Is anybody else surprised that there was no mention of any drybags in this list on paddling.com from Sealline? Sealline features too notch drybags and dry gear.
Or any of the new and innovative drybags that have Event waterproof breathable fabric to vent the trapped air in the drybags. I believe that Sea to Summit and Granite Gear both have versions of these bags.
I am not connected with any of these manufacturers, just an avid sea kayaker.
I haven’t read the list, but any list w/o Watershed & SealLine @ the top is poorly researched/constructed.
I’m not familiar with Watershed drybags. I’ll look this brand up. Thanks for your input!
Gil
Wow, the Watershed drybags, duffels, and packs look like very serious gear! Are you a canoeist, kayaker, backpacker, rafter, or all the above?!!
Just follow the money…
In my own looking for various gear, I find many gear review lists online tend to link directly to Amazon, because they get money from Amazon if someone buys a product from the link in the article. Some of it isn’t junk, some of it is. Read the reviews, and choose carefully. There’s a lot of junk on there from “manufacturers” with “brand names” that look like someone just slapped their keyboard during the naming process.
Scratch my back I’ll scratch yours!
I do not consider any roll top dry bags to be completely waterproof, including those made by SealLine, although SealLine is one of the better bags. Roll top bags resist splash well and may survive a partial or even a brief full immersion in relatively calm water. But if fully submerged in strong current they will all take in at least a bit of water IME.
Watershed duffels on the other hand can be trusted to be completely waterproof so long as the zip seal is properly closed.
I used a couple of these, not very big but seem to work and for $3 you can’t beat em. They sell a larger one too. I use a SeaLine and they last for decades.
[RENSARE Waterproof bag, 6 ¼x4 ¾x9 ½"/85 oz - IKEA)
I tend to “double bag” on my larger bags, especially on my NRS Bill’s bag that carries my camping gear since it’s not fun sleeping in a wet sleeping bag. Those cheap small ones they sell on Amazon work great for that. I have several Sea Line 20 to 40l bags and a couple of off brand roll top duffels as well and they all do well, but they do have a shelf life. I replaced my Bill’s back after about 20 years of use because I could see daylight inside from creases due to being folded when stored. I patched it up and still use it for non critical items or if someone needs to borrow one. I have also retired several of the smaller Sea Lines due to age. None leak, but why take chances?
Yes, if you have to depend on roll top dry bags, double bagging is one way to go. I have used lightweight roll top dry bags inside of packs with a plastic liner or inside of larger roll top packs like Bill’s Bags.
Years ago, Outdoor Research made what they called “double dry sacks” in several different sizes. These were essentially a single dry bag body with two separate roll top closures, one inside of the other. I have several of them and they work quite well but they were discontinued for whatever reason.
I see that no one mentioned Sea to Summits bags, is there a reason they don’t stack up to the Sealines?
I can guarantee that 99.999999% of all commercial reviews are based on who paid them a sum, or at least provides the products and other gadgets for free. No review ever disses a product, they always find them to be overall good. Often they include a token minor thing to complain about something that won’t stop the reader from buying (i.e. packaging was to bulky or something irrelevant).
It is even worse for expensive products. Car reviewers, for example, don’t even own a car. They basically get by from week to week with a new loaner from a car company to review inc full tank. If for some reason there is a week they don’t have such car scheduled, they freak out since they have to Uber or get by without driving. No motivation to write negative things in a review… and whoever writes something negative, doesn’t get early access, or no access at all. The only un-biased reviews are from organizations that spend money to buy the product anonymously (like Consumer Reports, or Gamers Nexus).
The most trustworthy “reviews” are from regular users on a forum like this when they have a track record of being knowledgeable and balanced. It is unlikely a company creates a fake account here and gives years of good and balanced advice just to sneak in their product. I’m not saying they wouldn’t do it, but that would cost more money and time than to just sponsor a few “review” sites or influencers.
But we are to blame - we want free reviews and we get what we pay for.
In any magazine that touts the 10 best or has reviews, the products mentioned are never inclusive of all available. What gets reviewed is what reviewers have access to. I have several well built boats that are not advertised anywhere.
Not at all. I like Sea to Summit too. One of my friends has their waterproof compression bag for his sleeping bag, works great.
I LOVE to do multi-day, self support, overnight 40(+/-) mile floats in my Dagger Katana 10.4. I use two Watershed Futa Stowfloats in my stern dry hatch, & one Watershed Salmon Stowfloat in my bow—fore of my footrest bulkhead.
Watershed is BOMBER, American-made quality gear. They are even a contractor for the U.S. military.
… you can often find used Watershed military bags for sale on eBay (if you’re looking for a deal).