Looking for a dry bag to keep your essentials safe in wet environments? We've purchased and tested over 30 unique bags in the last 5 years, with the best 15 in the following lineup. From leisurely paddles to deliberate submersions, we went out of our way to use and abuse each bag to learn which will keep your gear safe and dry. We scrutinized features, packed and unpacked our belongings, and evaluated how easy it is to find what you're looking for in a hurry. We carried these bags down trails, dragged them behind inner tubes, strapped them to SUPs, and stuffed them into kayak hatches, taking every opportunity to load them to their maximum capacity to assess portability and durability. Whether you're packing for a month-long river trip or an afternoon of paddle boarding, we've found the perfect dry bag for you and your wallet.
Keeping your precious items dry isn't the only important consideration when out on the water. You're definitely going to need a good life jacket to keep you safe (also known as a PFD), as well as a pair of the best sunglasses and a top-rated sun shirt to protect your eyes and skin from sun damage. We've got the scoop on all the best water gear for your aquatic adventures. Security Lables & Bags
Yeti is well-known for its rugged and durable products, and the Panga Backpack 28 does not disappoint. It's constructed from thick, laminated, high-density nylon and closes via a sturdy, easy-to-use HydroLok zipper. The seams are RF welded, ensuring a practically bombproof construction that not only keeps water out but traps air in. This all but guarantees the dryness of even the most sensitive objects, like your expensive camera or laptop. The wide shoulder straps spread the load when carrying this portable back, and an internal laptop sleeve and mesh pouch help keep your items where they need to be. The Panga is at home whatever your adventure style — lashed to your canoe through rapids, strapped on your back in a snowstorm, or in the urban jungle.
Impenetrable to water even after an overnight soaking, this exceptionally durable and easy-to-carry design comes at a cost. The Panga Backpack 28 weighs 62.4 ounces when empty and costs an arm and a leg. However, these drawbacks are minor if you transport electronics in wet environments or simply value the versatility of one bag that can cover all your needs. If you are looking to carry lots of weight in hot conditions, your back may get sweaty, but rest assured this won't harm your precious cargo. Bottom line, if you are looking for a seriously waterproof, cover-all-your-bases backpack for your next adventure, this one is hard to beat. If you prefer a duffel-style bag, Yeti also makes the Panga Duffel with many of the same features and high-quality construction.
If you're on a budget and just want to keep your essentials dry and easily accessible, the SealLine Discovery View is our first recommendation. It has a double-banded fold-down closure and a purge valve, enabling you to squeeze all the air out. The translucent non-PVC material makes identifying what's inside your bag a breeze, and it is also more durable than other options at a similar price. With fully welded seams and a durable buckle clip, the Discovery is designed for seriously wet day adventures without busting your wallet.
Under intense pressure (i.e., a direct hose), a few water droplets can seep into this bag via the purge valve. It is also important to take a few extra seconds to ensure your closing folds are wrinkle-free and that there are three of them if you want to ensure the bag is watertight when dragged through a lake. With this little bit of attention to detail, this small-capacity sack is seriously waterproof. We had the Discovery clipped to our SUP as we made our way through five miles of class 3-4 rapids, and our spare layers and notebook stayed dry inside. If the purge valve gives you cause for concern, consider the watertight Watershed Aleutian Deck Bag.
The Osprey Ultralight Drysack is a simple dry bag at a palatable price point. Made of very thin 40D ripstop nylon, this 20-liter sack weighs less than many with a quarter of the volume. Ultrathin sides allow light inside the rectangular-shaped bag, so you can more readily locate your belongings. The Ultralight lacks the extra features and frills of other options, but you won't need these with this bag stuffed inside another bag — which is how it's best used. The lack of features also keeps the weight low and the bag easy to use.
Of course, by utilizing such a thin fabric, the Ultralight is not built to withstand abrasion. Up against rocks, sand, or even years of heavy backpacking use, two of the four versions of this bag that we've tested developed tiny holes. Thanks to the ripstop pattern, the bag still retains an impressive level of water resistance, but a hole is a hole. If you want a dry bag you can strap to your kayak deck or drag to the beach, this one isn't quite up to the task. But if you're ready to upgrade your packing system for travel, backpacking, or camping, this modestly-priced ultralight dry bag is an excellent addition that we've enjoyed using for years of adventures. Others embarking on adventures with more turbulent waters will need a heavy-duty option like the rugged Watershed Colorado Duffel.
