The benefits of wild swimming on the body and mind have long been extolled by experts and die-hard fans of the hobby alike.
Indeed, wild swimming – or just ‘swimming’ as it was more often referred to as before the days of easily accessible lidos – was often prescribed as a cure for convalescents and wealthy aristocrats during the Victorian era.
Though the notion of wild swimming often carries connotations of dare-devilish behaviour and raging rapids, it was considered a catch-all cure for ailments throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.
During ‘sea-bathing’ excursions, Victorian men and women were dunked into the freezing cold water by helpers known as ‘dippers’, mainly because many of them didn’t know how to swim. They were further helped in and out via the presence of discrete horse-drawn changing carts which would sit in shallow waters.
Nowadays, wild swimming has a cult following with many enthusiasts taking up the hobby no matter the season. Winter, spring, summer or autumn – you’ll find citizens of the United Kingdom flocking to the seaside in wetsuits and bobble hats with extra cosy changing robes on hand to get their cold-water therapy fix.
Yet without those handy horse-drawn carriages, us modern folk must find a way to transport our entire wild swimming kit and caboodle from home to shore in a neat and compact manner.
Bags for wild swimming excursions should contain enough space for a change of clothes, a standard-size wetsuit, dry robe and a small towel. Most importantly, the bag you take with you should be hardy and water-resistant – enabling it to sit on wet sand without impacting the warm and dry clothing within.
Keep scrolling for a round-up of the most stylish and practical bags to use on all your wild swimming adventures.
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Best bags for wild swimming at a glance:
- Best for overall winner: C-Skins Stormchaser Drybag 80L - £70, Ellis Brigham
- Best for a changing mat and wet bag in one: Fit 4 Me Deep Blue Wetsuit Changing Mat - £21.99, Amazon
- Best for a backpack and raft combo: RuckRaft (including XL Drybag) - £174.00, Above Below
- Best for fully submersible: Yeti Panga 75L Waterproof Duffel - £350, Yeti
- Best for wet and dry compartments: SonneSky Sports Bag with Wet Compartment - £16.76, Amazon
- Best for easy organisation and a weatherprooof cover: Cotopaxi Allpa 42L Travel Pack - Del Día - £215, Cotopaxi
- Best for easy to spot: DryBags Wild Swim Bag - £32.99, Amazon
- Best for eco-warriors: Red Paddle Co 60L Waterproof Kit Bag - £149.95, John Lewis
- Best for all protection, no fuss: HH Ocean Dry Bag L - £50, Helly Hansen
Best swimsuits for wild swimming that you can rely on for an outdoor dip
Best changing robes: Waterproof robes for outdoor sports and swimming
Best swimming goggles for adults that are perfect for the pool or open water swims
Best swimming caps for adults: extra-large and stretchy options for big hair days
Best backpacks for hiking and camping that are ideal for days spent outdoors
Best mini underseat cabin bags that fit beneath an airline chair
C-Skins Stormchaser Drybag 80L
Best for: overall winner
This neon-hued, 80L capacity dry bag from C-skins is a favourite amongst triathletes. Despite its sleek and stylish appearance, this bag has been crafted from an ultra-strong and hardy PVC tarpaulin with welded – rather than stitched – seams.
Water and weather-proof, the bag itself is equipped a roll top closure, which undoes to reveal a spacious main compartment. The large front pocket with a flap cover also provides extra storage space, as well as a means to split up your kit for better organisation.
Heavy duty handles make this an easy bag to grab and throw into a car or boat, but the removable backpack harness also makes it suitable for carrying on a long hike to that perfect wild swimming spot.
Buy now £70.00, Ellis Brigham
Fit 4 Me Deep Blue Wetsuit Changing Mat
Best for: a changing mat and wet bag in one
Designed for wetsuits and wetsuits alone, if you’re simply looking for somewhere to store your neoprene kit after a wild swimming session, this is a great value for money option that’ll prevent the rest of your belongings, or your car boot floor, from getting wet.
What’s more, it doubles up as a changing mat so that you don’t have to get your freshly dried toes sandy all over again.
Buy now £21.99, Amazon
RuckRaft (including XL Drybag)
Best for: a backpack and raft combo
This brilliant device is designed for the wildest of wild swimmers. We’re talking about those who swim from boats to beaches to spend the day in remote locations which make the UK look like a Caribbean paradise during the summertime.
