Dry bag backpak?

[fettsway]

http://www.rei.com/product/753038?cm_re ... pecial+Buy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

is this a good deal in general?

I not that familiar with Seattle Sports and have been using Sealine Dry bags for the last couple of years.

[Crane]

Depends on what you want to use it for... In my experience, Watershed bags are the only true "dry" bags... Anything that rolls shut will leak... some.

[Fish]

I used to have a watershed backpack bag - those are expensive but very worth it. I agree that Watershed are the only bags I've seen that I don't worry about if they go under. I've used Bills Bags and other roll-tops several times though, and if you double bag anything that is seriously moisture averse (like my down sleeping bag!), I think they're fine in all but the worst of circumstances.

- Fish

[okieboater]

If you are looking for a back pack style, check out the watershed units.

They have two models. For a backpack, my only recommendation is watershed.

I have had really good luck with Jacks Plastic Welding roll down gear bags for most of my bulky stuff. What I like about them is the fabric is heavy duty and you can abuse the heck out of them.

I have also had really good luck with various sizes of water shed bags. I know they are durable but they just do not look as fight ready as the Jacks do.

I use a combo of Jacks Outfitter roll down bags for most of my bulky stuff and no leaks yet.
and
various sizes of Watershed bags for other stuff. I generally keep the watershed bags just clipped onto the raft some where so I can get to it during the day and the Jacks outfitter bags go into the gear bag and are well secured.

[Roy Staggs]

I bought a new Watershed dry bag a few months ago and they use a different material than that used in the past. The new material has a slick finish and from my observations it is much less robust than the old style. I once gave unqualified thumbs up to Watershed bags but I can’t do that any more. The guy from watershed told me the new material was heavier duty fabric than the old, using 840 denier fabric as opposed to 420, and they had added a thicker coat of polyurethane. I didn’t buy that. I managed to locate my 0 – 1 inch micrometer and made actual measurements of the material and found the new bag material to be a couple of thousands of an inch THINNER than the old material.

Something doesn’t quite add up here.

The new bag still has creases in the material where it was folded up to place it in the display container at the factory. That would never happen with the old material. I used the bag on the San Juan a month or so ago and you can still see creases in the material where it was wrinkled from tightening up the straps. Again, you would never see something like with the old bag material. I believe that Watershed has gone cheep on us with the new material. If you can find one of the old style bags, snap it up. I won’t be buying another Watershed bag until they change material again.

[Crane]

Hmmmm... best buy the old style while we still can find them!

[Roy Staggs]

Watershed has agreed to refund my purchase price on return of the old bag and it’s now on its way back. Immediately after the confirmation that I was going to get my money back, I started looking for the old style bags and found 2. Bought them both. NRS was the first place I checked, they didn’t have any old style bags, but the guy at NRS was less than impressed with the new bags also so it’s not just me.

[Richard]

See Rule 2
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/tip/tip_ ... 091&sid=25" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;