Any Dry Bag Suggestions?

[ednedfred]

I'm in need of a new, smaller dry bag. Maybe a bit bigger than my reg. case. Any thoughts on new bags (no ex-spouse jokes)

Thanks

Ed

 

[BrianDiver]

Depends on what you're going to do with it.

I've got a wide range of sizes of heavy duty, roll top dry bags for sea kayaking from Seattle Sports and SealLine. I've never had any problems with them. Very durable and well built.

For dive trips my wife and I each have a very light weight, roll top drybag to carry on the dive boat. These are made by Sea to Summit. Very light weight construction but are well made. They pack down to almost nothing and don't weigh anything.

I've also got two large, splash resistant duffle bags from Seattle Sports that I use to carry gear---they work great on the back of my motorcycle in Seattle winters. These just have a large flap that covers the zippers. Very easy access and really heavy duty.

Good luck.

 

[ednedfred]

Great information, my needs are to carry on the boat to hold wallet, keys, etc.

Thanks

 

[OceanObsessed]

I am using one similar to this. They make these in different colors too but if you go with one like this I would recommend a clear one. It makes it easy to find things when you can see right through the bag.

 

[BrianDiver]

Here's another inexpensive option for small items:

BAG-189 - Weapons Storage Bags, Element Proof Aloksak 12x12" Airtight Mil-Spec Bag 3 Pack - Manufactured by: Cheaper Than Dirt

These Aloksak bags are waterproof as advertised. I used one for my wallet, passport, and rental car key while diving in the cenotes outside of Tulum, MX. For some reason I didn't feel comfortable leaving all my valuables in the rental car. The dives weren't very deep, but they did keep my stuff completely dry---and safe .

 

[ArcticDiver]

Depends on what you are going to do with the bag. For, local trips where I want something really tough I've got Army surplus bags. They are inexpensive and really durable.

For trips where all I'm doing is keeping things dry on a dive charter boat I use a mesh laundry bag lines with a plastic trash bag(Not the one's you get in the checkout line; the ones you buy). They are Light, Cheap, Compact, Easily Packed, Keep Everything Dry. With today's airline emphasis on luggage weight and number of bags these are ideal.

 

[Rynomar]

You should also check out the Sea to Summit lightweight dry bags. They have several styles of dry bags made out of different coated materials. http://www.seatosummit.com/products/display/7

I have several that are made out of Siliconized Cordura and are extremely lightweight. I have had good luck with them for backpacking and think that they might work great for travelling. My only concern with them for diving would be the durability of the material. Salt water is pretty hard on things so a standard dry bag might work better if you are planning on exposing it to alot of salt water and the regular dry bags are not really that heavy either.

 

[HenrikBP]

I have a couple of Ortlieb dry duffle bags. The first one I got uses the roll-top method of keeping things dry. I found that a bit cumbersome for roaming through my stuff. So I got one of their duffles with their TiZip zipper closure. The TiZip has it's own set of issues; The zipper is a bear to pull. I've cleaned and lubed it and it's still a struggle. The material is kinda stiff, making it tricky to pack into a suitcase or similar.

I've recently looked at Pacific Outdoor courier style bags, which are supposedly waterproof and may be easier to pack stuff in and out of. There's also a waterproof belt pack which may be the size you're looking for:

Pacific Outdoor Equipment up to 63% off at Sierra Trading Post

Henrik

 

[ednedfred]

Thanks all,

This really points me in the right direction. I just want something to leave on the boat and not get my wallet wet.

Have a great week.

Ed

 

[Charlie99]

I use a 10 liter Sealine drybag for stuff that really, really needs to be kept dry -- such as a cellphone. Ones with an exhaust valve are a bit more convenient, since it is easier to squish them down in size when you have just a few small items in it. The kayak section of an outdoor sporting goods stores is a good place to find a variety of drybags.

For things like a T-shirt and hat to wear during the SI, I just stuff it into gallon ziplock freezer bags, then throw it into my gearbag under my seat. Nice and easy to retrieve later on.