By Marcus Hale, Lead Pack Research Editor · Published September 14, 2026, 6:03 PM ET
Direct Answer
A rain cover isn't strictly required for hiking, but it's recommended for any trip where rain is possible, since it keeps a pack's fabric, zippers, and hipbelt padding from soaking and adding water weight. It works best paired with a pack liner, which independently keeps the gear inside dry even if the cover fails.
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In plain English
A rain cover is a stretchy, waterproof hood that slips over the outside of your backpack, a bit like a shower cap for your pack. It stops rain from soaking into the pack's fabric and padding, which would make everything heavier and colder to carry.
The catch is that a cover only protects the outside. Water can still sneak in around the edges, down the side that rests against your back, or through zippers. That's why many hikers also use a pack liner: a big waterproof bag that sits inside the pack and holds the gear itself, like putting your clothes in a trash bag before packing a suitcase.
If you only carry one, carry the liner, because it keeps your warm clothes and sleeping bag dry. Add the cover when rain is likely or the trip is long.
A rain cover isn't strictly required for every hike, but it's recommended whenever rain is a realistic possibility, because it keeps the pack's outer fabric, zippers, and padded hipbelt from absorbing water and adding weight over the course of a wet day. Short, fair-weather day hikes with a favorable forecast are the lowest-priority case for carrying one; multi-day trips, wet climates, and shoulder-season hikes are the highest.
Why a rain cover alone isn't a complete solution
A rain cover sheds rain falling onto the pack but doesn't seal zippers, seams, or the gaps where trekking poles pass through, so it doesn't guarantee dry contents on its own. That's why most experienced hikers pair a cover with a pack liner — a waterproof bag or sack lining the main compartment — which independently protects the gear inside regardless of how well the cover performs.
When is a rain cover worth carrying?
Trip Type
Rain Cover Priority
Short day hike, clear forecast
Low — optional
Day hike, chance of rain
Moderate — recommended
Multi-day or thru-hike
High — standard gear
Winter or shoulder-season trip
High — wet snow adds pack weight fast
Hikers who skip a cover on borderline-forecast trips still get meaningful protection for their gear's contents by packing a liner, since the liner protects what matters most — dry insulation and dry electronics — independent of whether the pack's outer shell gets wet.
Why waterproof fabric doesn't mean a waterproof pack
Most pack fabrics have a waterproof coating on the inside, but REI notes that water can still seep through seams and zippers.1 Deuter makes the same point: even when the fabric itself is waterproof, sustained downpours can let moisture through zippers and seams.2 The outer face of most packs also carries a DWR, an invisible water-repellent finish that makes water bead up and roll off.3 As it wears, the face fabric soaks up water and gets heavier, and Nikwax says UV exposure destroys water repellency,4 which is one reason older packs wet out faster.
A few packs are built differently. Hyperlite states that its Dyneema composites are inherently waterproof and that it tapes its seams,5 so owners of that kind of pack mostly need to protect the open top and pockets rather than the fabric. For typical coated nylon and polyester packs, the fabric is only the first line of defense.
Cover, liner, or both?
Brands and retailers weigh the two differently. Deuter suggests a rain cover for hiking packs and dry bags inside the pack for alpine use, where it wants the straps to stay accessible.2 REI describes waterproof stuff sacks inside the pack as an alternative to a cover that can work better in wind,1 when a cover can billow or blow off. A cover also leaves the back panel and shoulder straps exposed, so rain running down your back can reach the pack from behind.
On a wet multi-day trip, using both gives the most margin: the cover keeps the pack body, pockets and hipbelt from getting waterlogged, and the liner protects sleeping gear and spare clothing if the cover fails or blows off. Some packs include a cover already. REI's Traverse 60 comes with a raincover,6 TETON's Scout has an integrated one,7 and Osprey includes one with the Atmos AG 65.8
Why dry insulation is a safety issue
The strongest reason to protect the contents is warmth, not comfort. The CDC says hypothermia can develop even in cool temperatures above 40°F if a person gets chilled from rain, sweat or cold water, and lists hikers among the people at higher risk.9 A wet sleeping bag or spare layer can't do its job at the end of a rainy day. The NPS adds that cotton absorbs water and stays wet a long time, which makes it a poor choice when it's cold.10
The extra weight of a soaked pack is real too. A liter of water weighs about one kilogram,11 so padding and loose gear that absorb even a liter or two add several pounds you did not plan to carry. If a hiking partner shows warning signs such as shivering, confusion, fumbling hands or slurred speech, get them warm and dry and seek medical help.9
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