What's the best way to (temporarily) protect a paperback?

June 14, 2010 9:05 AM

A friend loves to hike and is looking for a way to protect paperbacks while on the trail--too many books ruined in the backpack.

Does anyone make a hard case for books? The friend is looking for something a bit more rugged than a typical slipcover or laminate. Thanks!

posted by rockstar to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (7 answers total)

I would roll paperbacks and magazines up with my sleeping pad. If you keep them towards the outside they won't get too curled.

Otherwise you could pack them against something hard, such as a pot or the very back of the pack. A ziplock bad would be enough to protect them or you could buy a drybag in the canoe/kayak section of an outdoor store.
posted by bondcliff at 9:11 AM on June 14, 2010

He could always make one himself.

Make a hard cover for a paperback book
posted by geodave at 9:13 AM on June 14, 2010

I have a small-ish nylon dry bag (I think it is this one) that I put inside my pack. Since it is nylon it is a trial amount of extra weight compared to heavy duty drybags, and also makes pack organization easier.

As for bending and curled corners - maybe cut cardboard to size for each paperback and rubberband them around the book?
posted by nowoutside at 9:18 AM on June 14, 2010

Best answer: Wrap the book in a piece of cardboard and insert into a Ziploc bag.

Ziploc bags are god's gift to mankind.
posted by charlie don't surf at 9:32 AM on June 14, 2010

charlie don't surf has the answer that almost all of my hiking/backpacking friends and people I've seen on the trails use.
posted by General Malaise at 10:20 AM on June 14, 2010

Thirding the Ziploc bag. The answer to at least half of all backpacking questions is "Ziploc bag."
posted by Opposite George at 10:52 AM on June 14, 2010 [4 favorites]

I've used covers like this for climbing guidebooks.
posted by doctord at 11:26 AM on June 14, 2010