One of those necessary accessories you need when kayaking is a dry bag. To help you out you will find a list of important features below to help you choose your dry bag.
To best understand the features your dry bag should have, you should probably first think of the purpose you are buying it for. For example, a dry bag you will use for hiking might have a different list of features than the one you will use for kayaking.
Obviously today we will discuss the features needed for a kayaking dry bag. Since that’s the purpose we will be using it for.
What to Look for in a Dry Bag:
Size
The size is an important feature when buying a dry bag. Mainly there are 3 sizes they come in, which are: small, medium or large. This is usually expressed in liters. Normal sizes vary between 30 and 70 liters. Depending on what you want to take with you when out on the water you should pick a size.
I feel like medium (between 30-50 liters) would be the right size for most kayakers unless you are planning on taking a multiple day trip.
Closure Method
Besides buying the right size it’s important to look at the right closure method. There are 3 main ways of closing a dry bag. They will either use a zip, drawstring or roll-down. For me, a zip is a no go since they will wear down and easily cause leakages. A drawstring or rolldown is much more durable and will also ensure no water will enter the bag.
Waterproof
When buying a bag make sure that it is a 100% waterproof. Some bags will be named dry bags but really aren’t waterproof once in the water. It would be a shame if all your belonging became wet once you took a spill.
Floatability
If you do take a spill it would be a shame if you had to dive to retrieve your bag. Try and make sure your bag stays afloat. This is a feature most bags will have but just make sure the feature is there, it would be a shame to find out it isn’t in that cold watery moment.
Materials & Durability
Most dry bags are made of nylon and some budget brands will use vinyl. Nylon is a strong and scratch proof fabric that I advise using. However, make sure its coated nylon otherwise your bag will not be waterproof. Vinyl besides being cheaper has a bonus feature as well. If it should tear vinyl is patchable and nylon isn’t.
Be sure to choose a durable fabric. It would be a shame to need a new dry bag within the year.
Straps
Your drybag should preferably come equipped with a carrying strap. At some point, you will need to carry your dry bag back to your car or up to your campsite. Having a strap to carry it with or a lanyard/cord to tie it to a larger bag would be best.
Color
This is not a must-have feature but might be a good idea. When you turn over or kayak in the dark having a bright color will help you to easily find your drybag.
Use the list when you decide to buy your dry bag and make a wise decision.
Because there are so many dry bags to choose from. I researched 3 great dry bags for you guys. There are a high-end brand, a decent affordable pick and budget dry bag listed for you below. First, I will compare the bags to the features which we discussed above:
| Name | SealLine Boundary Bag | INDDY Dry Bag | Adventure Lion’s Ocean Dry Bag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 30L, 70L & 115L | 5L, 10L 20L, 30L & 40L | 20L & 40L |
| Method of Closure | Roll Top with Double sealing strips | Roll Top | Roll Top |
| Waterproof | 100% With double closure. | 100% | 100% |
| Floatability | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Materials | Vinyl coated polyester | Waterproof PVC | Waterproof Polymer |
| Durability | High | Medium | Medium |
| Carrying Method | Dual straps (like a backpack) | Single Straps (like a shoulder bag) | Dual Straps with the ability to convert to Single Straps |
| Different Colors | 4 colors | 4 colors | 6 colors |
SealLine Boundary Bag
As a high-end brand, I feel comfortable saying pick any of the SealLine bags. This is a great high-end brand with many options to choose from.
I picked the SealLine Boundary Bag (Check the current price on Amazon)because it’s a diverse bag that offers enough features and is extremely durable.
One of my friends recently bought the bag and has only sent me positive feedback on the bag. To the best of my knowledge, I can truly advise you to buy this bag.
The feature I love most on this bag is it’s roll-down double strip closing method. This ensures that it’s a 100% waterproof.
INDDY Dry Bag
The most affordable of the three picks is the INDDY Dry Bag (Check the current price on Amazon)The reason I chose this dry bag is its affordable price yet having all the features to meet our expectations.
Being equipped with double straps is a great feature and makes you able to carry the bag in several different ways. The amount of sizes to choose from gives you the ability to have a bag at just the right size.
Besides having all the necessary features, I love the amount of sizes and colors the brand offers.
Adventure Lion’s Ocean Dry Bag
As a budget pick, I chose the Adventure Lion Ocean Bag (Check the current price on Amazon) The bag is well priced and has most of the features we are looking for.
Besides that, the bag just has a great feel to it and is manufactured for multiple uses. This makes the bag more durable and able to withstand all kind of weather.
Conclusion
Hope you enjoy the post.
Thanks for reading, happy kayaking.
I can’t find a contact page but here you go.. https://kayakingventure.com/recommend-gear/
fix it, thx.