Dry bags

[quixoticgeek]

Now Alpkit are no longer easy to order from, does anyone have any recommendations for affordable reasonably good quality dry bags that are available on the continent. by preference I'd like for muted colours (black or grey or olive green by preference). I like the Alpkit dry bags, but it's not cost effective to buy them any more.

J

[Peat]

You've probably bought something already, but Ortlieb do a range dry bags. They even do a line with a clicky valve in them so you can properly compress them.

[nuttycyclist]

I used to use supermarket carrier bags inside normal bags, and they lasted fine for a few weeks, but then they started costing 5 pence each which I didn't like.  It's now up to ten pence each, and even worse the local farm shop can no longer give them away for free so I can't bypass previous legislation.

If I was cycling daily as I used to, I might consider buying a roll of bin bags from local supermarket as that works out cheaper per bag than what is now extortionate for something that was useful, free, and recyclable.

[robgul]

I used to use supermarket carrier bags inside normal bags, and they lasted fine for a few weeks, but then they started costing 5 pence each which I didn't like.  It's now up to ten pence each, and even worse the local farm shop can no longer give them away for free so I can't bypass previous legislation.

If I was cycling daily as I used to, I might consider buying a roll of bin bags from local supermarket as that works out cheaper per bag than what is now extortionate for something that was useful, free, and recyclable.

Rubble bags from Screwfix are much stronger and last for ages - my liner of choice for panniers and on-bike bags

[citoyen]

available on the continent

This bit I don't know about, but I have a SeaToSummit one that has given me good service, and wasn't very pricey, as I recall.

[trekker12]

I was in Sports Direct the other day - which I would try to avoid but it was an emergency as my swimming goggles had disappeared - and noticed they had Karrimor dry bags in for £4.99 for small ones up to about £20 for the much bigger ones. At those prices I figured might be worth a try.

Do you have Sports Direct over there or is it just a UK thing?

Possibly also try Decathlon

[Lightning Phil]

Another vote for sea to summit.  I got a variety pack of sizes a few years back and still going strong.

[jiberjaber]

I use the Osprey ones, mostly because they were often on sale on Wiggle. 
They are very light and I find between the 3L and 6L cover most bases and I have them in different colors. 
I have also in the past put a bit of folded masking tape over the tab they have on one end to make a label which I have then written handy descriptions such as North and South for when I've used them in drop bags on LEL etc.

[JonB]

Mine is EXPED, my wife bought a multipack of different colours from Cotswold Outdoors some years back. I use the small orange one for phone and card wallet when on the bike. It sits in the centre back pocket of a cycling jersey. Have used the larger ones inside a saddle bag or even strapped to the top (there's a yellow one that works well for that).  Really useful bits of kit. After regular use the inner lining starts to break up but that takes a while.

[zigzag]

decathlon has some lightweight ones in their canoeing aisle, but only in bright orange iirc.

[nikki]

I was in Sports Direct the other day - which I would try to avoid but it was an emergency as my swimming goggles had disappeared - and noticed they had Karrimor dry bags in for £4.99 for small ones up to about £20 for the much bigger ones. At those prices I figured might be worth a try.

I have several of these in various sizes. Also the guilt about having bought from Sports Direct.

The bags are rated for touring in Wet Wales and are more robust than the thinner Alpkit ones, so good if you're intending to use them outside of any containing bags. Not exactly muted colours though.

If you're struggling to find what you want, dry bags aren't so hard to make. If you've access to a sewing machine and some patience you could cost up a shopping basket of bits from https://www.extremtextil.de . Silnet or similar to seal the seams.

[quixoticgeek]

I used to use supermarket carrier bags inside normal bags, and they lasted fine for a few weeks, but then they started costing 5 pence each which I didn't like.  It's now up to ten pence each, and even worse the local farm shop can no longer give them away for free so I can't bypass previous legislation.

If I was cycling daily as I used to, I might consider buying a roll of bin bags from local supermarket as that works out cheaper per bag than what is now extortionate for something that was useful, free, and recyclable.

Depends a lot on what you are using them for. I have one Alpkit drybag I use as a float when wild swimming. It keeps my clothes and towel dry as well as my tracker. I very much doubt a carrier bag would do this...

I use 5l alpkit Airlok extra bags on the blackburn cages on my front fork when I do deep winter stuff and need the extra capacity.

I also tend to use an airlok extra with my duvet jacket in it, on the underside of my aero bars, which can get a lot of spray.

I have a number of the lighter Alpkit airlok bags for splitting my kit up in my tailfin, keeping my kit nice and dry in there.

All of these cases, as you can see a supermarket carrier bag is really not even close to appropriate...

You've probably bought something already, but Ortlieb do a range dry bags. They even do a line with a clicky valve in them so you can properly compress them.

