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MiPatrick
member (5)member
  
12/30/2017 12:46PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
Hey everyone, looking at planning my first trip in September. I’ve been reading through a lot of the posts on the message boards. I haven’t been able to find a lot about dry bags. Does anyone use them or does the garbage bag in a pack work well enough?
 
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Fizics
distinguished member (145)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
12/30/2017 01:04PM  
I have a proper pack liner, and yes....a few different dry bags full of all my stuff. 1 ends up being my wet clothes bag when traveling, the other my dry clothes, then one for cooking stuff, all in all between my gfs pack and mine there's several dry bags
Mostly UL fabric dry bags. A 15L is my food bag to hang if I have too much food for the bear vault alone.
 
SevenofNine
distinguished member(2472)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
12/30/2017 01:04PM  
I use Sea to Summit dry bags plus a garbage bag. I like having the additional protection. Mine are stuff sacks with a roll top. Some people use the compression style but I find they aren’t giving enough inside the pack to pack well.
 
12/30/2017 02:59PM  
I use the plastic pack liners (2 in each pack), and I have never had a problem with wet gear. Once I took swim with all my gear, and the portage packs were fine; everything stayed dry. Cannot say the same for the things in my thwart bag, and that included a camera that got ruined.
 
andym
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12/30/2017 03:23PM  
Our clothes and sleeping bag go in compression dry bags. We use the lightweight ones with event bottoms from granite gear. They are also square in cross section and pack well.
 
12/30/2017 03:54PM  
I use the Sea-to-Summit compression dry sacks for the critical sleeping bag and clothing. Other things like first aid, personal meds, TP, stove are in dry sacks and ziplocks. Everything is in a waterproof pack or one with a liner.
 
12/30/2017 05:14PM  
We have compression dry-sacks for sleeping bags and regular dry sacks for clothes, taking no chances on those items. Portage packs are double lined with contractor trash bags.
 
MReid
distinguished member (443)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
12/30/2017 06:18PM  
I'm the outlier. I use only dry bags. I have a NRS Portage Pack (discontinued) as my main pack, and a dry day pack (Sealine). The Portage Pack is a large dry bag that has aluminum stays for load distribution and a padded waistbelt. It's not as comfortable as using a real backpack and waterproof bags, but it is acceptable and bomber. The nice thing about using dry bags is that they dry quickly after getting wet in the rain or paddle splash. Especially with older nylon (or worse, canvas), once the pack gets wet, it stays wet for a long time.
 
12/30/2017 07:03PM  
I have a CCS Pioneer pack and personally I use a Sea To Summit sil-nylon pack liner and additional sil-nylon dry sacks for my clothing, top quilt and bottom quilt. If I care if it gets wet I put it in a dry sack.
 
cyclones30
distinguished member(4163)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
12/30/2017 07:45PM  
We keep our clothes in their own dry bags to keep things organized and dry. Then the contractor bags lining each pack.
 
WHendrix
distinguished member(623)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
12/30/2017 07:49PM  
I use a pack liner from Piragis in my Kondos pack. In addition to that, I have my sleeping bag and my clothes in either NRS or Sea to Summit dry bags.
 
12/30/2017 07:52PM  
MReid: "Especially with older nylon (or worse, canvas), once the pack gets wet, it stays wet for a long time."


I have CCS packs, different ages. I do not care if the packs gets wet as the liners keep everything inside dry. I have been on trips where it has rained for 2 weeks straight, and my packs have been wet the entire time. Everything inside stays dry due to the liners. A lot less expensive, I would imagine. Then again, to each their own.
 
MReid
distinguished member (443)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
12/30/2017 09:46PM  
I guess I'd rather have dry contents and dry bags. I've done the nylon route, and I like my system better.
 
12/30/2017 10:23PM  
WHendrix: "I use a pack liner from Piragis in my Kondos pack. In addition to that, I have my sleeping bag and my clothes in either NRS or Sea to Summit dry bags. "

I have, and do the same.
 
pswith5
distinguished member(3687)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
12/31/2017 05:23AM  
Frenchy19: "I use the plastic pack liners (2 in each pack), and I have never had a problem with wet gear. Once I took swim with all my gear, and the portage packs were fine; everything stayed dry. Cannot say the same for the things in my thwart bag, and that included a camera that got ruined. "

"I once took a swim with all my gear." Does that mean you flipped?? :)
 
12/31/2017 08:32AM  
Everyone has a favored packing system, lots of combinations will keep stuff dry. Just for variety my system is 4 zippered stacking contoured pack bags inside a Sea To Summit pack liner . I do not have a photo of the liner I use.


