Dry bags

[Ren]

I am a novice kayaker. I just took an REI class, and I loved it. They highly recommended getting a dry bag, but that's their job. So, is a dry bag really necessary or will a couple of zip lock bags work just as well?

Thanks for sharing your experience.

- ren

[Joy]

I am a novice kayaker. I just took an REI class, and I loved it. They highly recommended getting a dry bag, but that's their job. So, is a dry bag really necessary or will a couple of zip lock bags work just as well?

Thanks for sharing your experience.

- ren

All depends on what you are trying to keep dry. Car keys, camera, things that WILL be ruined, SHOULD go in a dry bag. Things that won't get ruined can go in a zip lock!! I always use a dry bag.

[pat]

Hi Ren,

Dry bags serve a couple of purposes - certainly to keep things dry, but also as a convenient way to pack and store stuff in your kayak. You might want to keep things like keys/money/cellphone in one small drybag, a change of clothes in another, your first aid kit in another, etc. Dry bags tend to be more durable than zip locks and will resist tearing. They can also withstand it when you jam them into places where they shouldn't fit. Also, it's not difficult to accidentally get a little sand in the zipper of a zip lock bag so that it won't close properly.

Some dry bags aren't completely waterproof. They'll resist water, and probably protect your stuff if you get a little water in your kayak storage area, but they can leak if completely submerged. If you have something that MUST stay dry, like a cell phone or wallet, you could put them in a zip lock bag and put that into a dry bag.

Regarding drybags, IMO, smaller is better. Resist the urge to get a whopping big bag, especially one of the heavy plastic ones. They're good for throwing onto a power boat, but they're problematic when trying to fit a lot into the little nooks and crannies of your kayak storage areas.

[kayakerjnj]

I am a novice kayaker. I just took an REI class, and I loved it. They highly recommended getting a dry bag, but that's their job. So, is a dry bag really necessary or will a couple of zip lock bags work just as well?

Thanks for sharing your experience.

- ren

I'm a fan of the small pelican cases for smart keys, phones, and or a wallet.

I use one and then store that in my dry bag. I share Pat's thoughts about different bags for different levels of protection. The stiffer the bag, the bulkier it will store and removal from a small hatch can be a clumsy.

The good news is, there are lots of good stuff out there to choose from.