Do ortlieb do really light weight ones tho? Last I looked they only had the really heavy duty ones. I've got a couple, but they are so heavy, I don't use them.

Rubble bags from Screwfix are much stronger and last for ages - my liner of choice for panniers and on-bike bags

I want dry bags that are sufficiently protective that I can drop the bag in the river, and the contents are protected...

This bit I don't know about, but I have a SeaToSummit one that has given me good service, and wasn't very pricey, as I recall.

Sea to Summit I can get here. I shall get a couple to test.

Do you have Sports Direct over there or is it just a UK thing?

Sports direct are a UK only thing AFAIK. I don't think their employment practices would work in any other places.

Another vote for sea to summit.  I got a variety pack of sizes a few years back and still going strong.

I'll give them a go.

I use the Osprey ones, mostly because they were often on sale on Wiggle. 
They are very light and I find between the 3L and 6L cover most bases and I have them in different colors. 
I have also in the past put a bit of folded masking tape over the tab they have on one end to make a label which I have then written handy descriptions such as North and South for when I've used them in drop bags on LEL etc.

Bever.nl sell those, shall get a couple to test.

Mine is EXPED, my wife bought a multipack of different colours from Cotswold Outdoors some years back. I use the small orange one for phone and card wallet when on the bike. It sits in the centre back pocket of a cycling jersey. Have used the larger ones inside a saddle bag or even strapped to the top (there's a yellow one that works well for that).  Really useful bits of kit. After regular use the inner lining starts to break up but that takes a while.

ooh, Exped are easy to find here, shall get some to test.

decathlon has some lightweight ones in their canoeing aisle, but only in bright orange iirc.

I have one bright orange, for swimming, else I really like muted.

I have several of these in various sizes. Also the guilt about having bought from Sports Direct.

The bags are rated for touring in Wet Wales and are more robust than the thinner Alpkit ones, so good if you're intending to use them outside of any containing bags. Not exactly muted colours though.

If you're struggling to find what you want, dry bags aren't so hard to make. If you've access to a sewing machine and some patience you could cost up a shopping basket of bits from https://www.extremtextil.de . Silnet or similar to seal the seams.

I don't have the means to tape the seams. Home made dry bags aren't going to be very dry. I don't think I would trust them.

But thanks for the reminder about extrem textil, I have some other kit I want to try to make.

J

[lissotriton]

I don't have the means to tape the seams. Home made dry bags aren't going to be very dry. I don't think I would trust them.

With suitable material, could use heat sealing. So just go along the seams with an iron.
Same idea as making a DIY packraft.

[Kim]

Or you could muck about with silicone seam sealant...

That said, if you don't need bags that are river-proof, something equivalent to the Alpkit Apollo bags (ie. lighter weight non-sealed stuff sacks) is eminently suited to a DIY approach.  I use an assortment of those for keeping things organised inside waterproof bike luggage, along with a few properly sealed dry bags for the items that really can't get wet.

[nikki]

Silnet or similar to seal the seams.

I don't have the means to tape the seams. Home made dry bags aren't going to be very dry. I don't think I would trust them.

But thanks for the reminder about extrem textil, I have some other kit I want to try to make.

J

Fair enough - you'll know if it's not the right approach for you and it sounds like you've got several shop-bought options to check out now.


For reference for those wandering this way in the future...

Seamgrip seal sealer worked into the seams, tackling it in sections according to what you can keep flat and facing upwards:



Plenty of time to leave it to do its thing:




Talc on the cured sealer to stop it sticking to itself (or anything else):



I haven't given this The Milk Test yet, but can do if anyone's interested (not with milk though). The same approach seems to be holding up okay with the tent tarp awning thing I made.

[citoyen]

Depends a lot on what you are using them for. I have one Alpkit drybag I use as a float when wild swimming. It keeps my clothes and towel dry as well as my tracker. I very much doubt a carrier bag would do this...

I’m not sure my SeaToSummit one would do this either - it’s one of the super lightweight Ultra-Sil ones.

It was perfectly good at keeping fairly heavy rain off my clothes while I went for a swim in the sea earlier, so I had something dry to put on when I came out, but I’m not sure I’d be happy to take it in the sea with me. (Though I’d far rather risk that in the sea than a supermarket plastic bag.)

However, STS also do various other bags of different weights. The 70D one might be more suitable, especially if you’re only going in rivers rather than the sea.

I’m actually in the market for a seaworthy dry bag myself right now, so I don’t have to leave my stuff unattended on the beach. I’ve mainly been looking at ones from Lomo and Puffin - proper tow float dry bags with one or two inflatable flotation chambers separate to the storage compartment, and an integrated tether to tie it to your waist. Lomo also do one with straps so you can use it as a backpack. Unfortunately, supply of these things is not good at the moment.