The Outdoor Products 3-Pack offers excellent value for the money, giving you three dry bags for less than half of what most companies charge for one. The different sizes (2, 4, and 10-liter) are great for use during an afternoon trip on the lake or, better still, part of an organizational system within a larger bag.
The roll-top closure of these bags lacks any reinforcement and is not the most robust or watertight design. These light-duty bags failed when put under pressure with a hose and when left to soak in water for a prolonged period. The Outdoor Products bags are best used in a multi-bag system. Helpfully, since you'll have three bags, it is easy to double bag smaller items that especially need to stay dry. At less than the price of a meal at your favorite pub, this deal will help you keep your lunch dry on your next boating adventure. But for not much more, you could purchase the Osprey Ultralight Drysack, which offers better water protection and construction within the same price range.
If you're headed out on big waters for a long adventure, the NRS Expedition DriDuffel has got you covered. The watertight and easy-to-use zipper provides a wide opening to this bag, enabling you to pack your winter sleeping bag, tripod, yoga mat, and ukulele without any issue. With four multi-point attachment strips, a detachable shoulder strap, and two wide handles, your friends will envy the ease with which you pack up your gear and secure it down for the next river day.
Unless you have a plan, the DriDuffel's large capacity (70 liters) and lack of compartments make it hard to keep organized. To maintain order, we like supplementing this bag with smaller stuff sacks. Thanks to multiple attachment points and versatile straps, a few carrying options are available; however, we wouldn't enjoy hauling this bag on our back for more than 15 minutes if fully loaded. However, we would compromise and carry this bag on international travel as it has many use cases. Another perk is the thick TobaTex construction with double-sewn and welded seams; this double-duty construction will keep your things dry through most aquatic misadventures. You may also like the rugged Panga Backpack 28, which is easier to carry and just as waterproof.
You can expect your gear to stay dry no matter how rowdy the water gets with the Watershed Colorado Duffel. This bag is built with rugged performance in mind and is one of the few bags we tested that remained fully dry after a prolonged submersion. Its innovative ZipDry seal closure and classic duffel design make it perfect for overnight river trips. When you are ready to set up camp, unpacking is a breeze thanks to the wide mouth, and the comfortable neoprene grip makes hauling your gear to shore an easy task. Six well-placed heavy-duty Duraflex D-rings provide numerous options for attaching the Colorado to your craft, and its updated and refined durable material easily holds up to the wear and tear of regular use, no matter your water sport. We know many river lovers with Watershed bags that are still watertight after ten years of regular use.
Purging a bag before closing helps to reduce its bulk, and Watershed offers an optional additional purge valve that can help with this. At 75 liters, the Colorado Duffel is big for day trips and takes up quite a bit of space in a kayak or on a paddleboard. Watershed makes other smaller duffels if this is a concern. This bag is also expensive, though for the serious river adventurer, the Colorado Duffel is worth the investment, especially if you plan on doing multi-day trips or carrying expensive hydrophobic equipment like a camera or electronics. This model is the perfect bag for the diehard rivergoer and is one of our very top products in this review. If you like the duffel design but want to go smaller, the 50-liter YETI Panga Duffel 50 offers similar performance with ample attachment points, though it's slightly heavier.
The Watershed Aleutian Deck Bag is designed specifically for the water-bound adventurer who likes to have everything readily accessible. With a handful of well-designed attachment points, the Aleutian can be secured to the deck of some kayaks, SUPs, or the thwart of a canoe. There are additional attachment points for your bilge pump or spare paddle, an adjustable mesh bag for your water bottle, and a bungee cord for further items you want to keep close at hand. The ZipDry closure is fully watertight and can be opened and closed easily to access your belongings.
If you're a minimalist, the many features attached to the Aleutian might make you feel flustered. We have witnessed many users opting to cut most of the external extras off this bag. If you plan on storing this bag in a kayak hatch, consider some of the other more streamlined options. But with RF-welded seams, Watershed's impenetrable ZipDry closure, and a tough coated nylon exterior, the Aleutian is dependable and may be a great choice for adventure enthusiasts, instructors, and guides. If you're looking for a simple dry bag without a ton of features, check out the Sea to Summit Lightweight View or the SealLine Discovery View, which both feature totally decent waterproofing and are more affordable.
For the last eight years, we have spent hours scouring the market for new and updated products, pinpointing the best and most promising dry bags to test. After purchasing the most exciting options, we spend months testing each product side-by-side. We examine every detail of their waterproofness by spraying them with a hose, submerging them in bodies of water, and dragging them behind boats. We pack them full and rummage around for specific items. We take them for afternoon outings, long-distance travels, and extended trips. We check the usability of their features and use them extensively to see how well they hold up. From backpacking to paddling to traveling, we put these bags through their paces to see which ones are right for what job. For more detailed information on our dry bag testing process, see our full How We Test article.
