Every year more and more people are interested in active sports because, after hard work, they want to cheer up their bodies and stimulate their brains. Many active sports are closely related to water, such as wakeboarding, rafting, yachting, or paddle boarding. We cannot do without a wallet or important documents, but no one wants to spoil the impression of overnight river trips with wet and spoiled things. Special dry bags have been created for such wet conditions.
This device will help fans of active water sports and those who cannot live without touring the forest near the city. If you are unlucky with the weather all the time and it is very wet at night, a dry bag will certainly be on your wish list. Right dry bag brings more benefits than it may seem at first glance.
We advise you to continue reading this article to become familiar with a large number of amazing dry bags and get acquainted with the best models presented in the market.
Best Dry Bags Top Picks
In the market of dry bags, there are a lot of product offerings. Therefore, you can easily make a mistake and buy low-quality goods. To prevent this from happening, we have compiled a considerable list of dry bags for every case. Choose the one that you like!
1. Osprey Ultralight Drysack
A dry bag from Osprey with a capacity of 20 liters is a nice choice for people who have found out about the existence of the best dry bags for the first time and do not want to spend all their budget to buy them. Due to the fact that this lightweight dry sack consists of thin ripstop nylon, it is much easier to use than assembling a bag from a resistant fabric. In addition, its color palette is flawless for finding your tools and documents within the bag; it is beneficial at night when you only have a flashlight.
Unfortunately, this category of fabric does not tolerate extreme conditions very well. After long wear or contact with an abrasive, this bag may be damaged. It was not created for a beach holiday or extreme rafting. However, if you need a rather cheap bag to guard things in nature against moisture and wet ground, this is a great option that will last you for a long time with careful care. Moreover, this lightweight dry sack has no extra devices to simplify its use, but for such a price you could not ask for more.
The Osprey drysack is the best budget dry bag for beginners. It is very easy to use and comfortable for everyone.
2. NRS Bill’s Bag
While moving in the humid tropics or crossing a big river, the NRS Bill’s dry bag is just a diamond for a wanderer. Believe us, we know what we are talking about. Let us begin with the biggest advantage of this dry bag. Unlike other bags, it has brilliant backpack straps that will help you when carrying numerous things over long distances. Its phenomenal volume of more than a hundred liters is ideal for long trips of several days. What is more, there is enough space in it, so you will not need a larger bag.
All the fasteners of this dry bag are created in the form of convenient clips. They provide a reliable closure of the dry bag. Moreover, the Velcro inside the backpack prevents unexpected opening, which is very unwelcome. The NRS roll-top bag consists of very durable TobaTex material, which provides better water protection and will not tear during a long trip. Additionally, the welded seams of this quality dry bag will prevent water from entering through small cracks.
The large volume of the NRS dry bag may seem inconvenient for beginners since this bag does not have additional compartments. Small bags will be better if you want to arrange your things. Also, this bag can leak with prolonged contact with the water at depth.
Thus, this is an upscale dry bag that is perfect for long-range tours, and together with padded shoulder straps, will protect the health of your back.
3. Outdoor Research Carryout Airpurge
Big dry bags seem uncomfortable to numerous buyers and travelers. For example, during active water sports, a large bag will only be a minus. For those who are looking for a safe and compact option, a dry sack from Outdoor Research will be the perfect solution. Outdoor products have long delighted fans of active sports from all over the world.
Firstly, this dry bag is very reliable: the fabric of the bag is founded on ripstop nylon 7D, which reliably guards against moderate damage. The extra specificity of this dry bag is the presence of the best outdoor gear to decrease the capacity of the dry bag. When the bag is ready, compression straps and a roll-top closure system will fix the dry bag in the desired position. This system will provide you with an opportunity to take the bag to any place. This lightweight dry sack will not be a heavy burden for you. Another big advantage is the daisy chain and knob, which you can easily grab to conveniently carry with you.
Now let us talk about its disadvantages. The air pumping system can greatly affect the use of a dry bag. Gently stuff the bag with things and do not pump the air out of the bag, since it can easily leak underwater pressure, this must be taken into account when packing things inside. If the dry bag gets wet, the gear inside can easily be damaged. In addition, the small size may disappoint someone, this dry bag is created only for small essentials.
Summing up, this is a great option of a compression sack with two compression straps that will securely store things inside the bag. Moreover, the Outdoor Research bag test results showed that the bag performs well and provides excellent water protection.
4. NRS Ether HydroLock
Another budget option is an NRS Ether dry bag that will not empty your pockets but will perfectly keep your things dry. The waterproof zipper on the bag is located under the strong closure of the roll-top so that not a single drop gets inside. This is the first product where the roll-top performs the function of a lid. The bag from NRS shows itself perfectly when diving underwater and when surfing in windy weather.