I suspect you would reject these on the grounds of colour, but they are very good. (Also noted that you said you have an orange one for swimming already, so I expect you know all this already.)

[Kim]

I haven't given this The Milk Test yet, but can do if anyone's interested (not with milk though). The same approach seems to be holding up okay with the tent tarp awning thing I made.

Same approach as used to good effect by everyone with a Hilleberg Akto to stop That Bit That Always Drips On An Akto from dripping.   

It's a bit of a faff, but for repairs or making in small quantities, it's fine.

[iandusud]

Have you looked at Lomo? I've just bought one of their 30l dry bag holdalls. https://www.lomo.co.uk/acatalog/Dry-Bags.html

[Cudzoziemiec]

Depends a lot on what you are using them for. I have one Alpkit drybag I use as a float when wild swimming. It keeps my clothes and towel dry as well as my tracker. I very much doubt a carrier bag would do this...

I’m not sure my SeaToSummit one would do this either - it’s one of the super lightweight Ultra-Sil ones.

It was perfectly good at keeping fairly heavy rain off my clothes while I went for a swim in the sea earlier, so I had something dry to put on when I came out, but I’m not sure I’d be happy to take it in the sea with me. (Though I’d far rather risk that in the sea than a supermarket plastic bag.)

However, STS also do various other bags of different weights. The 70D one might be more suitable, especially if you’re only going in rivers rather than the sea.

I’m actually in the market for a seaworthy dry bag myself right now, so I don’t have to leave my stuff unattended on the beach. I’ve mainly been looking at ones from Lomo and Puffin - proper tow float dry bags with one or two inflatable flotation chambers separate to the storage compartment, and an integrated tether to tie it to your waist. Lomo also do one with straps so you can use it as a backpack. Unfortunately, supply of these things is not good at the moment.

I suspect you would reject these on the grounds of colour, but they are very good. (Also noted that you said you have an orange one for swimming already, so I expect you know all this already.)

Sounds like that might be what I've seen people doing in the river. Swimming with a floaty thing, which I always assumed was just a float and some sort of resistance training, but maybe they were just keeping their clothes dry and un-stolen? Though as most of the river swimmers I see seem to be in groups, I expect it's actually not about keeping their clothes safe.

Also, why does sea swimming require a tougher bag than river swimming? Is it because the salt water will over time corrode things or is it just because waves mean water coming from all directions?

[Cudzoziemiec]

 

[citoyen]

Sounds like that might be what I've seen people doing in the river. Swimming with a floaty thing, which I always assumed was just a float and some sort of resistance training, but maybe they were just keeping their clothes dry and un-stolen? Though as most of the river swimmers I see seem to be in groups, I expect it's actually not about keeping their clothes safe.

The main purpose of tow floats is for visibility - especially useful if you're swimming somewhere you might encounter other people on the water (especially boats and jetskis). They're also mandatory in many open water races (as are brightly coloured swimming caps, also for visibility). The most basic ones are essentially just a balloon tethered to your waist.

Bigger ones with storage capacity are more for your trendy "wild" swimming. Even with the bigger ones, the drag is not significant - although that may depend on the water conditions. What makes them really useful is a) you don't have to leave your kit unattended on the shore, and b) you're not tied to coming out of the water at the same point you went in, so one-way swims become possible.

Also, why does sea swimming require a tougher bag than river swimming? Is it because the salt water will over time corrode things or is it just because waves mean water coming from all directions?

It's not about being tougher so much as being more waterproof. AIUI the really lightweight ones don't withstand being fully submerged as well as the heavier duty ones. They might be fine on a calm river, where they're just floating on the surface, but being tossed about in the sea is another matter...

But I'm making assumptions here, and it's possible I'm mistaken about this. It sounds like QG has a lot more experience of this kind of thing than me so may be able to correct me if I'm wrong.

[citoyen]

Because sharks have larger teeth than trout.

This too, of course.

[Cudzoziemiec]

All makes sense. Even the boats (there's theoretically a ferry at that point but I've never actually seen it).

I don't think there are any sharks but it's not terribly far upstream from a crocodile sighting... https://tocontriveandjive.wordpress.com/2021/02/28/the-bristol-crocodile/
 

[citoyen]

We do get sharks in the water round here, but I laugh in their faces.

[ravenbait]

Not sure they'd be tough enough to stuff in a shark's mouth as a last line of defence AND keep your kit dry, but I like the Osprey ones. The lime green and teal colours are a bit bright, but they also come in a sort of muted orangey-red ("poppy") and grey. They are super lightweight and appear to be siliconised ripstop nylon, if that helps. I have them in 3L, 6L and 12L sizes. Let me know if you would like photos. I also have an Ortlieb one that has a compression arrangement around it, which is also fairly lightweight and has stood up well to being jammed in the cargo bay of a sea kayak on multiple occasions without much sign even of scuffing.

Sam