Bushwalk Australia

Might sound like a silly question but I'm curious...

I was once informed that cotton could "take on 3-4 times its weight in moisture" (with regards to say sweat and a cotton t-shirt).

As most of you would know in the field, the cotton fibes in canvas slowly absorb water, swelling and tightening as they do so giving the humble canvas rucksack its weather resistance. Could such a rule/percentage/measure extend to canvas when it's wet?

-A

not as simple as that anymore. the canvas can be treated to reduce water absorption and it can also be a mix of synthetic and natural fibres.
i wouldnt expect its taking on 3 to four times its weight.
canvas is at an advantage around rock, less prone to damage. and its pretty good in scrub, you have to choos a nylon pack carefully to be strong enough for harsh scrub bashing...

Everything's relative and obvious.
Scrub = canvas or strong nylon/cordura type pack i.e. original Macpac Ravine
more open type tracks, lightweight nylon is all good i.e. Osprey packs

Canvas is too heavy when its dry, let alone wet.

That's the reason I'm having a hard time leaving my pack cover at home.
Obviously extra weight carrying the cover, but potentially less weight than a wet pack?
Have been trying to decide this one for a while???

Get a cuben fibre pack cover? negligible weight

I'd hate to think what a down sleeping bag would weigh if you got it really wet.

Last year I got caught out in some wild weather 6 hours straight and my sleeping bag got soaked and weighed more than double its original weight. Lucky for me it was my last day out of a week long trip.

Moral of the story always keep your down sleeping bag really protected from the rain, cause sometimes bad weather can still get to things no matter how well you pack your sleeping bag.