I have used and have on hand a variety of stuff/compression bags in assorted sizes, but have preferred this system for the last 5 years. Keeps contents dry in rain and after dumping (turned turtle in my solo last Aug on, of all lakes, Kenny Lake Quetico).

butthead
 
scramble4a5
distinguished member(586)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
12/31/2017 09:02AM  
I have used both methods- Seal Line 115 liter dry bag and an 85(?) liter Granite Gear bag with a garbage bag liner. My personal preference is the Granite Gear because it's suspension system is much better and carries better for me. Plus it forces me to be more selective in how much "stuff" I bring. I do use a dry bag for my sleeping bag and also use very large zip lock bags for my clothing even if I use a big liner bag.

On our exit day this past August it rained steadily all day and everything in the garbage bag liner stayed dry but it really didn't matter since we were leaving anyway.
 
12/31/2017 09:56AM  
pswith5: "
Frenchy19: "I use the plastic pack liners (2 in each pack), and I have never had a problem with wet gear. Once I took swim with all my gear, and the portage packs were fine; everything stayed dry. Cannot say the same for the things in my thwart bag, and that included a camera that got ruined. "
" I once took a swim with all my gear" Does that mean you flipped?? :)"


Yep. Stupid move on my part in some really rough water, and I paid for it!
 
PortageKeeper
distinguished member(2527)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
12/31/2017 10:18AM  
Just use a heavy duty trash bag to line your pack and use dry bags for your sleeping bags and you'll be fine.
 
andym
distinguished member(5340)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
12/31/2017 04:59PM  
Like Mreid, we use packs that are dry bags. However, I would be equally happy with regular packs with dry liners inside. Either way, clothes and sleeping bags are doubly protected from water.
 
RetiredDave
distinguished member (368)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
12/31/2017 06:20PM  
cyclones30: "We keep our clothes in their own dry bags to keep things organized and dry. Then the contractor bags lining each pack. "


Same here!

Dave

 
12/31/2017 07:03PM  
Dry things are important to me. I started with the Sea to Summit heavy rubber types with roll tops and over the years upgraded to the sil-nylon roll tops and now use the event compression bags for hammock, quilts, clothing and related soft ware. I carry a couple plastic grocery sacks for damp towels and socks if I need to travel before they can dry. Food is in small plastic tubs, the clear rectangular kind, and they fit inside one of the roll top waterproof bags.
Outfitting with light weight top of the line gear is expensive, but if you trip often picking it up a piece at a time has worked well for me. Too late for this year, but most of the event bags are within the price range of Christmas gift exchanges.
 
Wick
distinguished member (287)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
12/31/2017 10:05PM  
How do you close the top of the trash bag liner?
 
01/01/2018 06:47AM  
I twist them up, fold them over, and secure with a BDB or heavy duty rubber band (carry a spare). Some people just fold and tuck and tighten down the top.
 
01/01/2018 08:05AM  
I like to put my dry bags for clothes and sleeping bag into Piragis Pack Liner Bags. They are clear and a nice heavy duty 6 ml thick plastic.

I use the #4 size 6500 cu in. for my large CCS and Granite Gear packs. The smaller #15 size works well for my day pack that I carry with the canoe.

Pack Liner #4 Piragis 6 ml

I twist the top of the bag real tight and tie it tight with a square knot of foot long piece of 1/4 inch polyester nylon rope. I have used bungee dealie bobs to secure the top of the twisted liner pack and they work fine but the nylon rope works better for me. The nylon is a bit slippery and I can untie the rope very quickly.
 
01/01/2018 08:35AM  
Here area a couple of other Poly Pack Liner sources:

Frost River liners are bit thinner @ 4 ml. vs. 6 ml Piragis Pack Liners. The Frost River large liner is 28 x 40 x 60 and it costs less at $5.00.

Frost River 4 ml Pack Liner

Duluth Trading Post also sells 6 ml thick poly pack liners as well.

Duluth Pack 6 ml poly pack liners

I prefer thicker 6 ml. pack liners. These thick poly bags will last you through several trips too as long as you do not puncture with a sharp object. Poly Pack Liners are an economical alternative to the more expensive heavy duty nylon or PVC liner bags. Both types work to keep the inside of your pack dry ... it just depends what you want to pay.

Seattle Sports heavy duty nylon pack liner


 
MiPatrick
member (5)member
  
01/01/2018 08:50AM  
Thanks for the answers everyone, very informative. Looks like I’ll be dry bag shopping this spring/summer
 
WHendrix
distinguished member(623)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
01/01/2018 10:52AM  
Another choice for smaller packs is Compactor Trash bags. These bags are about the same size as a large kitchen garbage bag but they are heavier and much stronger. I use them in a CCS Bushcrafter bag and a Duluth Pack Rambler.
 
01/01/2018 05:07PM  
We used to put sleeping bags inside garbage bags, then inside stuff sacks. Clothes would go in ziplock bags. If it looked like rain we would line the pack with garbage bags. Not ideal, but the garbage bags generally do work. Especially if you don't go often, or lack the money for the more expensive methods.

