With hundreds of explorations under her belt, Sian Lewis, founder of The Girl Outdoors, puts the best small waterproof bags to the test to help make any journey easier while travelling.Are you considering heading to the ocean and exploring the open waters for your next vacation? If so, it\u2019s essential to do your research and pack everything you need to make the trip a success, including the best small waterproof bags.
\nAt a glance \u2013 editors top choices for best small waterproof bags<\/p>\n
But before you start pulling together all your necessities, make a checklist of all the must-have features you need your bag to have. As there are hundreds of options on the market, narrowing down the specifications that matter the most to you will help you with the search. We\u2019d recommend considering lash points, the robustness of the fabric, its weight and the capacity of the bag.
\nTo help make your decision easier, we put the small waterproof bags through their paces and put a spotlight on capacity, durability,\u00a0ease of use and waterproofness. Here\u2019s everything you need to know about your next travel companion.
\n7 of the best small waterproof bags <\/p>\n
1 \/ Musto Evo Dry Tube 1.5 Litre
\nSpecifications:
\nMaterial: Polyamide
\nCapacity: 1.5 litres
\nColour: grey or black
\nLash Loops: 1
\nWeight: 138g
\nReasons to buy: compact size, translucent window, portable
\nReasons to avoid: light grey colourway can look grubby, not submergible
\nIf you need something compact and wearable that\u2019ll keep your essentials dry, Musto\u2019s dinky 1.5 litre Dry Tube is a great alternative. This bumbag-sized pack is perfect for keeping your phone, your wallet and a lightweight spare layer safe and dry when you\u2019re exploring near water. It features a clever translucent panel so you can see what is inside, ensuring that you can pack it and unpack the bag easily.
\nThe whole pack has a great solid construction. It feels like it\u2019d be difficult to cut or damage, so it should last for many wears. This dry bag is portable thanks to the decent strap and the buckle that doubles up as a handle. It can be worn as a shoulder bag, and the base is reinforced so you can also set it down on rough surfaces. A lash loop with a plastic ring makes it effortless to attach the bag to a paddleboard, kayak or bike when you aren\u2019t wearing it.
\nWe also used this pack to double-bag smaller valuables and electronics when storing them inside a non-waterproofed backpack. We found this dinky bag got regular use whatever we were up to \u2013 we reached for it again and again when heading to the beach or just walking the dog in the rain. The nylon outer material feels nice to touch but the light grey colourway could get dirty easily \u2013 the black is a better option. At \u00a320, this is a bit of a bargain of a bag and larger sizes are also available.\u00a0
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2 \/ Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Bag 13 Litre\u00a0
\nSpecifications:
\nMaterial: recycled nylon
\nCapacity: 13 litres
\nColour: five available
\nLash Loops: 0
\nWeight: 81g\u00a0
\nReasons to buy: light weight, also work for packing,
\nReasons to avoid: feel flimsier than most dry bags, no lash loops or strap
\nAs the name suggests, this dry bag is pleasingly lightweight \u2013 we tested out the 13-litre version of this pack, which despite having a good capacity weighs in at just 81g. It packs down super small, so it\u2019s easy to carry with you in case you need it. The 13-litre version of the Lightweight Dry Bag sits in the middle of seven sizes ranging from 1.5 litres to 35 litres, so this design is a good choice if you\u2019re after a matching set that can double up as a packing cube for clothing when you\u2019re travelling.
\n The recycled nylon fabric of this dry bag is soft to touch but would be believe it may be easier to rip through than some tougher bags we\u2019ve tested. While it may be thin, the material is still splashproof (but not submergible) and the bag features a roll top closure, taped seams and a light-reflecting white interior for better visibility when you\u2019re sorting kit inside it.
\nThe oval base also makes it easy to stand this design up. We like a bag made with planet-friendly materials, and Sea to Summit use recycled, traceable 70D nylon fabric here and waterproof it with a non-PFC DWR finish. You can buy a dry bag strap to fit the bag separately \u2013 we\u2019d have preferred this to be included to make this design more versatile. Seven sizes and five colourways are available \u2013 the bright orange and yellow are good choices for spotting where you\u2019ve left your bags quickly, while the olive won\u2019t show dirt and would blend in if you\u2019re fishing or wild camping.\u00a0
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3 \/ Musto Evo Dry Tube 20 Litre\u00a0
\nSpecifications:
\nMaterial: polyamide
\nCapacity: 20 litres
\nColour: grey or black
\nLash Loops: 1
\nWeight: 390g
\nReason to buy: useful handle, clear panel, tough fabric
\nReason to advoid: not submersible, grey colourway could get dirty\u00a0
\nMusto\u2019s Evo collection was designed with sailors in mind. These dry bags look and feel like great quality \u2013 if you\u2019re after something splashproof they\u2019re a solid all-rounder for sailing and water sports alike. This 20-litre version of the Dry Tube design was reliably water-resistant on test. We wouldn\u2019t class this as a fully waterproof bag and you can\u2019t submerge it, but it will withstand rain and splashes, so it\u2019s better used near water rather than where there\u2019s a likelihood of it getting dumped overboard.
