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Main Boards => Gear => Topic started by: Matt010791 on 19:29:02, 29/09/19

Title: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: Matt010791 on 19:29:02, 29/09/19
So today I went out to test my new waterproof jacket and pants, they held up great but I forgot about my rucksack!


Absolutely soaked all the way through, so I’m after a dry sack. My pack is a 25L montane so perfect size for me for a day sack.


Can anyone recommend what size dry sack to get? Would you go 25L or say 15-20 L for a dry sack?


What brands can anyone reccomend?
Title: Re: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: fernman on 19:44:57, 29/09/19
Why not get a waterproof cover for your rucksack?
Title: Re: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: Matt010791 on 19:47:40, 29/09/19
Why not get a waterproof cover for your rucksack?


Did abit of research on here from a few years ago and people were recommending dry sacks over rain covers
Title: Re: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: jimbob on 19:49:56, 29/09/19
A rubble sack?????

Very cheap, very waterproof. Very light.
Title: Re: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: Matt010791 on 19:54:44, 29/09/19
A rubble sack? ??? ?

Very cheap, very waterproof. Very light.


Got plenty of them in the yard at work ha
Title: Re: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: gunwharfman on 20:30:26, 29/09/19
I only secure my sleeping down quilt in a waterproof stuff sack but nothing else, I just use a rucksack cover for the rest of my gear. Never had a problem yet.
Title: Re: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: Man wae a dug on 20:33:05, 29/09/19
No experience of them whatsoever, but if it's any help to you I've been looking into these myself (amongst a multitude of other outdoorsy stuff) and the Sea To Summit 'Ultra sil' keeps popping up in the 'best dry compression sacks' searches I've been doing.  They're the ones I'm favouring as a purchase at the moment, be as good a place as any to start looking I suppose.
Title: Re: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: Matt010791 on 21:27:25, 29/09/19
No experience of them whatsoever, but if it's any help to you I've been looking into these myself (amongst a multitude of other outdoorsy stuff) and the Sea To Summit 'Ultra sil' keeps popping up in the 'best dry compression sacks' searches I've been doing.  They're the ones I'm favouring as a purchase at the moment, be as good a place as any to start looking I suppose.


Yeah I’ve seen a few good reviews of the sea to summit kit
Title: Re: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: Slowcoach on 06:41:24, 30/09/19
Alpkit have a very good selection of drybags.
Title: Re: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: Percy on 08:22:29, 30/09/19
I bought a set of 3 sea to summit dry sacs at least a decade ago and all are still going strong.
Title: Re: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: vghikers on 08:23:23, 30/09/19
By "dry sack" I assume you mean what I call "pack liner", a waterproof light thin liner bag that goes inside your pack. The term dry sack suggests to me a waterproof rucksack, a few do exist but are heavy.
Anyway another vote for Sea-to-Summit Ultrasil pack liners, very light and they do the job.

One thing I would say from experience is to get one that is oversize for the stated pack capacity, e.g, for my 48l pack I use a 60l liner. A 50l liner was difficult to close properly when the pack was full.
Title: Re: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: Percy on 08:26:43, 30/09/19
By "dry sack" I assume you mean what I call "pack liner", a waterproof light thin liner bag that goes inside your pack. The term dry sack suggests to me a waterproof rucksack, a few do exist but are heavy.
Anyway another vote for Sea-to-Summit Ultrasil pack liners, very light and they do the job.

One thing I would say from experience is to get one that is oversize for the stated pack capacity, e.g, for my 48l pack I use a 60l liner. A 50l liner was difficult to close properly when the pack was full.
Put ‘dry sac’ into google and you’ll see what we’re talking about. They are waterproof bags from a litre upwards. Sac/bag seems fairly interchangeable.
Title: Re: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: Ridge on 08:37:23, 30/09/19
I have a very small heavy duty dry sack which my wallet, phone etc. can fit in and then a large, light weight one for spare clothes. Rucksack covers are not as waterproof in awful weather but food, cooking gear, waterproofs (which will be being used if it is raining) are safe under it.
Title: Re: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: vghikers on 08:39:14, 30/09/19
Quote
They are waterproof bags from a litre upwards.

Yes indeed, that's yet another way of doing it. Some hikers find it useful for partitioning gear to aid organisation.
Title: Re: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: Jac on 08:55:29, 30/09/19
Alpkit have a very good selection of drybags.

I have one of their Gourdon waterproof, back packs - the 20L, which also has a mesh pocket either side for flask etc and stretchy compression cords so you can attach a jacket on the 0utside of the bag.

Works well for me :)


Avoid Expeds 'cloudburst'. Very nice and light but began to delaminate and therefore leak within a few months.
Title: Re: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: Innominate Man on 11:51:54, 30/09/19
For years I had several Exped bags of varying size. No problem with them.
I then tried an Alpkit which was equally as good and a lot thinner/lighter.
Then, much against my better judgement (snobbery) I tried a cheap one from Sports Direct - which was made by the 'new' Karrimor. As a result I then bought several of these Karrimor sacs as they seemed very tough/durable and haven't had any waterproof problems with them either.
Just shows how you can be wrong about things !


As vghikers comments - I used to rely on a single large pack liner, but ditched that in favour of smaller ones for specific items. Each is of a different colour so that I know what dry bag to look for when rummaging in the pack.
I now use the old pack liner to stuff all my dirty clothes in  ;D
Title: Re: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: pdstsp on 12:35:38, 30/09/19
Yes indeed, that's yet another way of doing it. Some hikers find it useful for partitioning gear to aid organisation.


That's what I do - I use Sea to Summit compression dry bags and have found them fantastic on both cycling and walking trips.  They come in a range of sizes.
Title: Re: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: Matt010791 on 17:26:46, 30/09/19
Gone for a 20L Exped one as I used my discount code on cotswold so got it for under £12 which if it fails then I’ll look into the sea to summit stuff.


I like the idea of buying different sizes for different items so may try this if I’m happy with this exped one
Title: Re: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: Owen on 19:55:22, 30/09/19
I use lots of small light dry bags, I have dozens. Various makes, exped, podsac, limo as well as many heavier ones from ortleib, limo and Jack Wolfskin. The heavier one I use for kayaking and cycling.
Title: Re: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: Apache on 20:11:00, 30/09/19
I personally use Lifeventure. Strong, waterproof, light and usually available with a discount.

I had 1 big sack but in the end got fed up rummaging, so I now use appropriate sized bags for groups of gear (clothing, cooking, emergency etc)
Title: Re: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: BuzyG on 21:22:43, 30/09/19
I was out on Dartmoor for 7 hours yesterday in driving rain.  I had a spare fleece in a  bin liner and one just in the top of my sack.  Both remained bone dry all day, so clearly the rain cover on my sack does a decent job.  To be honest the only time a put other things in the bin liner is when I need to cross a river.
Title: Re: Recommendations for dry sacks
Post by: Chris954 on 22:36:50, 01/10/19
I just put a builders rubble sack inside my pack, cheap,waterproof and light