Now clothes go in the UL Stallone bags, as do sleeping bags. We have started using the smaller heavy waterproof seal line pack as our thwart/day pack. Rain gear, 1st aid, day trip food etc goes in it, and no matter how wet the bottom of the canoe gets from rain, fish, or wet dogs, that pack and the contents are dry.
 
rdricker
distinguished member (103)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
01/01/2018 11:23PM  
I use both if with other people. Personal gear/clothes in a 30 liter dry bag and the dry bags and tents if any, and seats go in the main pack with a liner. Pack liners will leak eventually if you capsize for long enough. Additionally, by doing it this way, once you get to camp, each person just grabs their own gear. In the morning, everyone just brings bag their dry bag to pack back up. Everyone is responsible for their own gear this way.
 
northerncanoe
member (22)member
  
01/04/2018 07:44PM  
I had an interesting real life experience comparing dry bag types in an emergency situation two years ago in the Quetico.

Our group had finished our trip at Black Robe Portage and got picked up from a tow service. The winds were very strong on Lac La Croix and the waves were huge. As we headed west across the lake, the boat was really slapping the waves and spray was going everywhere including over the top cover and down into the back of the boat. We all thought it was an exciting ride until a wave came over the bow of the boat and filled it within inches of the gunnel. Our packs were riding on the bow, and 4 of them got swept off the boat.

We were able to corral one pack and bring it aboard as they blasted by the boat but the other 3 went floating away. Since the waves were so big and the wind so strong a decision was made right there to not to try and retrieve the packs. We had bigger issues though, we had to bail like crazy to get the water out of the boat. Fortunately someone in the group pulled out their cook gear and handed out pots and we all started bailing. After about 10 minutes we had most of the water out.

My pack was a fully loaded Granite Gear pack with a heavy duty contractor bag liner inside. Inside of the bag were a few dry bags that were completely sealed. The two other bags were Sealine waterproof bags. My bag stayed afloat but it was listening heavily and I thought for sure it would go to the bottom of the lake. The two Sealine bags bobbed like corks as they drifted away in the heavy waves.

The captain of the boat was able to mark the location of an island that the bags were heading towards. The thought was that they would go back out later when the wind died down and see if they could retrieve the bags. We got to the resort and dried out and then did the next leg of the trip back to Crane Lake. We had an issue with one person in our party as their passport, wallet and phone were all bobbing around in the lake. Fortunately Canadian customs let them back in after some background checking and confirmation with the resort owner.

The resort went out later in the evening and found all three bags washed up on a shore of the island they had marked. After they dried out everything over a couple of days, they mailed our gear to us.

A couple things I learned out of this:

The Sealine packs are waterproof , very bright and float high in the water ( I still do not use them though since I do not like how they carry or pack, but they have their place for sure).

My Granite Gear pack with a liner was in the water for around 8 hours and it stayed afloat but everything that was not in the dry bags was soaked.

I keep my personal items like passport, phone and wallet in a waterproof daypack (Overboard 30 liter).

Keep you life jacket on at all times even when on a 25 foot boat! You never know what might happen.

 
Oldtown13
distinguished member (153)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
01/06/2018 08:47PM  
I use a pack liner, but also use SealLine compression dry bags for clothes, sleeping bag and tent. I got a really good deal on the dry bags at backcountry.com last spring. The compression bags work really well.
 
01/06/2018 09:07PM  
Northerncanoe-

I'm curious to know what you had done to seal the liner in your GG pack?
 
Guest Paddler
  
01/06/2018 09:43PM  
Hey Boonie,

With the excess of the contractor bag I just folded it over and pushed the sides down the inside of the granite gear bag. Nothing too intense. We had been in and out of the pack while waiting for the pickup and having the bag get swept off the deck of the boat was the last thing I was thinking about when I packed it.

So all and all, I was impressed the thing stayed afloat.
 
01/07/2018 07:05AM  
Thanks - when you said everything was wet that was not in dry bags, I was hoping that was the case. I use the heavy duty 6-mil liners and twist the tops, double the twist over, and secure, so I was hoping you hadn't done something like that ;).

I certainly wouldn't have been expecting it to get swept off the boat either. We had an exciting tow across Burntside once, but nothing like that! :)

Good to know it still floated and the stuff in dry bags wasn't soaked. What kind were they?
 
mjmkjun
distinguished member(2885)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
01/07/2018 07:17AM  
PortageKeeper: "Just use a heavy duty trash bag to line your pack and use dry bags for your sleeping bags and you'll be fine."

Lowes's stocks those. Can always trim excess after you twist and tie top with an overhand knot. Open one up as firewood tarp in camp. They are handy around the home/garage.
 
