Top 5 compared
The best dry bags
Phone, spare clothes and lunch kept dry in a kayak, on a soggy campsite or a day at the beach.
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The top 5 at a glance
A dry bag closes with a roll-top: the top is folded down three or more times and clipped, which squeezes out the air and keeps the water out. Thick, stiff bags take knocks on a deck or a beach, often come with a shoulder strap, and some float; light nylon sacks weigh a few dozen grams and keep clothes or a sleeping bag dry inside a rucksack.
Sea to Summit and Osprey say plainly that their sacks are for rain and spray, not for submerging, and Osprey’s IPX5 rating means protection against jets of water. Hydrostatic head, quoted on some of the light sacks, measures how high a column of water the fabric holds back before it leaks.
What matters
- A few litres for keys, 20-plus for a sleeping bag.
- Seams that are welded, taped or coated, not only stitched.
- A separate phone pouch, for photos without opening the bag.
- A D-ring for clipping it on or hanging it to dry.
#1Ultra Dry Adventurer Premium Dry Bag with Phone Case (5L)
£13.99 RRP
A tough 5-litre roll-top in 500D fabric with heat-welded seams, a detachable shoulder strap that lets out to 122cm and a separate IPX8 phone case. Its maker says it floats and copes with quick dunks, so it can ride on the open deck of a kayak or a paddleboard.
What owners say: Owners say it holds more than it looks, with room for a wetsuit and towel, and trust it on paddleboards and kayaks.
A closer look: Squeeze the air out, then roll the top down at least three times before clipping the buckle, which is what keeps water out. The phone case is separate, so the phone can hang round the neck for photos while the bag stays sealed, and the strap unclips when the bag is going inside a hatch.
- Roll the top three times
- Phone case hangs round neck
Best for: Kayaks, paddleboards and beach days
- Size (range)
- 5L (or 10L)
- Fabric
- 500D polymer, welded seams
- Shoulder strap
- Detachable, 122cm
- Phone pouch
- IPX8 case
- Maker’s waterproofing
- IPX6; floats, quick dunks
#2Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Bag (8L)
£10–£20
At 67g for the 8-litre size, it’s a light, strong liner for keeping spare layers or a sleeping bag dry inside a rucksack, with a white lining that makes small things easy to find. Sea to Summit is named after Tim Macartney-Snape’s climb of Everest, which he began on foot at sea level.
What owners say: Owners find it keeps kit dry through heavy rain and adds next to no weight to a pack.
Heads up: Use it for rain and spray rather than swimming: Sea to Summit advises against submerging it, since water can seep in at the roll-top.
A closer look: The oval base stops it rolling about and sits neatly against the back of a rucksack. On longer trips, a different colour for each job, clothes in one and first aid or electrics in another, saves unpacking everything to find one thing.
- Weighs 67g
- White lining helps find things
- Oval base stops rolling
- D-ring at the buckle
- Double-stitched, taped seams
Best for: Keeping kit dry in a rucksack
- Size (range)
- 8L (1.5L to 35L)
- Fabric
- Recycled 70D nylon
- Shoulder strap
- No
- Phone pouch
- No
- Maker’s waterproofing
- 10,000mm; avoid submersion
#3Osprey Ultralight Dry Sack (3L)
£16 RRP
A small 3-litre sack in recycled 40D nylon with coated seams, weighing about 28g, for a phone, wallet and keys or a first aid kit. Osprey rates it IPX5: proof against rain and splashing, but not for submerging.
What owners say: Owners like how small and feather-light it is for stashing essentials in a daypack or jacket.
A closer look: Its squared-off shape stands up on its own and stacks with other boxy sacks, so a daypack stays tidy. After a wet day, hang it open by the D-ring so the inside dries before it’s packed away.
- Weighs about 28g
- Stands up on its own
- D-ring for drying
- Coated seams
Best for: Small essentials
- Size (range)
- 3L (3L to 30L)
- Fabric
- Recycled 40D nylon
- Shoulder strap
- No
- Phone pouch
- No
- Maker’s waterproofing
- IPX5; non-submersible
#4Lifeventure Ultralight Dry Bag Multipack (5L, 10L, 25L)
£36.99 RRP
Three bags in one pack, 5, 10 and 25 litres, so clothes, food and a sleeping bag each get their own. The 30D siliconised ripstop has fully taped seams, and the 5-litre bag weighs just 30g; Lifeventure lists its dry bags as recommended kit for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
What owners say: Owners use the three sizes to keep a rucksack or tent organised, and say they stayed dry through heavy rain.
Heads up: The fabric is very thin to keep the weight down, so wrap anything sharp-edged, like tent pegs or stove parts, in clothing rather than packing it straight against the bag.
A closer look: The elliptical base packs neatly into the bottom of a rucksack, and the finger-loop underneath helps pull a bag out of a tight pack. Rolling the top squeezes out spare air, which shrinks a sleeping bag or a down jacket to fit the 25-litre bag.
- 5L bag weighs 30g
- Fully taped seams
- Oval base packs neatly
- Finger-loop underneath
Best for: Sorting gear for camping trips
- Size (range)
- 5L, 10L and 25L
- Fabric
- 30D siliconised ripstop
- Shoulder strap
- No
- Phone pouch
- No
- Maker’s waterproofing
- Waterproof, 5,000mm
#5Unigear Dry Bag with Phone Pouch (2L)
£10–£20
A stiff 500D PVC bag with high-frequency welded seams and a long adjustable strap, and a waterproof phone pouch comes with it. At 2 litres it takes a phone, keys and a wallet on a kayak, and the same listing goes up to 55 litres.
What owners say: Owners report their things staying dry even when a kayak took on water, and like it for boating holidays.
A closer look: Thick PVC holds its shape, so it stands up in a boat and wipes clean of sand and salt water. The larger sizes come with two straps to carry like a rucksack, while the small ones have a single strap to sling across the body.
- Stands up in a boat
- Wipes clean of sand
Best for: Phone and keys on the water
- Size (range)
- 2L (2L to 55L)
- Fabric
- 500D PVC, welded seams
- Shoulder strap
- Yes
- Phone pouch
- Yes
- Maker’s waterproofing
- Waterproof; floats
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Ultra Dry 5L | #2Sea to Summit 8L | #3Osprey 3L | #4Lifeventure 3-pack | #5Unigear 2L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best for backpacking | Best multipack | |||
| Picked Rating | 9.4 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| Price | £13.99 RRP | £10–£20 | £16 RRP | £36.99 RRP | £10–£20 |
| Size (range) | 5L (or 10L) | 8L (1.5L to 35L) | 3L (3L to 30L) | 5L, 10L and 25L | 2L (2L to 55L) |
| Fabric | 500D polymer, welded seams | Recycled 70D nylon | Recycled 40D nylon | 30D siliconised ripstop | 500D PVC, welded seams |
| Shoulder strap | Detachable, 122cm | No | No | No | Yes |
| Phone pouch | IPX8 case | No | No | No | Yes |
| Maker’s waterproofing | IPX6; floats, quick dunks | 10,000mm; avoid submersion | IPX5; non-submersible | Waterproof, 5,000mm | Waterproof; floats |
| Best for | Kayaks, paddleboards and beach days | Keeping kit dry in a rucksack | Small essentials | Sorting gear for camping trips | Phone and keys on the water |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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