Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterTop pickThis affordable, reliable dry bag is lightweight and durable. Use it on its own for a day trip, or pack it into a larger bag for a multiday, overnight trip on the water. The warranty, though, covers just five years.The Ortlieb Dry-Bag hits nearly every note when it comes to what we’re looking for in a classic roll-top dry bag. At $35 for the 10-liter version, it’s a good value.It keeps everything inside bone-dry. And that’s the whole point of a dry bag. After 30 minutes of kayaking and even putting the Dry-Bag through a dozen fully submerged dunks in the pond, we found no sign of moisture or dampness inside the bag.The 10-liter Ortlieb Dry-Bag has two D-rings at the top. Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterIt also has a flat loop on its base. Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterThe 10-liter Ortlieb Dry-Bag has two D-rings at the top. Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterSecuring the opening is simple. At the top of the bag, you’ll find a slap-bracelet-type band that helps delineate where to fold it. You just fold the mouth at least three times and secure the clasp. In our tests there was no fighting against thick or sticky fabric, or second-guessing as to how securely the bag was closed.The bag is easy to manipulate yet extremely durable. Ortlieb used to call this bag the PD 350, as it’s made with double-coated polyester fabric and weighs 350 grams per square meter (a standard measurement for fabric). The Dry-Bag has some give, and the fabric held up nicely to being dragged repeatedly across sticks and rocks, as well as across my asphalt driveway.It’s very portable. Multiple attachment points — two plastic D-rings at the top and one flat-lying polyester loop at the base — made the Dry-Bag easy to pull behind a kayak. It weighs 6.7 ounces, heavier than the lightest bag we tested, the Dry-Bag Light Valve, and about the same as the larger Sea to Summit Big River Dry Bag, but lighter than all the rest. Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterIt packs well, and it’s packable too. The interior of the bag is very smooth, allowing items to slide in and out without struggle or friction. The 10-liter bag can easily hold anything you may need for a day at the beach or an afternoon in your kayak; we fit a Turkish towel, a long-sleeve T-shirt, sunglasses, sunscreen, a paperback book, and some snacks. Since the loop at the bottom of the bag sits flush against the base, you can set the bag on the ground and access the top opening without the bag’s teetering as you root through its contents. This bag also slips easily inside another, larger bag for use as a packing cube.It comes in more sizes than any other bag we tested. You have nine to choose from in all, from 5 liters in capacity to 109 liters.Flaws but not dealbreakersThe main drawback is the company’s warranty policy. Ortlieb, which makes all of its products in Germany (save its bicycle luggage racks, which are made in Asia), offers a complete replacement for its product line for just five years. Beyond that, for the life of the item the company will repair holes in the bag and replace damaged or broken hardware as needed. The company says that most repairs fall in the $25-or-less range, plus the cost of shipping.It can be hard to access while you’re in motion. The traditional shape of most roll-top bags is tube-like, with the opening at one end. This bag is no different. If you’re looking for a bag that you can open and close while you’re on the water, you might prefer a dry bag with a wide-mouth opening, such as the Rux Waterproof Bag.
Source link