Dry Bag Questions: FAQ

The best dry bag for kayaking will vary based on your individual needs, but there are a few things you’ll always want to look for, such as an IPX8 or IP68 waterproof rating.

Additionally, you’ll obviously need to select a bag that’s large enough to accommodate all of your gear (or multiple bags that can cumulatively carry all your stuff). And we generally think it is wise to select a brightly colored bag to make it easier to find.

Finally, if durability is a concern, opt for a polyurethane-coated bag rather than a PVC-coated bag.

If you would like specific product recommendations, check out our article about the best dry bags.

Some dry bags are 100% waterproof – at least under the conditions in which you’d typically use one (no consumer-caliber dry bag is going to withstand the pressures of great depth, for example).

But many “dry” bags are merely water-resistant; they’ll protect your gear from splashing water, but they shouldn’t be submerged.

To ensure you end up with a 100% waterproof bag, look for one that’s designed to be waterproof and — ideally — submersible.

Nothing concrete. There are no official guidelines for the use of language in this regard.

High-quality dry bags should last several years, while budget-priced models may begin failing during your first outing.

Factors that determine the lifespan of a given dry bag include the materials used in its construction (polyurethane-coated bags will last longer than PVC-coated bags) and how it is used.

If you are just going snorkeling on vacation, a PVC-coated bag will likely suffice. If you plan on paddling through whitewater for the next several years, opt for  a polyurethane-coated bag.

Most dry bags are made from a PVC-coated material (typically polyester or nylon), but some bags feature a polyurethane coating instead. The former is cheaper and more common, while the latter is more environmentally friendly and offers greater abrasion resistance.

Because they’re relatively affordable in comparison to the cost of buying a new phone or a life flight to rescue you while suffering from wet-clothing-induced hypothermia, it just makes good sense to buy a real dry bag.

That said, plastic sandwich bags (especially high-quality ones with sliding closures) can work. But you’ll probably want to use multiple bags for some extra protection, and you’ll need to be careful with it to prevent punctures or rips.

It is also worth noting that there aren’t many affordable plastic bags that come in sizes larger than 1 gallon (which is just shy of 4 liters).

In most cases, yes. Almost all outdoor adventurers and nature lovers will appreciate having a dry bag at the ready. They aren’t really that expensive, either.

But that doesn’t mean they’re really worth it for all people. If you only hike once a month and always sit out rainy weather, you don’t need one. Similarly, if you typically hike around the deserts of the U.S. southwest, you probably won’t need one either.

You can fully submerge some dry bags. Check the manufacturer’s information to be sure, though you should always test a dry bag before trusting it to work – manufacturing defects and user error are always possible.

If you intend to submerge your dry bag or expect it to float then yes, it should be airtight. However, if you are only using a dry bag to protect your gear from incidental water contact (splashing), it needn’t be airtight.

High-quality dry bags should not leak, but poor quality, budget-priced dry bags unfortunately do in many cases.

Absolutely. In fact, that’s what many people use them for.

For example, if you’re heading to the beach with the fam, you can stuff all of those wet bathing suits in your dry bag before climbing back in the car. This will limit the mess and keep all your wet stuff in one place.

You can actually use the dry bag both ways in a single outing. Load it up with your valuables while splish-splashing in the ocean and then, once you’re done swimming, swap your phone and car FOB for the wet stuff.

Airtight dry bags are odor proof in the sense that they won’t let the stench from your sweaty hiking clothes waft out into your car on the way home. But not all “dry” bags are airtight, so this isn’t a universal characteristic you can take for granted.

But if you mean odor proof in the sense that they won’t retain odors, the question is a little less cut-and-dry. Neither PVC nor polyurethane tend to retain odors, but it is still a good idea to clean and dry your dry bag after use.

However, it is important to note that PVC and polyurethane both “off gas,” meaning that they’ll have an inherent odor that lasts for some time. The former is typically worse than the latter in this regard.

Unfortunately, determining the size of the dry bag you need isn’t a super-simple endeavor.

If you just need a dry bag to keep your phone dry, you’ll be looking for a very small bag. Typically, these types of dry bags indicate the maximum phone size that will fit in terms of diagonal inches. Some manufacturers even provide a list of phone models that’ll fit within the bag.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, if you’re looking for a dry bag to contain all of your camping gear, you can just opt for a dry bag that’s at least as large as your current (non-dry) backpack. In other words, if you use a 60-liter backpack, you’ll want a dry bag that offers at least 60 liters of capacity. In practice, because dry bags must roll down and are made from stiffer material than traditional backpacks, it would likely be good to opt for a slightly larger bag (say, 65 to 70 liters) to give yourself a little wiggle room.

At either of these extremes, selecting a dry bag size is pretty simple; it’s in the middle ranges where things are tricky.

As a rough starting point, we’d recommend bags in the 5- to 10-liter size for casual trips to the beach, while you’d want one in the 20- to 40-liter range if you’re heading on a kayak trip and need to keep all your clothes, phone, matches, and food dry.