In this article I will talk about the most popular dry bag types on the market and some good companies to buy from. Some of the price points I am going to hit are the occasional backpacker and camper, the twice a month or more backpacker, and the thru hiker. Why does this matter? Well the hiker that goes out one time every 1-2 months isn’t going to want to spend 35-50 bucks on dry bags. While the thru hiker can see spending that much because they are going to use it every day for 2-6 months while hiking. Dry bags are usually used when storing goods like down quilts, jackets and clothes.
Photo taken by Matthew Yates
These were the first dry bags that I had and they worked great for the price which is $10 for 3 of them the sizes are a 2 liter, 4 liter and a 10 liter. This dry bag set is best for the beginner or occasional backpacker, you don’t go out as much as you want but you still want to keep your gear relatively dry. The 10 liter that comes with it does have a circular bottom. The only thing wrong with it is that it is very tall. This means that it is better for tasks like holding a tent or a sleeping pad than holding a sleeping quilt or bag. It is nice how void of branding it is, (if that is what you prefer).
Photo Taken by Matthew Yates
Pros:
Inexpensive, cost the same as 1 sea to summit dry bag
Variety comes with the main sizes that you might need.
Cons:
Not as lightweight as other dry bags on the market.
Does Not have a round bottom on the smaller ones.
10 liter is constructed weirdly.
No size printed on
Not Marine Grade
Photo taken by Matthew Yates
I have owned multiple different dry bags from sea to summit. Sea to Summit makes dry bags from a sil-nylon, similar to the rip-stop nylon that is used in the outdoor products bags. But it is in no way a cheap dry bag. The sea to summit bags are for the hiker who is hiking a little more than one time a month and wants to start lightening their load. They cost anywhere from about $15 a bag to about $44 for a pack liner. Most recently I bought some of their Ultra-sil Nano stuff sacks, and Dry bag for some of my upcoming trips. I have only used this one a couple of times but I already love it. It is super light, all the seams are taped and it has a super nice buckle.
Pros:
Made of an ultralight fabric if you want to lighten your load.
Lighter than most Dyneema Composite stuff sacks.
Variety of sizes.
Cons:
Fabric doesn't seem that durable in the long run.
Is not recommended to sit on the outside of your pack.
Not marine grade.
Only comes in green or orange.
Photo Taken By: Matthew Yates
Dyneema composite dry bags.
When it comes to Dyneema you should do your research, it can be a big investment. So why choose a Dyneema Dry Dag over an Ultra-sil? Well, Dyneema has a higher abrasion and tear strength than Ultra-sil. Now it is slightly heavier than the ultra Ultra-sil nano dry bags from Sea to Summit. But I think they will last longer. I have not had a Dyneema dry bag before but from what I understand they are awesome. Some brands that I recommend checking out are Zpacks, Hilltop packs, and Hyperlite mountain gear. I am going to explain why I like each one separately and a cool thing that you can do for a little cheaper option.
I think they were one of the first to start doing Dyneema gear, They make packs, tents, jackets and more. Their stuff sacks don't cost that much more than a sea to summit equivalent. It cost 3 dollars more to get a small dry bag (about 2 liters). Zpacks won't break the bank much worse than Sea to Summit and there are some benefits. You are supporting a smaller company that makes all their gear in the US, you are getting a longer lasting material but there are less options, like color. Most Zpacks dry bags come in an olive drab green. And there's still that price jump.
Picture sourced from Zpacks.com
My personal favorite brand is hilltop packs. They are right in between Zpacks and Hyperlite price wise. Depending what weight of fabric that you get determines the price. For an almost exact equivalent to Zpacks it is the same price which is $19 Us. For colors it comes in white and grey. The thing that sets hilltop packs apart from these other brands is how much customization they offer. You can email them what you want and they will be able to make it. The best part is that they can custom print anything you want onto one of their dry bags. Send them an image and they will print it, if you don't know what image you want pick from the dozens of colors they have and they will make it for you.
Design examples of the Hilltop Dry Bags.
All pictures sourced from hilltoppacks.com
Hyperlite mountain gear is comparable to the Louis Vuitton of dry bags. Wanting almost double what Zpacks or hilltop packs are charging, what are you paying for? Well you are paying for a slightly heavier weight Dyneema and quote,”Lighter than Sil-nylon but stronger than Kevlar, Dyneema”. Hyperlite gear is handmade in Maine, made just for the die hard New Englanders who want the best of the best. Their cheapest dry bag cost $40 U.S. which is a little steep and their largest cost $75. You are paying a premium with Hyperlite, but I bet their products will satisfy anybody.
Picture sourced from hyperlitemountaingear.com
The last product I would like to talk about is the Ripstop by the Roll Dyneema dry bag kit. This kit gives you everything you need to make a dry bag except for the thread, sewing machine and sewing skills. It is an easy project and they have an in-depth video on how to make it. The best thing is that the fabric comes pre-laser cut so all you have to do is sew it together. Great deal is you want to do something during this quarantine.
Picture sourced from ripstopytheroll.com
Some pros and cons of Dyneema composite are:
Pros:
High abrasion resistance
Handmade in the USA
High Quality and built to last
Cons:
Price.
Delivery time
Not advertised as completely waterproof.
Which should you choose? Well that's up to you, a few factors to sway your opinion are. How often do you backpack? How much do you want to spend? Does color or designs matter? If you are just starting to backpack your organization system is bound to change so don't go out and splurge on dry bags you might not use again. Start with the Outdoor products bag and see what size you like and if you need to go bigger or smaller. In the end no matter what you choose all of these brands make high quality products for their own price range.