With a 120L capacity, the RuckRaft is split into two parts: the roll-top dry bag, and the extra buoyant raft. Fabricated from marine-grade materials and made without zips – which often degrade in salty water – simply pack everything you need into the roll top bag before attaching it to the raft. This allows you to swim comfortably with even the heaviest of loads, thanks to the extra buoyancy.
Once you get to your destination, unpack your kit with ease or pop your wetsuit into the rolltop bag for all-day dry protection for your next adventure.
Buy now £174.00, Above Below
Yeti Panga 75L Waterproof Duffel
Best for: fully submersible
Though definitely a pricey piece, this waterproof duffel from Yeti is certainly worth the investment. Available in either 50L, 75L or 100L, this bag will protect your goods no matter the weather or terrain.
Puncture-resistant and therefore perfect for throwing onto pebble and driftwood-filled beaches, the EVA moulded bottom of this duffel provides extra protection while making your kit easy to organise and navigate. Thanks to the brand’s patented Hydrolok zipper, this bag is also fully submersible – making it another great option for swimming from shore to shore.
Buy now £350.00, Yeti
SonneSky Sports Bag with Wet Compartment
Best for: wet and dry compartments
For a reason unbeknownst to us, finding a hard-wearing swim bag with both wet and dry compartments is a difficult task. Nevertheless, this sports bag from SonneSky has answered our prayers.
Measuring 39 x 18cm, the multi-compartment bag is a particularly chic option to take with you on all your wild swimming trips – allowing you to change back into something dry and comfortable when the day is done. Our only qualm is that the wet clothing compartment isn’t huge, so it might not fit your thickest neoprene wetsuit without a little elbow grease and Marie Kondo-style folding.
Buy now £16.76, Amazon
Cotopaxi Allpa 42L Travel Pack - Del Día
Best for: easy organisation and a weatherprooof cover
For colour enthusiasts, this Cotopaxi backpack packs a punch both in terms of style and practicality. Though once again on the pricier side, this travel pack is a top-of-the-range, cabin-approved piece of kit that will serve you for many years of travels to come.
If you’re already a fan of the Cotopaxi range, you might be thinking - isn’t this just their classic Allpa pack? What’s the difference? For the eco-conscious, the Del Día version of the Allpa Travel Pack is made from re-purposed fabrics, making each and every model unique.
What sets this travel pack apart from the crowd for us is the fact that it has a suitcase-like, full-wrapper zipper which covers the entire circumfrence of the bag. This means that you can open up your backpack like a book, for easy organisation and even easier re-packing if you’re on the move.
With a weight-distributing harness system for pain-free carrying, four reinforced grab handles, padded sleeves for smart devices and laptops, internal mesh compartments, security YKK zippers and so much more - you simply can’t go wrong.
Buy now £215.00, Cotopaxi
DryBags Wild Swim Bag
Best for: easy to spot
Fashioned in a bright, high-vis neon orange hue, this wild swimming bag from DryBags is another fantastic two-in-one raft and backpack option. Providing extra comfort and security during swims in relatively choppy waters, this option from DryBags is a value-for-money waterproof option that comes complete with the RuckRaft to help you stay afloat.
With a 30L capacity and removable shoulder straps for easy storage, you’ll never have to leave your valuables buried under a towel on the beach again. The exta-wide valve also makes inflation and deflation of the raft an absolute breeze.
Buy now £32.99, Amazon
Red Paddle Co 60L Waterproof Kit Bag
Best for: eco-warriors
Sustainbly manufactured with eco-conscious, lightweight and flexible recycled TPU, this hard-wearing piece is designed to go the distance while providing enough stretch to fit all of your wild swimming accoutrements.
Unlike the majority of the wild swimming bags that we’ve featured thus far, we’re big fans of the fact that this one comes with a dedicated water bottle holder. In enabling a piece of kit to have such a spacious central compartment, it can be hard to fit all those essential extra pockets into the mix. Yet the 60L Waterproof Kit Bag from Red Paddle Co does just that, all the while remaining fully submersible.
Buy now £149.95, John Lewis
HH Ocean Dry Bag L
Best for: all protection, no fuss
Experts in creating equipment for sailors and skippers alike, Helly Hansen certainly has some practice when it comes to making waterproof designs fit for all kinds of sports.
Because it’s a roll-top design, it won’t provide complete protection if fully submerged. Nevertheless, this cherry red Dry Bag is made from extra-strong 420D nylon with waterproof TPU backing, which has been reinforced by welded seams. With a D-ring attachment point and a removable strap for taking this bag from A to B, this is a pratical and budget-friendly option without any bells and whistles.
Buy now £50.00, Helly Hansen
