Waxing an Alice Pack?


BigDaddyO

BigDaddyO

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I'm have a medium Alice pack done up as the Hellcat mod.
It's Camo and I'm not a real big fan of Camo so I plan on dying it using Black Acid Dye.

The rubberized backing on the inside of the pack is flaking off so i'm also wondering if it's possible to apply wax to it like I have seen done on all the Canvas bags? will it absorb? or just put another flaky layer on it? anybody try this yet?

Thanks,
Mike
 
I don't have experience waxing synthetic material, but I wouldn't think it would absorb into the fibers like with cotton, etc. However, why not use a silicone based sealer? I've had good luck with clear silicone caulking dissolved into mineral spirits and then brushed on. I've also used a silicone spray from Walmart (orange cap, about $5 a can) that was worked fairly well on synthetics...

:41:
 
Why not get get a miltary water proof bag and use that in your ruck, that whats done in the Army with ALICE packs.
 
yep, waterproof laundry bag - been lining ALICE for decades. :)

last ones I bought were last year - 3 for $15 - and all with no pinholes!
 
OK, in all seriousness, wax a nylon bag?

The nylon is, by it's nature, a non-absorbent material. All you'll be doing is partially filling all the small voids in the nylon weave and the wax won't adhere to the nylon itself. With cotton canvas the material actually absorbs the wax, which is really what makes it water repellent.

I'd venture to say that a nylon pack, without treatment, is about as water resistant as waxed canvas. The real issue with the ALICE pack's water resistance is not the rubberized liner on the top flap, it's all the leaky seams and the big 'ol grommets that are in the bottom of the pack. The best and most cost efficient way to go is simply to use a waterproof liner like the USGI waterproof bag or a large garbage bag. Personally I'm a big fan of the garbage bag. We'd usually put our sleeping bag in the USGI waterproof bag and line the ALICE pack with a black garbage bag. Worked like a champ, and if it didn't you had bigger problems, like you and your pack were under water. :)

Another thing to consider is one of the many ALICE pack covers for sale on eBay. These were produced for use in desert environments so they only come in the DCU pattern but they should work just fine to shed moisture.
 
ok, thanks everyone for your feedback. i'll forget the Wax idea and just use a waterproof spray. If the Dye job goes bad then i'll probably get/make a nice light brown cover for the whole pack.
 
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