The NRS bag has a rectangular shape. Some parts are occupied by a transparent area, which greatly simplifies the search for things in the bag. Do not worry, all the seams are welded, so nothing threatens your belongings. This is a great option for any budget.
5. YETI Panga 50
This durable dry bag is an extremely reliable alternative for all of the options mentioned above, it is as powerful as an armored tank. The walls of the Yeti dry bag are made of a thick layer of laminated nylon. Moreover, the styling of the bag also contains a unique closing mechanism called hydrolok zipper. Thus, all items within this bag will be in a completely dry condition, so do not be afraid to take expensive electronics with you. This heavy-duty device will help you during any journey, even for prolonged periods of backpacking, even for day trips in the sea.
Many will say that the price is rather high, but if your choice is a dependable device in which you can transport all the devices, then this will be the right option. This dry bag is quite heavy. The weight can reach about 5 pounds. You can use a shoulder strap and wear it as a sling bag, but it is not appropriate for casual use.
Simply put, the YETI bag is an ideal option for professionals or bloggers. It will keep everything dry inside, and you can use it hassle-free.
6. Watershed Colorado Duffel
Another option for a good bag for river trips is the Watershed Colorado bag. It is not such a heavy-duty dry bag as the one we considered above, but it is also good. It is very waterproof and can be easily taken with you on a big swim. Its special kind of zipper will not let a single drop inside. A nice bonus is the six D rings. What are they for? A single D ring allows you to attach the dry sack to your boat, so you won’t lose sight of it for sure.
The Watershed Colorado bag is bulky, and it will be difficult to take it with you on hiking, besides, it has absolutely no pockets, so small items will have to be organized in a separate place. Despite this, it is a great big river dry bag.
Everything You Need to Know About a Dry Bag
People who have never been interested in water tourism or fishing have probably never encountered such an item as a dry bag. They might ask a logical question: “What is it and how does it work?”
A dry bag is a particular soft bag consisting of fabric with good water resistance, which will not allow it to become wet at an unnecessary moment and does not allow water to enter the seam of the bag. Several bags look like a tube with a flat base and a carabiner in the upper part, other models are produced in the form of a bag or briefcase, for additional convenient transfer.
Instructions for Using a Dry Bag
Here are a few steps that will allow you to use the bag correctly:
- Find one bag of a perfect size. It should also be made of super durable material, so that it does not tear and get wet at the most important moment. It will be much more convenient for you if it has extra features. In addition, it should have plenty of storage space, but be easy to carry since you might also have sleeping bags with you (a sleeping bag is rather heavy, so you do not want to have a heavy bag with you, too). Some bags can be attached to a waist belt.
- Fill the dry bag with the most necessary tools and clothes. We advise you to do it in compliance with a checklist. However, do not forget to leave some air inside, so that you can then twist the loose ends of the bag and fix them with a carabiner. This will improve the water resistance of the bag. Moreover, choose a dry bag with a good gear capacity.
- If you have never used the bag before, inspect the waterproof material for tiny holes. We recommend using our expert advice: close the empty dry bag and plunge it into the water. A fully submerged bag with damage will emit small bubbles. It should also have fully taped seams.
- Stay calm and enjoy your journey without unnecessary worries!
Additionally, for a pleasant tour of the big river, you must have inflatable life jackets, which are also called PFD, for any accident. So that you do not waste time, we have prepared a list of good sap boards and kayaks. Not everyone has cars equipped with a mount for your boats. In this case, we recommend inflatable boats and inflatable SUP boards so that you can always take them with you. Now, you are ready to go on your first trip!
Benefits of Dry Bags
Perhaps for someone, a dry bag will seem to be a useless object on a hike, but we hasten to inform you that this is not true and dry bags have a huge number of positive qualities. The performance of a dry bag is a very essential part when choosing the best product. It is influenced by several factors which we will discuss below.
1. Price
The price of various kinds of dry bags might differ a lot, it can start from $50 and end at $300 per bag. It depends on the quality, size, materials, and popularity of the brand. To choose the best price and not overpay, you need to understand why you need a dry bag. If it is only used for quick trips to the river, budget options will be suitable. However, if you want to go on a long trip, you will need to fork out.
The best products for a reasonable price are:
- Sea to Summit Big River
- Outdoor Products 3-Pack All Purpose
2. Quality & Tightness
Dry sacks allow you not to worry about the condition of your belongings. All you need is just to put them in a dry bag, tighten it, and calmly go on a trip. A nice dry bag allows you to go to the big river without getting any object inside wet. The main thing is to choose a reliable bag made of durable material that will not tear up due to a random stone. Fortunately, even if your dry bag is slightly damaged, you can always use Tenacious Tape to fix it.