\nIt\u2019s also tough enough to chuck about on boats and bikes or to attach to the outside of a mountaineering backpack and that\u2019s why it has made it to our best small waterproof bags list. A clever translucent panel means you can see what is inside at a glance \u2013 this feature is great when you\u2019re packing multiple dry bags full of kit for adventure camping or for international travels \u2013 and also makes seeing inside the pack easy.
\nWe\u2019d pick the black colourway over the light grey version of the Evo Dry, as the lighter hue could get dirty easily. The included strap is of decent quality (although there\u2019s no padding so while it\u2019s comfortable enough to sling over your shoulder, we wouldn\u2019t carry it far). When the bag is rolled up, the buckle doubles up as a grab handle \u2013 a fantastic feature which makes this option easy to transport. There\u2019s only one lash loop, but it\u2019s solid plastic so you can pop a carabiner on it. All in all, this is a great all-rounder for activities above the water line, and all for a decent price.\u00a0
\nBuy it now<\/p>\n
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4 \/ Mustang Survival Bluewater Rolltop 5 Litre
\nSpecifications:
\nMaterial: nylon
\nCapacity: 5 litres
\nColour: black\/yellow
\nLash loops: 0
\nWeight: 107g
\nReasons to buy: simple and sleek design, cube shape helps with packing
\nReasons to avoid: no lash loops, material feels thin, clips are flimsy
\nWe like the sleek looks of this black and yellow dry bag \u2013 it lives up to the best small waterproof bags material. What you see is what you get here \u2013 a fuss-free pack made of diamond weave ripstop nylon and with a plastic interior that is easy to keep clean and to wipe dry after adventures. We did notice on test that the material Bluewater bag felt a bit thinner and flimsier than some other dry bags we tried out, and it might not withstand chucking about or dumping on rough terrain as some sturdier models would.
\nThe roll top of this bag is easy to do up quickly and securely, but the clips also felt flimsier to handle than those of other models, and there are no lash loops for securing this bag in place on deck or when you\u2019re using it for water sports. We did like that the Survival Bluewater is a cube in shape once it\u2019s full and rolled down \u2013 it\u2019s designed to be packed with multiple others and is handy for maximising packing space in a narrow hold or if you\u2019re playing Tetris with your belongings in bike panniers or a in a small tent.
\nThe square design also makes it easier to pop this dry bag inside a backpack, so it\u2019s great as a waterproof liner if you\u2019re heading on land camping or hiking after in wet weather. Taped seams held water back from contents when we splashed this bag on test, so it\u2019s a good choice for stashing valuables in. At under 110g, this bag barely weighs anything and won\u2019t take up room when it\u2019s not in use, so we\u2019d recommend it as a packing cube for storing clothing and valuables rather than for water sports.\u00a0
\nBuy it now<\/p>\n
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5\/ Mustang Survival Highwater Backpack 22 Litre
\nSpecifications:
\nMaterial: nylon
\nCapacity: 22 litres
\nColour: black
\nLash Loops: 0
\nWeight: 567g
\nReasons to buy: good size, handy mesh pockets, shoulder straps, light weight
\nReasons to avoid: straps have limited padding, pricy for such a simple design
\nMustang\u2019s Highwater is exactly what it looks like \u2013 a dry bag you can also pop on your back thanks to simple shoulder straps. \u00a0It\u2019s worth noting that this is not a pack we\u2019d use for extended hiking \u2013 but it does work well as a waterproof container you can wear if needed, so it\u2019s ideal for paddleboarding excursions, walking to a wild swim spot or for popping a weekend\u2019s worth of clothes in for a boat trip.
\nA roll top entry makes it quick to stash kit and then seal the bag, and watertight seams stopped any splashes getting through on test. This pack has more external features than most dry bags, including three handy stretchy mesh pockets which are great for quickly storing clothing and kit on the go. The interior is black, which does make it hard to see what you\u2019ve squirrelled away. The shoulder straps are foam padded and there\u2019s a sternum clip \u2013 they\u2019re comfortable for a few miles but not structured enough for a proper trek (despite Mustang\u2019s claim of \u2018all-day comfort\u2019).
