7 Best Drybags in 2020
Since their invention, drybags have been part of the standard equipment of kayakers, stand up paddlers and other water sports enthusiasts. The waterproof bags protect your equipment, provisions and also changing clothes against wind and weather. The possibility to store your belongings waterproof is important on the water. Then you can pursue your activities much more carefree. Because (apart from yourself) nothing can get wet anymore.
Drybags are also available in a number of different models, some of which function differently. The workmanship and the material used also play a role, of course. This can make the difference between an average drybag and an excellent drybag. Due to additional functions, some drybags are particularly suitable for certain applications. Other people who are looking for a drybag for kayaks, for example, may attach more importance to a cool design and chic colours.
However, there is something for everyone in our best list. So here we have listed the best drybags for SUP and other water sports. The presented models could already convince in practice or in drybag tests.
The selection of available drybags is large. Especially for water sports beginners the decision for a model is not always easy. If you are looking for a SUP drybag, you may not know what to look for when buying a drybag. The same could apply to a kayaker who wants to buy a kayak drybag. In the following we therefore present a number of excellent models with which water sports enthusiasts will certainly do nothing wrong.
The best drybags
| # | Product | Rating | Shop |
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1 |  | Waterproof Dry Bag for Camera - | |
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2 |  | Wise Owl Outfitters Dry Bag 3-Pack | |
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3 |  | Osprey UltraLight 3 Dry Sack, | |
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4 |  | Floating Waterproof Dry Bag | |
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5 |  | HEETA Waterproof Dry Bag for Women | |
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6 |  | Earth Pak -Waterproof Dry Bag - | |
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7 |  | Outdoor Products 3-Pack All Purpose | |
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Guide: Buying the right drybag
In our guide, we now go into the characteristics and additional features of the waterproof bags and give practical tips on what to look out for when making your choice.
Processing & Quality
With drybags, very good workmanship is the most important thing. The application area of kayak and SUP drybags is the cool wet. It is therefore of utmost importance that the packsack remains absolutely waterproof. The Drybag should not let any water in even if it is completely submerged under water for some time. Only in this way is it guaranteed that the luggage and especially the valuables remain dry.
Air- and watertight sealing is one thing. The other thing is that a Drybag Outdoor is used. The cover must be suitably robust and durable to withstand scratches, knocks and of course wind and weather. For this reason, the material of the drybags must be puncture-proof and able to withstand abrasions.
When choosing the material, it is important to consider that a kayak or SUP Drybag should be used for many years. At the same time the drybag must be light to handle. It is of no use if the bag protects against water and damage, but is much too heavy for transport. A really good Drybag therefore offers exactly the middle ground of robustness, protection from the water and a low weight. Ideally, the bag should have two shoulder straps attached to it, which also makes it easier to transport.
Quality has its price. This saying is especially true with regard to the material used in the manufacture of drybags. If you choose a very cheap model, you may pay little at first, but in most cases you will also get a bag that does not last very long. If you consider the (replacement) price of the valuables that are transported in the drybag (mobile phone, car keys, headphones, etc.), it should be clear that only a high-quality drybag is really useful. If a lack of water gets into the inside of the packsack, it can quickly become really expensive.
protection against water
Although water protection is the first item on the priority list, other features may turn out to be practical additional functions or may even be the reason for choosing a particular drybag.
There are already a number of aspects to consider when it comes to protection against water. While some models are absolutely waterproof when the drybag floats on the water surface, other packsacks can be used in more extreme environments.
One criterion for selection can be the so-called IPX classes, which indicate the degree of protection against water. IPX7 is the standard here and indicates that the respective drybag remained dry for 30 minutes at a water depth of one meter.
Some manufacturers also state that their drybag is IPX8 certified. This sounds much better at first, but it doesn’t have to be. IPX8 simply means that the Drybag achieves more than IPX7. The manufacturer can decide exactly what this means. A test duration of 31 minutes or a water depth of 1.1 meters would be sufficient.
It should be noted, however, that these tests are carried out on new drybags. It is quite possible that the effective protection against water could be reduced by damage or simply by many years of use. This is the case with mobile phones, for example. Many smartphones are waterproof as long as they are new, but after only a few weeks water can penetrate and paralyze the phone.
Add-on functions
Apart from protection against water, additional features such as the number of compartments also play a role. Many drybags have only one compartment, but some models have separate compartments so that things can be sorted more easily. Due to the material, however, it is not possible to come up with the large number of individual compartments like a backpack.
Another thing are pockets protected from splashes, which are located outside the drybag. These can be used to store items that should always be within easy reach and do not necessarily have to be stowed in a waterproof manner.
