Thinking of retiring my 1996 duluth pack #3-21 heavy duty and replacing it with a dry bag. I've grown tired of my pack staying wet for an entire week while tripping. Not the contents, because I use double protection of dry bags inside my pack with a liner, just the pack itself. I know the forum has much love for CCS and Kondos, but that seems like a half measure to me. I've rented both and decided that they just aren't different enough from my #3-21.

I'm looking for relative durability, though I don't expect it to be as bomb proof as my #3-21. Quality trumps cost for me, so Cabelas dry bags are out of the running due to many comments on wear in this forum.

So with that said, who else has made the choice between the S2S Hydraulic and the Sealline Pro? Which did you choose (or did you pick something different?) and why, what do you like and dislike about your choice?

I don't know how big a #3 Duluth Pack is, but the SealLine Pro Pack is huge - 115 liters. S2S also makes a 120L size; both make smaller ones in similar sizes. The SealLine Pro pack is the only one of theirs that comes with the hip belt instead of the webbing strap; all of the S2S's do except the 35 liter. The comparable sizes have similar weights, but I don't know which material would be more durable. The SealLine does have a thicker bottom material than the top.

I have used a SealLine Pro Pack 115L for 3 years now. It seems like a very well made product. I do not have experience with the Sea to Summit bag. I have rafting guide friends that use NRS Bill's Bag dry bags and they are supposed to be bomb proof as well, but do not have the hip belt.

I Have always tripped with the Sealine Pro Pak and love it. The newer model has an improved belt system. Great shoulder strap adjustments as well. I am an average sized guy at 5'8" and 180 and don't really consider the pack "huge" unless you strap some extra baggage on top which I have been known to do.

Fits sideways in my solo perfectly and has a number of solid grab straps for getting it out. Heavier stuff in the bottom and a couple of Watershed Duffels in each hand and I'm good for at least 1 mile.

I’ve been researching both lately and I lean heavily toward the SealLine. It has a reinforced bottom and the harness system looks to be better. And if I remember correctly, the S2S costs a little more.

I think I'll add the NRS Heavy Duty Bill's Bag to the list of potentials. Thanks for the sugestion. It specs even heavier duty than the Sealline pro.

Here's a frustrating thing. I'm having difficulty comparing the specs of the fabric as S2S lists theirs by Denier (600D) while Sealline and NRS list fabric weight - 19oz/30oz and 21oz/34oz respectively. Pretty clear to see that the NRS is heavier material than Sealline, but no idea how S2S compares.

I guess I could order multiple from REI and just not accept whichever I like less.

Lastly, for those that are looking for a cheap bag, I found this in my research.

Cheap TPU portage pack.

Thanks for the link. The Guide Gear pack has some good features -welded seams - and would be hard to beat for the price. It's only half the size of a Pro Pack or the biggest S2S, although both make a pack in comparable size.

I have been tripping with a Sealline 115 and 70 for the last 10 years and they have held up great. These are not the Pro Packs by the way.

One thing that jumps out comparing S2S and Sealline is how the harness is attached. I don't like the small loops the S2S has. To me that screams a tear out at the worst possible time.

So, my vote is for the Sealline, though I don't know anything about the Bill's Bag.

Finally, have you come across any waterproof dry bags with a harness in the 35L size that have side pockets and such? Thanks.

The NRS straps and hip belt look really cheap compared to S2S and SealLine.
Especially the hip belt. I don’t think the NRS compares. It’s more comparable to the SealLine Boundary Pack or Blak Canyon.

Minnesotian: "
I have been tripping with a Sealline 115 and 70 for the last 10 years and they have held up great. These are not the Pro Packs by the way.


One thing that jumps out comparing S2S and Sealline is how the harness is attached. I don't like the small loops the S2S has. To me that screams a tear out at the worst possible time.


So, my vote is for the Sealline, though I don't know anything about the Bill's Bag.


