Sian Lewis, travel journalist and founder of The Girl Outdoors put her love of outdoor adventures to the test as she reviewed the best waterproof bags for paddlesport that are up to the challenge of her next trip.
From navigating whitewater rapids in an inflatable raft to stand-up paddleboarding off the coast of your next holiday destination or even taking your kids on their first canoe trip down your closest river, never head out on the water without this essential companion – the best waterproof bags for paddlesport.
At a glance – editors 3 top choices – best waterproof bags for paddlesport
Why is a waterproof bag a necessity for any paddlesport adventure?
With any escapade, it’s important to plan ahead. While planning isn’t the most exciting part of the trip, when it comes to a paddle sporting experience, it can make the difference between getting your belongings wet if they fall into the water or stolen if they are left on dry land.
Everything you place in your regular bag, including your wallet, car keys and snacks can be safely stored in a waterproof option. Plus, you can create a kit, especially for your paddlesport trips, which can feature items like a whistle, personal locator beacon and more.
While there are hundreds of waterproof bags for paddlesport enthusiasts available on the market, we’ve tested options that are great for budget, quality and space.
1 / Sea to Summit Big River Dry Backpack 50 Litre
Specifications:
Material: nylon
Capacity: 50 litres
Colour: black, red
Lash loops: 10
Weight: 760g
Reason to buy: waterproof, great padded straps, tons of room
Reason to avoid: heavier than simple dry bags
Big River by name, big capacity by nature – this roomy backpack takes a whopping 50 litres of kit, which is enough for multiple days of exploring on a hiking trail, a weekend sailing trip or a camping adventure. The Big River is as waterproof and durable as it looks, and on test we got the impression that this pack would withstand rough treatment on wild waters without turning a hair.
This design is minimalist compared to proper hiking backpacks aimed for use on dry land, but unlike traditional rucksacks, the Big River is fully waterproofed with a nylon shell, so your stuff will stay dry even if you’re trekking in the heaviest rain. On the outside the pack sports a whopping 10 lash loops in two daisy chains, making it easy to attach the pack to a board, boat or bike.
The plentiful loops are also useful for tying wet kit to the outside of your backpack when you’re on the go. Unlike many waterproof backpacks we’ve reviewed in the past, this bag sports comfy padded straps, so you can still hike long distances to get to your paddlesport spot while wearing it. There’s also a hip strap, but it’s a pity it’s not padded for extra support. Encountering foul weather or heading for the water? Just roll this bag three times to seal it. The white interior makes it easy to see what kit you’ve packed but does get dirty and stained easily. A field repair buckle is included, and the Big River is available in black and dark red/orange – we prefer the latter as it makes you a tad more visible on the water, although the black version is neutral enough that you could use it for commuting to work.
This pack weighs 760 grams so it’s quite heavy compared to simple dry bag designs, but you’re getting a proper backpack for your money (and if you need even more room, there’s also a 75-litre version available). This design is expensive but worth the spend if you need a dry bag-meets-backpack for all kinds of adventure.
2 / Itiwit Duffle Bag 5 Litre
Specifications:
Material: polyester
Capacity: 5 litres
Colour: orange, yellow
Lash Loops: 1
Weight: 290g
Reasons to buy: bright orange is great for safety, great value, strap
Reasons to avoid: splashproof only
You’ll be easy to spot coming if you’re sporting Itiwit’s bright duffle bag – this vividly-coloured dry bag is available in sunshine yellow or neon orange, both ideal for being seen by other water users when you’re on or near the ocean or a river. Itiwit is one of sporting goods retailer Decathlon’s stable of in-house brands, and we reckon it offers great value for money all round – this handy little bag is a steal at under £10.
This design is dinky enough to work as a sort of outdoor handbag – sling it over your shoulder to keep valuables such as your phone and your wallet within reach but protected from splashes when you’re paddleboarding, kayaking or just out walking the dog in horrible weather. The Itiwit bag has good solid clips and a simple but adequate strap (it isn’t padded, but then again this bag is too small to be too heavy when slung on one shoulder). There’s a top clip that works like a lash loop, so you can add a carabiner and attach this to another bag or a bit of equipment.
Our favourite feature was the numbered stencilling on the outside of the polyester material so that you can see if you’ve folded this bag far enough before you secure it – we’d love it if all dry bags had this feature. This bag is only ‘waterproof to splashes’ and should not be immersed according to Decathlon – on test, we found it let in water after a minute when submerged. It is ideal for popping your phone in for more relaxed activities near water.
3 / Mustang Survival Greenwater Deck Bag 35 Litre
Specifications:
Material: nylon
Capacity: 35 litres
Colour: black
Lash Loops: 3
Weight: 35 litres
Reasons to buy: submersible, easy to pack
Reason to avoid: expensive, stiff zipper
Unlike most dry bags on the market, Mustang’s Survival Greenwater claims to be fully submersible, so it really can be chucked in the sea or dropped in a river without any damage to its contents. On test, we found that if we submerged this bag, it kept water firmly out for up to twenty minutes, mostly due to its hardcore zipper designed with ‘aquaseal’ to keep liquid at bay. The zip is quite stiff to wield, but that bag does come with zipper lubricant to keep it running smoothly and a big, quick-grab zipper pull.
We tested out the bag over a month and it consistently stayed leakproof – while this true waterproofness might degrade with age, this design is suitable for more extreme water sports and will even float if it’s accidentally dropped in the drink. Elsewhere, there’s a removable shoulder strap, lots of lash points and a green fluorescent-hued lining for better visibility when you’re packing kit. The rectangular shape of the Greenwater makes it quick to square away your belongings inside and store with other packs of a similar shape in small spaces.