This review is led by lifelong water sports enthusiasts Maggie Nichols and Sara James. Maggie has spent her summers and free time on and in the water since she was a small child. From canoeing across choppy Midwestern lakes to raging down Western whitewater, exploring quiet swamps, and journeying between islands, she is critical of the gear she brings with her and the need to keep it protected. Sara has also grown up in the water, from rafting on the big water rapids of the Nile and Zambezi to whitewater kayaking trips around Europe, the Himalayas, New Zealand, and the Western States. She has spent the last decade of summers working on the rivers in California, coaching, guiding, taking photos of commercial rafting trips, and putting all kinds of gear to the test. Whether she is skiing in the mountains, paddle boarding on rivers, or kayaking on lakes, she usually has a dry bag on hand with spare layers, a notebook, and a camera.
There's more to the performance of a dry bag than just how dry it keeps your belongings. We identified testing metrics designed to push each contender to the breaking point. All metrics are weighted according to their importance to the performance of a dry sack. By combining these weighted scores, each model ends up with a single comparable number indicating its overall performance. In what follows, we break down each metric and discuss which bags do best in specific areas and situations.
As with any piece of gear, the cost will influence your willingness to buy it. Everyone needs something a little bit different to best suit their needs, and some products offer better performances for lower prices, making them high-value items.
The SealLine Discovery View is a seriously high-value item. It performs well across the board and costs a lot less than similarly high-performing models. The Sea to Summit Big River is another high-value dry bag. Its slightly more generic design is quite versatile, with high-quality protection and easy-to-use features. If you're searching for affordable organization and internal protection, the Osprey Ultralight Drysack offers quality water resistance and impressive packability inside your travel kit for a comparatively low price. Finally, the Outdoor Products 3-Pack is a very low-cost set of sacks with decent protection, great for many casual, non-technical uses.
On the flip side, sometimes you need the best of the best and want to know if it's worth the investment. If you're trying to protect large, expensive electronics — like a laptop or a DSLR camera — the large capacity Yeti Panga Backpack 28 offers some of the best water protection around. Compatible with cube-based camera storage accessories, it is ready to make the ultimate adventure photography travel pack. The Watershed Colorado runs a close second, with its smaller cousin, the Ocoee, being popular amongst kayaking photographers worldwide. The padded liners you can purchase for these bags make them particularly convenient for protecting your most precious goods. When it comes to protecting thousands of dollars of sensitive equipment through harsh, wet conditions, the investment in these dry bags pays for itself.
The primary purpose of all of these products is right in their name — to keep your stuff dry. Therefore, waterproofness is by far the most heavily weighted metric in this review, and the winners in this category took home the greater share of our awards. You might assume anything carrying the name “dry bag” is intended to keep your stuff 100% dry 100% of the time, but performance in this category varies widely. While some products are designed to keep water completely out, others are meant to be splashproof and aren't rated for prolonged submersion. All the contenders we tested protect contents against the mild splashes experienced riding in small watercraft, but to really dive deep into each model's waterproofness, we pushed them farther than most are meant to go. We used them for our favorite water sports (e.g., white water stand-up paddling boarding) and subjected them to specific tests designed to push their limits, including a 24-hour submersion test. Some products lived up to their name, while others didn't fare as well.
Both Yeti Panga bags, the Watershed Colorado, Watershed Aleutian, and NRS Expedition DriDuffel kept our stuff bone dry throughout all testing. The Panga Duffel seals with a HydroLok zipper that, even after years of use, is still as waterproof as it was when we bought it. The NRS DriDuffel uses a similar zipper system, which is new to their storage bags but has years of well-established use in their drysuit lineup. The Watershed Colorado Duffel and Aleutian Deck Bag feature a zip-top closure, similar to the plastic baggies in your kitchen drawer, but a hundred times more sturdy. The Colorado Duffel has an extra bit of security, as you can fold down the top and clip the sides to prevent the bag from being pulled open in extreme situations. If asked which dry sacks we'd comfortably entrust to float thousands of dollars of electronics down a river, these are the ones we'd recommend.
The SealLine Boundary Pack is also worth mentioning in this category. Made of super-thick, 1000D vinyl-coated polyester with welded seams, it's well-built and keeps moisture out via a double-banded fold-down closure system. It withstood a brief submersion with no leakage — only when dragged behind our kayak did a few droplets of water get in from the sides, wetting a corner of a towel the size of a credit card.
