PSA: Stop using dry bags that aren't fully waterproof

I used to think any old dry bag would keep my gear safe until I did a 4-day trip on the Buffalo River in Arkansas last spring and woke up to a soaked sleeping bag after a light rain. Now I only use bags with roll-top seals and test them in the bathtub before every trip - has anyone else had a cheap bag fail on them at the worst time?

2 comments

2 Comments

oscarwright22d ago

Roll top is the only way to go, full stop. I had a fancy looking bag with a zipper seal and it leaked like a sieve on a rainy weekend in the Smokies. That was a cold miserable night trying to dry gear out in the tent. Now I submerge every bag in the bathtub for a good ten minutes before I even load it for a trip. People think I'm nuts but that little test has saved me from some real headaches out there. Cheap gear just is not worth the risk when your sleeping bag gets wrecked.

graytorres21d ago

Gotta ask, what bags have you actually tested in the tub so far? I'm curious if there's a specific brand or model that surprised you by failing hard lol. I've been using a Sea to Summit dry bag for a few years now and it's been solid on some nasty trips, but I never thought to literally submerge it for that long before loading gear. That's a smart way to catch a slow leak though, I bet a lot of those cheaper roll tops only hold up for a quick rain shower and then start seeping after ten minutes of full submersion. Did you find any that actually passed your test?