Nowadays, the mobile phone must always be with you. Most people do not even want to do without it on the water. The manufacturers have also recognized this and therefore increasingly include waterproof mobile phone cases in the drybags they offer. In this way the mobile phone is protected from the water and always ready to hand. The mobile phone simply has to be put into the transparent bag. This is then sealed and attached either to the wrist or the drybag.
Another practical thing are reflective strips or drybags in bright colours. In this way, the bags can be easily recognized from a distance. Furthermore, the vast majority of drybags float. Usually, the air trapped inside gives the bags enough buoyancy for this.
The right capacity
The correct size of the drybag depends mainly on what you intend to do with it. A 40 litre drybag is big, bulky and too big to be carried comfortably. A good drybag for SUP should not be that big, because on the one hand it hardly fits under the luggage net and on the other hand (fully filled) it can negatively influence the balance.
Smaller SUP drybags with 5 to 20 litres would be better suited. However, the choice of a certain volume ultimately depends on the specific application. Kayakers have more storage space, especially in sit-in kayaks, which can be used for stowing the drybag.
If you are just looking for a waterproof drybag for your car keys, mobile phone and wallet, you probably only need a drybag with 3 to 5 litres. If you want to go on a small trip, take some provisions and change clothes, this drybag might be too small for kayakers or stand up paddlers.
For kayaking and stand up paddling it is therefore clever to choose a larger drybag with 10 or 20 litres. This way you are well prepared for all possible uses.
However, if you are kayak camping, you would be better off using 30 to 50 litre drybags. You simply need space to store the extra provisions for the multi-day trips, the extra equipment and camping gear.
A good drybag for divers or swimmers, on the other hand, doesn’t have to be big. Here, models with 3 to 5 litres are usually sufficient. In these, the most important belongings (keys, money and mobile phone) can be stored waterproof and the rather compact drybag does not disturb too much when swimming.
Easy transport
Many drybags are equipped with one or two shoulder straps that make it easier to transport the bags. The number of straps depends on the size of the waterproof bags. Large drybags usually have two straps and are carried like a backpack. Smaller drybags, on the other hand, often have only one shoulder strap and are carried either diagonally on the back or by hand.
With larger drybags or if you plan to transport heavy objects over longer distances, you should also make sure that you have good padding. Non-padded shoulder straps cut into the bag, which can quickly become uncomfortable.
In certain situations it may also be important that the belt can be detached from the drybag or that the belt can be attached to various objects. In the best case, the drybag can be tied at several points or secured with a clip.
Design
The workmanship, size and additional features are the most important factors, but for some people, of course, looks also play a role. The waterproof materials used by most manufacturers have the great advantage that they can be dyed in all colours. This gives you a whole range of choices.
Many brands offer a wide range of choices when it comes to the different colour variations. Only when touring in warm areas should you be aware that dark drybags warm up much faster. Camouflage drybags are also available, but just like bluish or greenish models they are difficult to spot in water. For this reason, drybags are available in bright colours. From gaudy yellow to gaudy purple, everything is available.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions about Drybags answered
A drybag is closed in four steps. First, the drybag is flattened so that the two buckles are on the two outer sides. Then the bead is rolled down three to five times with a little force. Then the buckle is closed.
How to repair a Drybag?
Drybags are very robust and designed for durability. However, if a repair is necessary, a PVC patch should be applied over a large area. It is important that special plastic glue is used. In addition, the patch must dry overnight and only then is the drybag ready for use again. Before the first use after the repair, you should first test the patched drybag for tightness in a sink or other “harmless” environment with some paper inside.
How to remove mould from the Drybag?
Mould is a fungus that can cause respiratory problems and often leads to problems due to allergies. Mould has also been associated with depression and nervous system disorders.
It is best to use warm water to remove it, but it must not be hot as this could also damage the seams of the drybag.
Conclusion
In the field of water sports there are a number of items where it does not always have to be the very best product. However, this is not the case with drybags. If you want to store your valuables in them, you need a well made model that reliably protects them from the water.
The value of a wallet, a mobile phone and an (electronic) car key can quickly reach four figures. It is simply not worth saving a few euros by buying a particularly cheap drybag.
Meanwhile there are a lot of good drybags for SUP, kayakers, swimmers and divers available on the market. The models on our best list are also among them. With these drybags you can be sure that they offer space for your equipment and reliably protect it from the water.
A drybag must not only be used by water sports enthusiasts (even if this is the primary purpose). The waterproof bags can also be used in rain or snow to keep your gear dry.
Sources
[1] https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schutzart#Zweite_Kennziffer_des_IP-Codes
[2] https://www.welt.de/gesundheit/article147807051/So-krank-macht-uns-versteckter-Schimmel.html
