Nylofume Pack Liner Review

Overview

The Nylofume Pack Liner is a clear nylon polymer film bag that started its life protecting food and medicine during home fumigations — and somehow ended up being the ultralight community’s go-to answer for keeping gear dry. Originally made to protect food and medicine during home fumigations, these bags make great backpack liners. Sold by Litesmith (and stocked by most UL cottage retailers), it’s aimed squarely at weight-conscious hikers who want bulletproof rain protection without the bulk of a rain cover or the weight penalty of individual dry bags.

Key Specs

Spec	Detail
Weight	26g / 0.91 oz
Material	Nylon Polymer Film
Dimensions (flat)	20” × 37” (50.8 × 94 cm)
Usable Volume	45L (top rolled 4”)
Volume (fully open)	52L
Seam	Straight seam, no gusset
Color	Clear
Comparison	See how Nylofume Pack Liner compares to similar gear

Performance

Waterproofing

This is the whole job, and the Nylofume does it. The construction of a backpack can achieve an extremely high level of water resistance, but all hiking packs that are not a dedicated dry bag will eventually succumb to sustained rain or submersion — and a Nylofume liner is the lightest, cheapest, most foolproof way to know your gear will be dry at the end of the day. One hiker reported a single bag kept things dry after 10 days and nights on the Appalachian Trail with rain every day. Sealing is simple: twist, fold over, and secure with a rubber band — or for a loose seal, just fold over several times. On roll-top packs, the liner naturally closes with the pack’s own closure.

Durability

Here’s the part that surprises first-timers. At first glance, the thin, light plastic feels as though it would be easily punctured. It isn’t. One reviewer logged over 30 nights on trail using a single bag, eventually forgetting about babying the plastic and just jamming and yanking in the morning and evening as hikers tend to do. Another user reports going through about two Nylofumes per year, averaging around 100 nights outside. They’ve been known to last on thru-hikes and are found tougher than trash compactor bags, which eventually develop pinholes. When tears do happen, they’re easy to address: clear packing tape makes for durable and nearly invisible patches, and the bag can go right back on trail after a fix.

The one caveat on durability: the film is most vulnerable when the bag is empty and loose. One reviewer noted the only real damage came at home, when the bag was pinched between two pieces of gear, creating three small tears. Be mindful of sharp zipper pulls — one AT hiker tore a hole with a backpack zipper, patched it with duct tape, and used the same bag for another six days of hiking.

Fit and Sizing

The 20” × 37” flat dimensions are sized for the cylindrical profile of most ultralight packs, which is a genuine advantage over square trash bags that bunch awkwardly. The dimensions match the long cylindrical nature of backpacks. For packs up to around 50L it fits comfortably with room to seal. In a truly jam-packed 60L pack, the bag isn’t quite big enough to tie off, though it’s close. If your pack is on the smaller side, the length can simply be cut down with scissors. The material is clear, which helps you see where things are inside — a small but genuinely useful detail when digging through a dark pack at camp.

Odor Resistance

The nylon film also acts as an odor-resistant barrier, which can help keep food and smellables under bear radar.

Cutting a Nylofume down to size and using a twist tie to seal it can be a handy way to segregate food in your pack, and it’s lighter and just as odor-proof as expensive zipper-style odor-barrier bags.

Noise

This is the Nylofume’s one real flaw, and it deserves an honest mention. The material is loud — described by one user as “like crushing a bag of Fritos and corn nuts” — and can make early-morning pack-ups feel like a courtesy violation. The crinkle does tend to soften with extended use, but it never fully disappears. If you’re a stealth camper or just easily irritated before coffee, this is worth knowing going in.

Bonus Uses

The Nylofume can double as a pump sack for inflatable sleeping pads, a ground cover under your vestibule when the ground is wet, or a stuffsack for your down jacket and spare clothes when heavy condensation is expected overnight.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Genuinely waterproof — no hedging required
• At 26g, about 100g lighter than a typical trash compactor bag
• Clear film makes finding gear fast
• Odor-resistant — useful for food separation in bear country
• Trimmable to fit smaller packs
• Easily repaired with clear packing tape
• Absurdly affordable; sold in 3-packs

Cons

• Loud, crinkly material — a real issue for early starts or stealth camping
• No gusset means the bag can be awkward to fully fill and seal in high-volume packs
• Snug fit in properly loaded 60L+ packs
• Vulnerable to zipper catches when empty
• No closure system included (need your own rubber band or strap)

Who Should Buy This

Anyone using a non-waterproof pack — which is essentially everyone not carrying a dedicated dry-bag-style pack — should have one of these at the bottom of their kit. It’s the lightest, cheapest, most foolproof way to guarantee dry gear at camp, which makes a strong argument for it being one of the most important items in your pack. It’s especially well-suited to thru-hikers and long-distance section hikers who want to replace the trash-bag habit with something purpose-built, more durable, and no heavier. If you’re running a pack under about 50L, this is a near-perfect fit.

Verdict

The Nylofume Pack Liner is as close to a mandatory piece of kit as ultralight backpacking gets. It’s significantly more durable than trash bags, 100% waterproof, and exceptionally ultralight — all at a price that makes it silly not to carry one. The noise is real and won’t bother everyone equally, but it’s not a dealbreaker for most. At 26g and a few dollars a bag, the cost-to-consequence ratio is unmatched. Rating: 9/10.