Finally, have you come across any waterproof dry bags with a harness in the 35L size that have side pockets and such? Thanks. "

No side pockets, but the Exped Torrent packs come in 30l and 40l size.

I’ve been doing some digging and came across this one. It looks good and the reviews are positive. I’ll be looking into this one further. North49

Minnesotian: "

Finally, have you come across any waterproof dry bags with a harness in the 35L size that have side pockets and such? Thanks. "

35L dry bag backpack with pockets

Fabric weight vs denier

You could also look into nylon pack materials (CCS, Kondos, Granite Gear, and others), which absorb very little if any and dry much faster than cotton canvas, also lighter in weight.

butthead

Is your Duluth pack oiled canvas? I have a Frost River pack, which is waxed canvas I think, and haven't had the soaking problem. But I've only used it a handful of times, and only in moderate rain. Never a soaker. I wonder if you could treat the canvas with a wax treatment to displace at least some of the water?

melnik: "Is your Duluth pack oiled canvas? I have a Frost River pack, which is waxed canvas I think, and haven't had the soaking problem. But I've only used it a handful of times, and only in moderate rain. Never a soaker. I wonder if you could treat the canvas with a wax treatment to displace at least some of the water?"

My pack is not oiled, and it's the heaviest canvas I've seen on a duluth pack --18 oz I think. Back when I ordered it from the back of Canoe and Kayak, it was called the "heavy duty." It gets wet in the bottom of the canoe and dries slooooooow.

Just go with the Sealine pro pack. You won't regret it. I have had something on my back most of my outdoor life. Wicker baskets when I ran a trap line (comfortable even with big loads) and backpacked with internal and external frames etc.

The Pro Pack is ideal for typical BWCA or Quetico adventures. Not sure I would take it on long trips where no portage trails exist but for what we do they are terrific.

No added weight when it rains, no plastic liner bags etc. Very comfortable with excellent harness and padded waist belt. Adjustable shoulder straps, numerous lash points (d type rings), several compression straps, grab handles to assist in loading and unloading. I have never had a strap tear out nor have I put a hole in one.

Just don't throw them around......a beaver cutting is your main concern. Set your pack down on a beaver cutting and I can see a nice hole. Be advised, sometimes grasses can obscure beaver cuttings, so watch where you drop a heavy pro pack.

I prefer a brightly colored one for visual aids........should I dump in a river or as an aid to S&R people.

Tradition is sometimes overrated. And that's saying something for someone who self identifies as a "traditionalist".

I did a seven day trip a month ago in Sylvania. Only three or four short portages a day, with two zero days. We used a Frost River Number 7 (I think), and a brand new Sealine Pro Pack, 115-liters or something like that. first time using the Sealine. I never carried it, it was my wife's to carry. The Sealine had all of our sleeping bags, clothes, electronics, rain gear, sundries (not sure what that means, but it sounds cool), etc... The Sealine weighed 60 or 70 pounds. The Frost River had tents and cooking supplies, food, booze, saw and axe, everything heavy and dirty, it weighed 65-lbs when we got home (weighed on a scale) sans food we ate and a substantial weight in booze. I suspect it weighed around 80 or 90 pounds at the start.

My Wife never said a peep about carrying the Sealine, so my guess is it carrys well. I didn't mind carrying the Frost River, without Tump or hip belt. The longest portages were 1/2-mile.

The time when I most appreciated the Frost River was when putting it in the canoe and taking it out. Even though it was much heavier than the Sealine, I had no concerns about it tearing or coming apart. Of course, the Sealine never ripped or broke either, but it just didn't feel as substantial and I was much more careful with it. But it never failed, so maybe I'm just a worry wart.

Has anyone ever had one of the dry bag type packs fail during a trip? I know I'd hate to have to carry a huge dry bag under my arm for the last three days of my trip because it failed. And I'm not saying it would fail, but it doesn't seem as bomb-proof as the Frost River.

I know, I need to pack lighter...