OldFingers57
distinguished member(4990)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
01/07/2018 09:40AM  
We use dry bags (Sea to Summit or Sealline) for items we want to keep dry like clothing, jackets, sleeping bags and First aid kit.
 
Guest Paddler
  
01/07/2018 10:30AM  
Yeah I think your method of closing the liner bag is a lot better than mine...

I use Granite Gear stuff sacks with the eVent bottoms. I live fairly close to Granite Gear and I stop in every so often and pick up through their offerings in the lobby. Some really good deals.
 
Chicagored
distinguished member(596)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
01/07/2018 03:23PM  
To save a little money until you decide if you want to go again, you might want to cosider zip loc five gallon bags for your clothes etc. You can usually find them at Menards or Home Depot.

Always best to put your stuff in seperate waterproof bags inside the larger trash bag. It only takes one time in the water to learn why.
 
Jackfish
Moderator
  
01/08/2018 08:05AM  
boonie: "I twist them up, fold them over, and secure with a BDB or heavy duty rubber band (carry a spare). Some people just fold and tuck and tighten down the top. "

What Boonie said.
 
01/08/2018 08:11AM  
Jackfish: "
boonie: "I twist them up, fold them over, and secure with a BDB or heavy duty rubber band (carry a spare). Some people just fold and tuck and tighten down the top. "

What Boonie said."


I'm a fold and tuck kind of guy.
 
Blackdogyak
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10/15/2021 09:58AM  
I know from years of experience that you have to start somewhere. And usually in the beginning is when you have the least money.. so it can be challenging for sure.

I used plastic bags for canoe trips when I was younger and invariably they would catch on something and get a hole and anytime they came near water they would leak. I started buying dry bags. In about 1985 I got two seal line Baja bags.. the heavy duty rubberized PVC type, and those things are completely bomb proof and still going strong 35 years later.

Recently I've been doing kayak camping and I add to my gear every year. Last year was a big year for dry bags. I really like the sea to summit Big River bags. They seem to be a good blend of lightweight and very durable. I'm not really easy on my gear and so the assumption is that on every trip some of those bags are going to see a sharp rock or a stick or something is going to try to put a hole in one. So the ultralight SilNylon stuff is not for me. Gear has to work and the farther away you are from the put-in, the more it HAS to work.

I I usually still carry my two seal line Baja bags for really heavy stuff like the food bag and the kitchen mess bag.

Everything else goes in cedar summit big River bags or dry compression sacks. The seat of summit bags with the air vent in the side are quite nice for when you might not want to use a compression bag but you would like to get the pack a little bit smaller. Good dry bags are not cheap but they are worth it in the long run. Everything goes in a drybag and they are all different colors so I know what's what.

I've learned to keep one medium size dry bag for all my personal gear. This way d.

uring the day and when I first get to Camp I'll know exactly where all the important miscellaneous stuff is. This includes sunglasses, knife, lighter, few snacks, whetstone, cup of small Hanks of cordage, couple carabiners, cell phone and cell phone recharge pack, bug spray, sunscreen, flashlight, small roll of toilet paper,Spare batteries in a ziplock...etc. The Go-To bag.


Speaking of cell phones... I've always been really leery about taking a cell phone with me on the water. They're so vital and contains so much of my life and they're so expensive. Usually if I take it I will put it inside to Ziploc bags. But I also fear dropping it overboard when trying to photograph a bass or something startles me.

Someone gave me a couple of off-brand dry bags and the pack contained a cell phone waterproof sleeve. The very first time I used it, I fell in the water like an idiot and my $800 phone was toast. I remember since it was the first time I used it, being really careful about how the waterproof mechanism worked. So the thing was just a crappy product and because of a $5 plastic thing I lost my $800 phone. Lesson learned.

The funny thing was that when I was coming out, I ran into a friend. The person that had given me the cell phone sleeve had also given him one and he was putting his phone in it and using it for the first time. I laughed and said, here, I'm going to take that away from you and throw it in the garbage right now.

 
10/15/2021 11:13AM  
Hey, Blackdogyak--Welcome to the forums! Hope you're getting lots of good info from the threads you're adding to.
TZ
 
tomo
distinguished member (211)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
10/26/2021 12:51PM  
I tried this pack liner last summer and liked it quite a bit: Canoe pack liner

In addition to this liner going inside my Duluth or other style pack, I put clothes, sleeping bag, etc. in a waterproof bag inside the waterproof pack liner....
so far so good.
 
Lawnchair107
distinguished member (406)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
10/26/2021 02:40PM  
tomo: "I tried this pack liner last summer and liked it quite a bit: Canoe pack liner


In addition to this liner going inside my Duluth or other style pack, I put clothes, sleeping bag, etc. in a waterproof bag inside the waterproof pack liner....so far so good. "


Agreed. Was going to mention Recreational Barrel Works pack liner. Come in a lightweight vs heavyweight versions. They work great.

 
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