesser protection would be

suf�cient for users who expect to be caught under light rainfall, waterproof protection will

even keep your personal belongings dry when walking through a waterfall.

Conversely, water-resistant backpacks do not provide complete protection against heavy

rainfall or bodies of water; they are more suited to protection from the weather, and situations

in which the wearer might expect to take some water from splashing, but not to enter the

water itself.

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In fact, the term can be dif�cult to decipher, as “water resistance” can provide anywhere from

enough protection for light drizzle, up to protection enough to shield equipment from a

downpour. The term really is vague.

Advantages and disadvantages

As above, the disadvantage of water-resistant backpacks is that it can be dif�cult to determine

which products are the most waterproof, save for reading customer reviews or

recommendations from acquaintances, as the term is so broad. Thus, understanding how to

identify better products yourself can be useful.

Typically, products with zippers that have been coated or covered with another material—

known as “coated zippers”—are a good sign that the backpack will be more resistant than

products with regular zippers. This is because a bag's zipper is one of the main entry points for

moisture, so the more zippers present on a product, the more susceptible it will be to

penetration by water.

Unfortunately, identifying better fabrics is more dif�cult, though looking for a market-leading

brand can help, as can identifying any products that use “sailcloth” in the design, a fabric used in

the design of some boat's sails. This is highly resistant material, owing to its constant exposure

to oceans and extreme weather, so it’s often considered best in class.

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The disadvantage of a waterproof backpack mostly lies in its design. The ability to entirely

waterproof a backpack depends upon the use of speci�c fabrics and a careful manufacturing

process. The whole product is required to pass a testing process that guarantees no moisture

can enter the backpack. Thus, product manufacturers are required to make some tough

decisions when it comes to what materials they can use.

Due to the tiny holes created from weaving any fabrics together, the typical approach is to

weld together plastics using ultrasonic waves. Not only is this process expensive, leading to an

overall higher price tag when purchasing such a backpack, it is also limited in what it can

achieve in terms of design. Therefore, waterproof backpacks commonly have limited designs

and functionality, with minimal additional pockets, and few or no zips.

What to look for

When it comes to waterproof backpacks, the most commonly seen fabrics are polyester or

nylon, and cotton, which are measured using denier; this will be familiar to anybody who has

purchased tights before. Though higher denier often offers better protection, there is a point

at which the higher numbers can become worse in terms of water-resistant performance, as

the gap between the woven fabric becomes larger.

Thus, it’s important to look for coatings. These often comprise PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or PU

(polyurethane), or alternatively from the plastics mentioned above that are often used to weld

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together backpacks; these are TPE, or thermoplastic elastomers. By coating these materials to

the reverse of fabrics, the level of resistance to moisture increases.

If you’re lucky, a brand may advertise its International Protection Marking on the label, or IP

Code for short. This is a code consisting of two numbers, one between 0 and 6 for protection

against physical objects, dust and dirt, and another between 0 and 9, which indicates the level

of water protection offered; the higher, the better.

If you have a product that nears a 9, then con�dence can be had that it’s extremely unlikely any

water is getting in. The only drawback here is that the IP Code is mostly used in the design and

testing phases, and seeing it on a product label is not very common at all.

Conclusion

For those looking for a backpack that can stand up to day-to-day living and a little rain, a water-

resistant backpack would be ideal. That being said, as the term water-resistant can be so vague

and the products so varied in their level of protection, it’s worth doing a little research before

making a purchase.

Alternatively, for the person more involved in water-based activities, camping, hiking, or other

activities with constant, high-volume weather or water exposure, waterproof backpacks may

be best, though it’s worth bearing in mind that functionality takes precedence over aesthetics

in most cases when it comes to fully waterproof products of this kind.

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About the Author

My name is Stuart Taylor, I'm the founder of PROTON PACK, a place

where I review camera bags, backpacks and accessories. If you have a

topic that you would like me to explore, let me know and I will do my

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