\nWhere this design does stand out compared to other backpack designs is for its light weight \u2013 at under 600g it won\u2019t weigh you down. There are no dedicated lash loops but you can use the straps to cinch this pack to a board or a bike. We reckoned despite that being a versatile pick this is quite a pricy option for such a simple design \u2013 there are more affordable best small waterproof bags on the market.\u00a0
\nBuy it now<\/p>\n
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6\/ Red Adventure Waterproof Backpack 30 Litre
\nSpecifications:
\nMaterial: recycled nylon
\nCapacity: 30 litres
\nColour: blue, green, black
\nLash Loops: 1
\nWeight: 1.57g
\nReasons to buy: good straps, great internal organiser, tough waterproof fabric
\nReasons to avoid: heavy, limited lash loops
\nWhile this is the largest bag on our list, the fully waterproof backpack is comfortable enough to hike proper distances with is a rare \u2013 but the Red Equipment have found the perfect formula with this adventure pack. There\u2019s everything we\u2019d expect to find in a decent trekking pack here \u2013 well-padded shoulder straps and a chest strap are comfortable to wear, and mesh panels wick away\u00a0 sweat. There are plenty of external pockets including stretchy water bottle pockets and a zipped external compartment ideal for stashing wet kit in.
\nRed then add in extras to make this pack ideal for water sports and aquatic adventures including waterproof zippers, a tough, abrasion-resistant base so you can stand the pack upright and a roll-down top to keep everything water resistant. Inside the pack is roomy and there\u2019s a clever removable organiser which you can take out completely and hang up or keep in the pack \u2013 it\u2019ll store a small laptop, toiletries and plenty of other bits and bobs. There\u2019s also a small, zipped pocket inside the main bag that\u2019s ideal for stashing away your phone. It\u2019s a pity there\u2019s just one lash loop on a bag with so many other bells and whistles.
\nThe outside material of the Adventure pack is super thick and tough, is easy to keep clean and feels bomb-proof. The nylon is made from recycled materials including plastic bottles, so this is a more eco-conscious pick than most. The compromise is that this is quite a heavy pack compared to a simply dry bag.\u00a0 We tested out the smart but muted blue version of this bag, which features reflective details that make you more visible when hiking and cycling after dark.\u00a0
\nBuy it now<\/p>\n
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7 \/ Itiwit Duffle Bag 5 Litre
\nSpecifications:
\nMaterial: polyester
\nCapacity: 5 litres
\nColour: orange, yellow
\nLash Loops: 1
\nWeight: 290g
\nReasons to buy: bright orange is great for safety, great value, strap
\nReasons to avoid: splashproof only\u00a0
\nYou\u2019ll be easy to spot if you\u2019re sporting Itiwit\u2019s bright duffle bag. This vividly-coloured dry bag is available in sunshine yellow or neon orange, both ideal for being seen by other water users when you\u2019re on or near the ocean or a river. Itiwit is one of sporting goods retailer Decathlon\u2019s stable of in-house brands, and we reckon it offers great value for money all round \u2013 this handy little bag is a steal at under \u00a310.
\nThis design is dinky enough to work as a sort of outdoor handbag \u2013 sling it over your shoulder to keep valuables such as your phone and your wallet within reach but protected from splashes when you\u2019re paddleboarding, kayaking or just out walking the dog in horrible weather.
\nThe Itiwit bag has good solid clips and a simple but adequate strap (it isn\u2019t padded, but then again this bag is too small to be too heavy when slung on one shoulder). There\u2019s a top clip that works like a lash loop, so you can add a carabiner and attach this to another bag or a bit of equipment.
\nOur favourite feature was the numbered stencilling on the outside of the polyester material so that you can see if you\u2019ve folded this bag far enough before you secure it \u2013 we\u2019d love it if all dry bags had this feature. This bag is only \u2018waterproof to splashes\u2019 and should not be immersed according to Decathlon \u2013 on test we found it let in water after a minute when submerged. Ideal for popping your phone in for more relaxed activities near water.
\nBuy it now\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Small waterproof bags vs large waterproof bags
\nUnsure whether to pack a large or small waterproof bag? The main difference comparing a small waterproof bag to a larger one is that you can easily stow a smaller option if you have limited space onboard your boat. The best small waterproof bags\u00a0will often be easy to carry on and off the vessel: this is vital if you\u2019re planning on lots of excursions.\u00a0
\nUltimately, whatever bag you choose it needs to be right for you and when you find it, you\u2019ll know. To help you make the most of your trip, read Pip Hare reveals the 15 essential items in her grab bag\u00a0to inspire you on what to take with you and help make packing less stressful. <\/p>\n
The post The best small waterproof bags for maritime adventurers, tried and tested appeared first on Yachting World.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
With hundreds of explorations under her belt, Sian Lewis, founder of The Girl Outdoors, puts the best small waterproof bags to the test to help make any journey easier while travelling.Are you considering heading to the ocean and exploring the … <\/p>\n