This bag was the most expensive on the test and it’s overkill if you just want a simple, splashproof bag for adventures near water, but if you’re a sports professional or work outdoors (this bag was designed with military use in mind) this tough bit of kit is worth the spend. A massive 65-litre version is also available.
4 / Red 60 Litre Getaway Kit Bag 60 Litre
Specifications:
Material: nylon
Capacity: 60 litres
Colour: grey
Lash Loops: 0
Weight: 1.25kg
Reason to buy: works as a proper backpack, good internal divider, waterproof outer
Reason to avoid: heavy, expensive
Red Equipment started life making paddleboards and changing robes, so it’s no surprise they are dab hands at creating tough kit bags that can withstand an encounter with water. If you need a ready-for-anything kit bag, this is the model for you – the external fabric of the Getaway is made with Red’s own-brand ‘armour tech’, which is designed to be tough yet supple, hardwearing over time, wipe clean and scuff-resistant.
This wonder nylon-based material is also 100% waterproof and withstood a hose down on test. This duffel-style bag has plenty of room (we tested out the 60-litre Getaway pack – a 40 Litre Mission pack and 90-litre Expedition pack are also available) but we reckon the middle size is just right for weekends away and for storing kit and clothing on adventures. On the outside are tough rubber grab handles and two fabric top handles that double up as backpack straps and have enough padding to make this pack comfortable to wear on your shoulders over short distances.
Inside the pack is all black, making sorting kit a bit tricky. The outside offers plenty of places to store belongings, including a mesh external stash pocket and two zipped pockets. Thoughtful extras include a changing mat – great for surfers and wild swimmers – and even an emergency whistle. This roomy design is great for life on deck or for use as a check-in bag on adventurous travels – it’s tough enough to withstand everything from ocean spray to being chucked on a baggage carousel, so while it’s expensive you should find yourself using it regularly.
5 / Mustang Survival Highwater Backpack 22 Litre
Specifications:
Material: nylon
Capacity: 22 litres
Colour: black
Lash Loops: 0
Weight: 567g
Reasons to buy: good size, handy mesh pockets, shoulder straps, lightweight
Reasons to avoid: straps have limited padding, pricy for such a simple design
Mustang’s Highwater is exactly what it looks like – a dry bag you can also pop on your back thanks to simple shoulder straps. This backpack works well as a waterproof container you can wear if needed, so it’s ideal for paddleboarding excursions, walking to a wild swim spot or for popping a weekend’s worth of clothes in for a boat trip. A roll top entry makes it quick to stash kit and then seal the bag, and watertight seams stopped any splashes getting through on test.
This pack has more external features than most dry bags, including three handy stretchy mesh pockets, which are great for quickly storing clothing and kit on the go. The interior is black, which does make it hard to see what you’ve squirrelled away. The shoulder straps are foam padded and there’s a sternum clip – they’re comfortable for a few miles but not structured enough for a proper trek (despite Mustang’s claim of ‘all-day comfort’).
Where this design does stand out compared to other backpack designs is for its lightweight – at under 600g it won’t weigh you down. There are no dedicated lash loops but you can use the straps to cinch this pack to a board or a bike. We reckoned despite that being a versatile pick this is quite a pricy option for such a simple design – there are more affordable dry bag-cum-backpacks on the market.
6 / Musto Evo Dry Tube 20 Litre
Specifications:
Material: polyamide
Capacity: 20 litres
Colour: grey or black
Lash Loops: 1
Weight: 390g
Reason to buy: useful handle, clear panel, tough fabric
Reason to avoid: not submersible, grey colourway could get dirty
Musto’s Evo collection was designed with sailors in mind, and these waterproof packs in an array of sizes stood out for ocean going as soon as we laid eyes on them. These dry bags look and feel like great quality – if you’re after something splashproof they’re a solid all-rounder for sailing and water sports alike. This 20-litre version of the Dry Tube design was reliably water-resistant on test. We wouldn’t class this as a fully waterproof bag and you can’t submerge it, but it will withstand rain and splashes, so it’s better used near water rather than where there’s a likelihood of it getting dumped overboard. It’s also tough enough to chuck about on boats and bikes or to attach to the outside of a mountaineering backpack.
A clever translucent panel means you can see what is inside at a glance. This feature is great when you’re packing multiple dry bags full of kit for adventure camping or international travels, and makes seeing inside the pack easy. We’d pick the black colourway over the light grey version of the Evo Dry, as the lighter hue could get dirty easily. The included strap is of decent quality (although there’s no padding so while it’s comfortable enough to sling over your shoulder, we wouldn’t carry it far) and when the bag is rolled up the buckle doubles up as a grab handle. There’s only one lash loop, but it’s solid plastic so you can pop a carabiner on it. This is a great all-rounder for activities above the water line and a decent price.
How we tested the best waterproof bags for paddlesport
We know how important it is for gear to last as long as possible, that’s why when testing the bag – adventure blogger, Sian Lewis, took a variety of features into account to ensure the best of the best made it onto the list.
Capacity
To ensure anyone can travel with these bags in the water, we made sure all options were 60 litres / 16 US gallons or less capacity.
Weight
A paddlesport bag should be lightweight to ensure it can travel with you on a canoe, paddleboard or raft.
Waterproofness
Bags are rarely 100% submersible due to their design, but some have a better seal than others and can take on the elements better than others.
Durability
Without compromising on value for money, we’d recommend setting a budget for your paddlesport bag. It’s important that the more you invest in the bag, the less likely you are to replace it within a year.