Zippered and other Dry Bag questions

I am looking for a dry bag solution. I paddle a mad river freedom solo canoe on class II rivers. I need to fit my xlarge mattress(27"x7" rolled) as well as other stuff in one bag. So I need it to be at least 27" long after being rolled up but wide enough to add some other stuff. I also want a clear or yellow bag so I can see inside or a duffel that opens wide and makes it easier to find things.



My question is what’s the opinion of zippered duffel dry bags? Do they hold up and remain water tight? I was looking at a Pacific Outdoor Equipment WXtex Hull Bag II - 63 Liter, any exp with this bag?



I was also looking at a kayak style end bag like a Pacific Outdoor Equipment Sea Bag, these are 57" long unrolled, a SealLine Baja Stern Deck Bag 34".



I’m trying to keep the bags narrow and low. I have a Boundary 115 very large bag thats too wide and black.

multis
I’d suggest more than one bag. For one thing, if you get one big clear bag and then you put the big rolled up mattress in it, that’s going to block your view of most of what else is in the bag. For a second, I like to have a dedicated bag for bedding that only gets opened on dry land, to be 100% sure that it stays dry, since nothing is worse IMO than finding your bed is wet when you’re ready to sleep. If you have to open it while in transit, then Murphy’s law will make you capsize at that point once in 50 trips, and more often you might get drips inside. So, how about one big regular bag for your tent, mattress, sleeping bag, pillow, etc, and a second clear one for the rest of your stuff that you might need while on the water.

Good Points
Yeah I do want to use 2 bags one for bedding and the other for camp gear. I’m right with you there and good point about it blocking my view of other stuff in a clear bag. The kayak end bag might be perfect for just bed roll, pillow, summer bag and some cloths. I did just find the Super Latitudes from Seattle sports. Which might work equally as well. Anyone have one?

most are NOT dry
Good to know that most dry bags are NOT dry in real world. Should call them splash bags really.



Carefully research current crop of dry bags and DO indeed consider some of the new zippered bags. Only a select few can take actual submersion and being knocked around as in real capsize situations and come out totally leakproof.



Err on the careful side lest you find all your gear soaked and heavy and not even retrievable.

TP

Watershed
Check out the Watershed line. They are truly waterproof, in my experience.

right
yep , Watershed, gf has a deck bag made by them.