The SealLine Discovery View also utilizes a double-banded closure system that performs significantly better than similar single-banded roll-down designs on many other bags. The purge valve let in some moisture when placed under direct high pressure (i.e., sprayed with a hose), and our paper towels showed some water had been able to infiltrate the bag.
Ultralight bags are generally not designed to be completely waterproof, but the Osprey Ultralight does a remarkable job of keeping stuff dry. While our contents got a bit moist after submerging and dragging this bag around a lake, that's not what ultralight bags like this one are made for. Instead, this bag provides a great added layer of protection if used inside another bag. It is one of our favorites for keeping necessary backpacking items dry, like down jackets and first aid kits.
Although the Outdoor Products 3-Pack did not fare that well in this metric when the bags were tested individually (which is how we scored them), the opportunity to double or triple them up boosts their performance considerably. Having a backup system for any dry bag is a great idea, particularly when using less durable bags and when carrying important items like electronics or sleeping gear.
Whether you're in the middle of the river or bustling about camp packing and unpacking your gear, accessing your stuff should be facilitated, not hindered, by your carrying vessel. We set out to evaluate how easy it is to pack each dry bag, how quickly the stuff inside can be found while the product is in use, how each model carries from one location to another, and how well it can be secured to different water crafts.
The Yeti Panga Duffel, Yeti Panga Backpack, and NRS Expedition DriDuffel took top points in this metric. All have many attachment points to secure the bag to your craft or additional items to your bag. They are easy to open and quick to seal when needed. Due to the wide mouth opening, the Expedition DriDuffel is easier to pack, but the small mesh stash pockets in the Panga Duffel make it easier to locate important items like keys.
The Watershed Colorado and Watershed Aleutian excelled in this category, with well-placed D-rings and handles. When you lash these bags down, you can be confident they will not burst open if dragged through some waves. In addition, the ZipDry system is simple to open and close. The large mouth opening of the Colorado makes it easier to pack and to find what you're looking for without having to rip everything out. On the other hand, the feature-rich design of the Aleutian enables you to have a specific spot for all your equipment needs.
Thanks to the viewing window on the Watershed Aleutian and Sea to Summit Lightweight View and the transparent material of the SealLine Discovery View, locating items is really straightforward. Often, just being able to see what was inside prevented us from having to unnecessarily open the bag to check we had packed our car keys, etc. Not only does this make life more straightforward, but it helps to prevent unnecessary exposure to the content of your bag.
The Sea to Summit Big River and Osprey Ultralight do very well in this testing metric as well, with simple, straightforward designs. Neither has any additional straps for carrying, but both have a good shape and are easy to pack and close. The Big River has multiple attachment points, making it easy to secure. There is an optional carrying strap that can be purchased which we wish just came as standard. The white interior lining on the Big River brightens the inside of the bag so you can more easily see the contents and quickly locate the item you need. That said, any bag that's taller than it is wide is more challenging to root around in and pull out something hiding in the bottom, so organization is key.
The Yeti Panga Duffel, Yeti Panga Backpack, SealLine Boundary, and NRS Bill's Bag all boast convenient backpack straps. When heavily loaded, the Boundary pack is more comfortable to carry, thanks to its load-bearing waist belt (albeit a very basic non-padded one). The Bill's Bag carrying system is fully removable, enabling you to streamline the bag if you want to lash it to a watercraft.
You can't expect your stuff to stay dry if it rips and tears, exposing your gear to the water. To excel at their job, these products need to be tough enough to hold up to the thrashings of your chosen adventure. We evaluated the (in)destructibility of the main compartment's material and the components of each model, such as clips and straps.
The Yeti Panga bags are made out of super-thick laminated high-density nylon. This material is built to handle rocks, tree branches, and river debris and can even stand up to the demands of international travel. The backpack straps on the Duffel are fixed with metal carabiner-type fasteners that are secured to two-ply webbing, providing confidence that the whole package will stay in one piece no matter what conditions your journey throws at you. The Panga Backpack is newer to our lineup but just as impressive, with sewn-in straps that can withstand heavy use and loads. The same zipper is used on both these bags, and it has faired well with the test of time. We've been using one of these for years now without a single issue or complaint about its durability.
