Rain cover
A stowable waterproof shell that pulls over an entire pack in a downpour.
Fishing packs are made of coated nylon, which sheds a shower and soaks through in sustained rain. A rain cover is the accepted fix: a thin waterproof sleeve, usually stored in a zipped pocket at the base, that stretches over the whole pack in a few seconds.
Some packs include one and some sell it separately, which is worth checking before you buy, because a pack-specific cover fits considerably better than a generic one.
The tackle is not really the point. Most people carry a phone, a car key and a wallet in a pack, and those are what actually get ruined.
Covers are also high-visibility on purpose in some ranges, usually bright orange or yellow, which matters if you fish anywhere near a road or during hunting season.
The one thing a cover does not do is protect the back panel against your own body, so rain running down your neck still gets in there.
Fit the cover before it starts raining hard. Pulling it over a pack that is already soaked achieves very little.
Related terms
Where this comes up
The guides that use rain cover and show it on real gear.
Rain cover is one of 206 terms in the glossary.
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