Nice variants are presented below:
- Sea to Summit View Dry Sack
- Outdoor Research Beaker
- Sea to Summit eVent Compression
- Earth Pak Original
3. Weight
The weight of your dry sack greatly affects the quality and mood of your walk. If the bag is very bulky and uncomfortable, then you will pay attention to it all the time and will not be able to fully enjoy your time. It is very important to choose a bag according to your needs. For example, dry sacks of up to 20 liters of lightweight material are quite suitable for rafting. On the contrary, for long hikes, you will need a huge bag of several tens of liters, besides, it should be extremely reliable so that you can easily carry it with you, and it is not damaged from frequent contact with the ground.
4. Comfort
Another important factor is the comfort of using the bag, you should not have problems with most dry bags, especially on a long journey. Before traveling or shopping, check whether it is convenient for you to pack and take things out of the bag, whether it fits well in your hand or on your shoulder, whether it does not leak water, and finally, whether it holds the right amount of things that you will need.
Pay attention to the following options:
- SealLine Boundary Pack
- Sea to Summit Hydraulic
Additional Equipment
Although dry bags can be used separately, they will be much more useful if you buy additional equipment for them. For every occasion or trip, you can find an optimal thing. So that you do not have to search for everything on your own, we have collected the best options for you.
- Bicycle mounts. If you like to combine fast cycling and surfing, or for example you are going on a long bike trip to the forest, a very smart purchase will be an amount for your dry sack. Usually, for large bags, you can use baskets in the front or back of the bike, and for small bags, there is a place in its frame. By the way, for cycling enthusiasts, we recommend buying bike racks for the car.
- Mini handbags. As you may have noticed, the big problem with dry bags is the hollow space inside, which is why organizing things can become a big problem when traveling. To solve this problem, you may need about 5 miniature handbags so that hygiene supplies are not kept together with breakfast sandwiches. This will greatly facilitate your search for things on a long journey.
- Belts. Not all dry bags from our list have shoulder straps in the set, although this is very convenient when carrying a bag over long distances. There are a lot of options for belts for hiking bags, we are sure that you will also be able to find a suitable belt for your dry bag.
Few Words About Us
We create each of our articles after studying a lot of products and also conducting our testing. It is important to us that each article is in demand and useful for everyone interested in survival and an active lifestyle. This article was written by an expert in the field of water sports who knows everything about the necessary equipment. Having a lot of experience, they are very picky about the choice of devices. That is why we entrusted them with a lot of our other articles about water equipment: inflatable kayaks, paddling PFDs, and life jackets.
After choosing the topic and subject of the review, we spend a huge amount of time testing equipment so that you can safely buy equipment without fear that you will be deceived.
Summing Up
Dry bags are very useful equipment, the choice of which should be treated very scrupulously. It doesn’t matter who you are, an ordinary athlete who likes to get out on a big river or an adventurer who craves new emotions, there is an ideal choice of a sack for each of you. The main thing is to be careful when choosing and make sure that the decision is based on the conclusions drawn from our tests and rating.
Frequently Asked Questions — FAQ
What Size Dry Bags Should I Buy?
The size of the bag depends solely on the purpose for which you are buying it. A large and strong sack is needed for traveling, while a miniature sack is optimal for passing the river. Do not forget that you have to be satisfied with the quality. What is more, the device should be convenient for you to use.
How Many Dry Bags Do I Need?
Simply put, one bag with a volume of about 70 liters per person is enough for a big trip. This will be quite enough to take the necessary things, including hygiene devices, clothes, a supply of food, and additional equipment.
How Many Times Should I Fold a Dry Bag?
Usually, all experts recommend folding the upper part more than twice. Folding three or more times is a great and reliable way to protect your accessories from moisture wherever you are. However, of course, you can decide depending on the current conditions and the model of a particular bag.
Which Dry Sack is the Best?
It is impossible to tell exactly which bag is better, it depends on your preferences and goals. All the bags presented in the rating have been tested for durability and have shown excellent results, so you can trust our opinion for sure. We can tell which bag is universal for every case. It is a Watershed Colorado Duffel. It has an excellent size and perfectly protects your equipment from water.
What Is a Dry Bag Used For?
Bags are needed so that you can take things with you. Dry sacks were created especially to protect your belongings from getting wet. For example, they are useful in wet weather, an unpleasant climate, or during a boat trip along the river.
Where to Buy Dry Bags?
You can buy all the bags in the Amazon online store by following the links in our article. In addition, you can try to find them in sports stores.
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