Meet the reviewer
Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Bag: first impressions
• List price: From $17.95 / £12 (1.5L) to $34.95 / £28 (35L)
• Size: 1.5L / 3L / 5L / 8L / 13L / 20L / 30L
• Measurements: From 19 x 14.1 x 10.7cm / 5.6 x 4.2 x 7.5in (1.5L) to 31.5 x 28.8 x 55.6cm / 12.4 x 11.3 x 21.9in (35L)
• Weight: From 34g / 1.2oz (1.5L) to 115g / 4oz (35L)
• Colors: Beluga Gray / Spicy Orange / Surf Blue / Olive Green / Sulphur Yellow
• Compatibility: Travel, hiking, climbing, bikepacking, paddle sports
A dry bag isn’t something all outdoor enthusiasts would immediately rush out to put on their shopping list. Yet inexperienced folk underestimate just how important a dry bag is in one’s kit – as a top-notch, versatile piece of protection against the elements, a storage solution, an organization method, a way of life…
The Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Bag is extremely versatile and comes with a DWR coating for water resistance. It’s also made using sustainable recycled fabrics that have been bluesign-approved. An dry bag that actually keeps your kit dry and is good for the planet? Read on…
Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Bag: on the trails
I initially put the Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Bag through its paces as a means of storing spare layers when on a sea cliff climb on the rugged cliffs of Donegal in Ireland. It was also the bag I used to store layers I needed whilst out hiking in the mountains of Tajikistan, and to transport my winter kit when I worked in Iceland.
For me, carrying a dry bag isn’t even a choice, it’s a way of life. Gone are the days of stuffing layers in a leaky ‘bag for life’ or compostable plastic bag that shreds in your hands – a dry bag safeguards against unexpected spills, or, if you happen to be caught in bad weather during transit, precious layers like down jackets and sleeping bags don’t need to get wet. I was testing the 5L dry bag in Spicy Orange, and I’ve been struck by how little wear the Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Bag has shown, after nearly a year’s continual usage.
Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Bag: fabric
One thing I noticed straight away was the feel of the fabric in the newly updated range of Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Bags. Weighing the same as two skinny slices of bread, the fabric is sourced using materials that don’t harm the environment with harmful dyes and chemicals, using bluesign-approved recycled 70D nylon fabric. It also combines extra durability and water repellence thanks to a PFC-free DWR finish. One caveat would be that I’d use the dry bag to protect against gear stowed in a backpack during a heavy rainfall day, but would be less willing to drop camera kit in the dry bag into the sea. 70D is durable and means the product is resistant and long-lasting without adding significant amounts of weight.
Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Bag: features
The Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Bags have been made for adventurous people who don’t stop to put their feet up when the sun’s gone down. One thoughtful consideration was the incorporation of a reflective white interior made from polyurethane, so that it’s easier to see the gear you’re packing inside the bag. Another useful touch is having an oval base, which helps ‘prop’ the dry bag to stop it from rolling away, making it easier to pack into a backpack. There’s nothing worse than being in a remote location, removing layers out of a backpack and noticing your dry bags rolling away down the hill… Finally, perhaps the most useful feature of all is the D-ring attachment point at the buckle, which allows the dry bag to be easily secured onto boats, bikes, kayaks and also onto a karabiner snap gate.
Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Bag: functionality
As far as practicality goes, the Sea to Summit lightweight dry bags offer enough sizing options to give full organization to an outdoor wardrobe. They come in a large range of colors, helping to categorize different functions into different departments. It’s also incredibly easy to compress kit down.
Stowing kit away has never been simpler thanks to the same hypalon non-wicking roll-top closure that is found in the rest of the Sea to Summit range. It’s easy to deploy even with thick winter gloves on – a bonus if you’re using dry bags in all weather. Clear sided options (also color-coded) and first aid models also provide a surprising amount of room to stash everything you could possibly need to take with you on an expedition, or just for your next weekend away.