OK, I've made my decision. I'm getting the Heavy Duty Bill's Bag from NRS.

Pros
I like the history of the bag and the company as the first manufacturer of the type.
I like that the company is employee owned and manufactures in Idaho.
I like the recent changes to the bag, changing to aluminum buckles and making the harness removeable.
I like that the material is heavier than the Sealline Pro
I like the compression straps that are lacking in the Hydraulic.
I like the cost of $150 on backcountry vs. $200-210 for sealline and S2S

Cons- no hip belt or tumpline
I do not mind the skimpy hip belt. I've got to have that for backpacking, but I've never felt that for portaging, rather than backpacking, that my Duluth Pack was "missing" one.
I might miss my tumpline, which I use regularly, but I guess I could add one.

Just did 50 miles by paddle and 20 miles on foot over 6 days. With the addition of a kayak cargo net I can’t say enough about the Sea to Summit 90L. Carried 60 pounds easy. Pic below is from one of the island sites on Friday bay.

Have fun with it. I've loved having my large dry pack. I don't worry about taking my down sleeping bag anymore. Bring on the rain!

GearJunkie: "Just did 50 miles by paddle and 20 miles on foot over 6 days. With the addition of a kayak cargo net I can’t say enough about the Sea to Summit 90L. Carried 60 pounds easy. Pic below is from one of the island sites on Friday bay. "

GearJunkie, where did you get that shock cord net? That looks awesome.

edit: found all over the web when I googled it. Thanks for the idea.

MisterKrabs: "

GearJunkie: "Just did 50 miles by paddle and 20 miles on foot over 6 days. With the addition of a kayak cargo net I can’t say enough about the Sea to Summit 90L. Carried 60 pounds easy. Pic below is from one of the island sites on Friday bay. "

GearJunkie, where did you get that shock cord net? That looks awesome.

edit: found all over the web when I googled it. Thanks for the idea. "

Thanks! Here’s the exact one. I removed two of the six hooks as they were in the way. It will sag a little if you go heavy but paracord or Velcro can fix that on the fly.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B074HDC1SD?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_title

No hip belt? Ahhhh! I would not own a pack without a padded hip belt.

While it is seemingly admirable to purchase equipment because of historical, employee owned etc. it has little to do with actual performance and your satisfaction while it is in usage. The added thickness of material is also probably a non factor other than to make the pack heavier.

I have never had an issue with a pro pack and I have owned 2 of them over several decades.

But to each their own. Part of the fun of canoe tripping, fishing or any other outdoor pursuit is doing things your own way. Hopefully you will be pleased with your decision.

mastertangler: "No hip belt? Ahhhh! I would not own a pack without a padded hip belt.
While it is seemingly admirable to purchase equipment because of historical, employee owned etc. it has little to do with actual performance and your satisfaction while it is in usage. The added thickness of material is also probably a non factor other than to make the pack heavier.
I have never had an issue with a pro pack and I have owned 2 of them over several decades.
But to each their own. Part of the fun of canoe tripping, fishing or any other outdoor pursuit is doing things your own way. Hopefully you will be pleased with your decision.
"

Thanks! It came yesterday and I think I am so far, but maybe it's the endowment effect. I've yet to load it out to see how it carries, but I will and I've got till late September to see if it's for me.

I agree that history has little to do with performance, just look at all the formerly great gear companies that are now "lifestyle" brands. (Looking at YOU, Eddie Bauer & Columbia) That said, I strongly believe that company culture leads to different outcomes in performance, either negative or positive. I know from experience that better work is done by long term, engaged employees with skin in the game, leading to things like fewer defects. NRS did a good job of marketing their company culture to me as a differentiator.

I don't agree at all that the "story" has little to do with satisfaction. Assuming that either one would perform it's function to my expectations and criteria, my enjoyment of a possession is very much tied to my image of it and my feelings about it.

As far as me having feelings... the jury's still out on the lack of a tumpline.

