The Best Waterproof Bags for Travel: Keeping Your Gear Dry
When you’re planning adventures that involve water – be it kayaking on a lake, canoeing down a river, or even just camping where the weather forecast looks uncertain – having a reliable roll-top dry bag is absolutely essential. It should be one of the first items you consider for your gear list.
After putting 15 different dry bags through rigorous testing, we’ve confidently identified the Ortlieb Dry-Bag as the most dependable, reasonably priced, durable, and user-friendly option available. It seals easily, packs efficiently into larger bags, and offers a wider range of sizes than any other bag we evaluated.
Here are our top recommendations for the Best Waterproof Bags For Travel and outdoor activities, based on our extensive testing.
Top Pick: The Classic, Reliable Dry Bag
Ortlieb Dry-Bag, the top pick for best waterproof travel bags
Ortlieb Dry-Bag
This affordable and highly reliable dry bag is both lightweight and built to last. It’s perfect for use on its own during a day trip involving water, or you can pack it inside a larger backpack or duffel for multiday excursions. Its soft, pliable polyester double-coated fabric makes it easy to open, close, and slide into other bags.
The Ortlieb Dry-Bag stands out by offering nine sizes, ranging from a compact 5 liters all the way up to a massive 109 liters – the most extensive range of sizes among all the bags we tested. This versatility makes it suitable for weekend adventurers and daily users alike. We specifically tested the 10-liter version.
While its tube-like shape can make it a bit challenging to quickly access items like snacks or sunscreen during a trip, its waterproof performance is exceptional, keeping contents dry even when submerged. Ortlieb provides a five-year warranty covering normal use, which, while decent, isn’t as comprehensive as some other bags we encountered.
Runner-Up: An Ultralight Option with a Valve
Ortlieb Dry-Bag Light Valve, a lightweight waterproof travel bag option
Ortlieb Dry-Bag Light Valve
A larger and lighter counterpart to our top pick, the 12-liter Ortlieb Dry-Bag Light Valve is a premium option that includes a compression valve. This feature is particularly useful for packing bulky items like sleeping bags, allowing you to squeeze out excess air and reduce the bag’s packed size.
Constructed from featherlight single-coated polyester fabric, this dry bag is incredibly light yet completely waterproof. Our tests confirmed its ability to keep everything inside perfectly dry. It’s also easy to pack and functions effectively as a ‘bag-within-a-bag’ for longer or overnight adventures.
The Dry-Bag Light Valve is available in just three sizes, offering less versatility than the standard Dry-Bag. We tested the middle size, the 12L version. It comes with the same reliable five-year warranty as the top pick.
Budget Pick: Dependable Water Protection on a Budget
Earth Pak Original Waterproof Dry Bag, an affordable choice for keeping travel gear dry
Earth Pak Original Waterproof Dry Bag
For travelers and adventurers seeking a reliable waterproof bag without breaking the bank, the Earth Pak Original Waterproof Dry Bag is our recommended budget-friendly choice. It consistently keeps contents dry during most outdoor activities.
Made from strong and durable PVC fabric, this bag can withstand typical wear and tear. However, its material feels somewhat rubbery, which can make it less convenient to slide into larger bags compared to more pliable options. The Earth Pak bag is available in three sizes; we tested the 10-liter model.
One advantage at this price point is Earth Pak’s five-year warranty, available upon registering your bag, which provides good peace of mind. The bag includes a strap that can attach to two D-rings for carrying, but we found this strap less comfortable for wearing cross-body or over the shoulder for extended periods.
Upgrade Pick: Durable, Light, and Premium Features
Sea to Summit Big River Dry Bag, a premium and durable waterproof bag for travel
Sea to Summit Big River Dry Bag
Among the dry bags we tested, the Sea to Summit Big River Dry Bag is one of the softest and most flexible, making it exceptionally easy to handle and pack. This bag is both larger and lighter than our top pick, the Ortlieb Dry-Bag, though it comes at a higher price point. We tested the 13-liter version.
Its material is very soft yet highly durable. The bag is easy to roll closed and secure with its clasp, instilling confidence that your items will stay dry on the water, which they did in our testing. It also features sturdy fabric loops woven along its sides, providing convenient attachment points for carabiners or ropes, ideal for securing it to a kayak or raft.
The Sea to Summit Big River Dry Bag is available in six sizes, offering a good range for different needs. A significant benefit of this bag is the company’s lifetime warranty, offering superior coverage compared to other options on our list.
What We Considered in Our Testing
To determine the Best Waterproof Bags For Travel, we evaluated several key factors critical for performance and usability in wet conditions:
- Waterproofness: The most crucial factor. A dry bag must reliably keep its contents completely dry, even when submerged or exposed to heavy rain.
- Ease of Sealing: A good design minimizes the risk of user error when sealing the bag, ensuring a tight, waterproof closure every time.
- Durability: The bag needs to withstand harsh outdoor environments, including exposure to sun, water, abrasion, and being handled roughly.
- Capacity and Size Options: Bags should come in various sizes to accommodate different gear needs, from packing a small lunch to carrying bulky overnight camping equipment. Finding the right travel gear is crucial for any trip.
These considerations guided our testing process and helped us identify the top waterproof bags for keeping your belongings safe and dry on your travels.