The Colorado Duffel and Aleutian Deck Bag also offer outstanding durability. Their polyurethane-coated nylon is resistant to tears and scratches and has the advantage of a flexible and lightweight profile. The webbing is thick single-ply nylon, and the D-rings are made out of a beefy Duraflex polymer that puts other plastic rings to shame. Watershed has a well-established reputation for well-wearing bags; our testers have owned Watershed bags that are still watertight after eight years of frequent use. If you are using this bag in sandy environments or after extensive use, the seals on the Watershed bags can become more challenging to close. Treatment with the provided 303 Rubber Seal Protectant will help to keep the seal easy to open and close and reduce UV damage to the exterior.
The Expedition DriDuffel is made out of intensely thick TobaTex, with beefy straps and aluminum clips designed to see you through the worst of whatever is ahead. Our DriDuffel took a 23-day trip down the Grand Canyon, an environment notorious for destroying dry bags. This pack was the envy of the party and returned home with no noticeable deterioration.
Specific features are what make each model unique, and the manufacturers of these products have adorned them with various creative and sometimes subtle additions. We evaluated the functionality of each bag's features and kept track of the included lash points, straps, closure systems, and any other unique additions and attributes like see-through windows or purge valves. This metric is important to consider when trying to determine the perfect model for your specific needs.
The Watershed Aleutian has some of the most impressive bells and whistles in this category. Sporting a reliable and submersible ZipDry closure, this bag has five attachment points to secure it down and additional attachment points for your bilge pump or spare paddle. On the outside, there is a mesh bag that can be adjusted to secure a water bottle. The see-through window is designed to carry a map or other documents like permits that you may want readily accessible and watertight. Our other Watershed bag, the Colorado Duffel, also features the same ZipDry closure, the best watertight closure we've seen. Either of these bags can also be easily attached to a craft using one of the 4+ D-rings securely fastened to the exterior. For an extra cost, the Watershed duffel bags are available with a purge valve, which is particularly helpful if you get a larger size.
Both Yeti Panga bags — duffel and backpack — also shine in this category. The closure system is also the most unique of any of the products we tested, and countless hours of testing has demonstrated it's up for the job. The Panga Backpack 28 has wide shoulder straps for comfortable carrying, an internal laptop sleeve, and a mesh compartment for those extra items you don't want rolling at the bottom of your bag.
If you are looking for a more streamlined design, the Panga Duffel has added versatility thanks to its removable backpack straps, and it also features two internal zippered mesh pockets for stashing small items. Both Panga bags stand out for their numerous lash points, which are made of double-stitched webbing for easy, secure attachment to any craft.
The Sea to Summit Big River has a more common design but features four welded TPU lash patches and two plastic D-rings at the top. With such beefy lash points, you can be confident the Big River will stay attached — as long as your rigging skills are equally matched. The bag's lip is also reinforced to form a more complete seal when rolled and secured. One of our favorite features of this bag is the white interior, a detail that makes it much easier to see what you're looking for.
The NRS Bill's Bag and SealLine Boundary both have comfortable backpack straps that can be removed when you don't need them. The Boundary has useful additional straps, like a sternum strap and webbing waist belt to help shoulder the load when you're transporting the bag from place to place. The Bill's Bag also has these features, but the sternum strap is oddly low. The Boundary's backpack harness is complicated to remove and reattach, with straps that must be unthreaded, and several straps and buckles remain on the bag after the harness is off. In contrast, the Bill's Bag's harness is easily removed by aluminum buckles, so it only takes a matter of seconds to turn your dry bag into a backpack.
The SealLine Discovery View is noteworthy for its compression abilities, using a one-way valve to allow the user to force air out of the bag. When you are tight on space and want to keep your gear dry, this is a handy bag to have on hand. When packing gear into the back of a whitewater kayak or the hatch of a touring kayak, we were grateful to have this feature on hand. This bag's translucent material aids in locating your items quickly.
The Outdoor Products set is also neat because, for one of the lowest prices of any model we tested, you get not one but three dry bags. They're a little lacking in some other departments but are convenient for keeping small items contained within larger bags. The 2, 4, and 10-liter pouches allow you to choose what size you need that day, all for one minimal price. The more pricey Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Set of 3 also delivers three convenient bags of varying sizes, each equipped with replaceable buckles and an extra smooth finish, making them super easy to squeeze into those tight places in your backpack or kayak.
Finally, the Earth Pak Original has a single adjustable (unpadded) strap that makes it easy to carry to and from the beach hands-free. It also comes with a clear cell phone case, though it's too short for most of today's oversized smartphones. We tried both with the very tall LG V60 ThinQ and the bulky iPhone 12 Pro Max, and both were too tall to seal this little bag shut.
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