I've found the Sealine pack works great if you don't overpack it. Learned that the hard way years ago.

BAWaters: "I've found the Sealine pack works great if you don't overpack it. Learned that the hard way years ago."

Now there's a story. Why not share so we can all smugly assert that we would never do something like that.

Here's my Seal line Pro Pack overpack story........1st time, 1st day in WCPP. I had been tripling and it was getting late in the day so I decided to strap a Watershed duffel on top of my already prodigious and heavy Pro Pack, something I had done many times before.

About 3 weeks earlier my crew and I had come off a 10 day canoe trip of Isle Royale. At the very end of the trip we were horsing around a bit to aggressively. I did a spinning roundhouse kick and landed in a heap. Ouch!

3 weeks later the knee had recovered sufficiently to walk but maybe a big solo in the remote environs of WCPP was wishful thinking. I put the big overloaded pack on, stumbled a bit, and went down in another heap.

Bummer. I crawled to a sandbar, set up camp and had a very long painful night until I decided to force the issue and reset the knee into its socket. A very loud "pop" and rather loud "OWWW" later I managed to get some sleep.

The next morning was my first helicopter ride followed immediately thereafter by an expensive float plane ride to retrieve my canoe. Getting old, it happens.

Our group abandoned the canvas packs years ago. We have all gone to Sealline packs of different sizes. The advantage is that we don't have to have them under the tarps in heavy rains. Having bought the largest. . .then several of the smaller ones, I prefer to stay away from the two largest sizes.

We do bring a few Maxpedition packs. . .typically for gear we need sorted in pockets and to get to quickly. These are items we don't mind getting wet.

mastertangler: "

BAWaters: "I've found the Sealine pack works great if you don't overpack it. Learned that the hard way years ago."

Now there's a story. Why not share so we can all smugly assert that we would never do something like that.


Here's my Seal line Pro Pack overpack story........1st time, 1st day in WCPP. I had been tripling and it was getting late in the day so I decided to strap a Watershed duffel on top of my already prodigious and heavy Pro Pack, something I had done many times before.


About 3 weeks earlier my crew and I had come off a 10 day canoe trip of Isle Royale. At the very end of the trip we were horsing around a bit to aggressively. I did a spinning roundhouse kick and landed in a heap. Ouch!

3 weeks later the knee had recovered sufficiently to walk but maybe a big solo in the remote environs of WCPP was wishful thinking. I put the big overloaded pack on, stumbled a bit, and went down in another heap.


Bummer. I crawled to a sandbar, set up camp and had a very long painful night until I decided to force the issue and reset the knee into its socket. A very loud "pop" and rather loud "OWWW" later I managed to get some sleep.


The next morning was my first helicopter ride followed immediately thereafter by an expensive float plane ride to retrieve my canoe. Getting old, it happens. "

That is quite a story! Hope your knee is feeling better these days. My overpacked Sealine gave me significant lower back pain toward the end of a 6 day solo. Seems as long as I keep it 55 pounds or under it feels fine. I prefer it to be between 40 and 50 though.

I am considering getting one of these two waterproof packs in the future. Are they designed to allow me to carry my canoe while wearing the pack?

SinglePortage: "I am considering getting one of these two waterproof packs in the future. Are they designed to allow me to carry my canoe while wearing the pack?"

/Checks username.....SinglePortage
--looks legit.
:-)

I can do it with my NRS HD bills bag.

SinglePortage: "I am considering getting one of these two waterproof packs in the future. Are they designed to allow me to carry my canoe while wearing the pack?"

You should be able to since they close by rolling down the top 3x, so can't be overstuffed. That usually keeps it about shoulder height.

Hi again folks,

My buddy and I just got back from a 6 day 50 mile circumnavigation around the weeny lake PMA. LIS, up to Slim, across to Ga-be, down through Oyster, Hustler and back to LIS. My friend brought his new S2S and I brought my new NRS. Shootout comparison to follow.