Looking for the best dry bags for backpacking, hiking and camping? Look no further! In this article, I will cover some of the best dry bags and explain why dry bags are a great addition to your hiking gear.
Best dry bags for hiking and camping
I will provide a list with the best hiking dry bags. All of these options will be optimized for hiking, backpacking and camping. Please keep in mind that prices (and even sizes) might change over time. If you want to know the exact price (or more information about a product), visit amazon through the provided product links.
Earth Pak -Waterproof Dry Bag – Roll Top Dry Compression Sack
Price: $$
Size: 20L/30L/40L
Extra: waterproof phone case
I will start this list of with a waterproof dry bag made by Earth Pack. It’s a solid waterproof bag that does what it claims to do. A solid options for hikers or backpackers.
The 10L and 20L versions of this bag come with a shoulder strap. The 30L, 40L and 55L version of this bag are equipped with backpack style shoulder straps.
You can compress the bags with the common (and efficient) roll-up system.
There are also multiple colors to choose from!
Oh and there is a nice little extra: a waterproof phone case.
All in all, it’s just a solid dry bag. Maybe slightly more expensive than certain other dry bags on this list, but it’s well worth the money.
Check out the latest price on amazon: Earth Pak -Waterproof Dry Bag – Roll Top Dry Compression Sack
Unigear Floating Waterproof Dry Bag
Price: $
Size: 2L/5L/10L/20L/30L/40L
Extra: waterproof phone case
This dry bag is very similar to the previous one. It’s similar in quality, it’s similar in price and it also comes with a waterproof smartphone case and a roll-up system.
Once again, just a simple dry bag, perfect for hikers or for a camping trip!
It comes with an extra long adjustable shoulder strap (this is removable in case you don’t need this).
So which one do I prefer? Well, they are so similar that the looks would have to be the tie breaker in this case… and then earth pak would be my personal winner. However, if you would like a smaller sized dry bag, Unigear is your best pick!
Check out the latest price on amazon: Unigear Floating Waterproof Dry Bag
MARCHWAY Floating Waterproof Dry Bag
Price: $
Size: 5L/10L/20L/30L/40L
Extra: /
Another similar option would be the Marchway dry bag. As you can see in the image, you do not get the waterproof phone case, but you do get more colors to choose from. A great dry bag for hiking or camping!
Once again, it comes with a shoulder strap and with a roll-up system, nothing too surprising here.
Note that this is slightly cheaper than the previous options on this list.
Check out the latest price on amazon: MARCHWAY Floating Waterproof Dry Bag
Ultra Dry Premium Waterproof Bag
Price: $$
Size: 10L/20L/30L
Extra: waterproof phone case
Next up, the Ultra Dry Premium Waterproof Bag. Another great value for money product.
It comes with an extra long adjustable and removable shoulder strap and with the well-known roll-up system. Suited for both hiking and camping trips.
Check out the latest price on amazon: Ultra Dry Premium Waterproof Bag
Sea to Summit Event Compression Dry Sack
Price: $$$
Size: X-small/small/medium/large/X-large
Extra: advanced compression
Sea to Summit is a respectable brand when it comes to dry bags. They are also one of the few companies who actually reveal the waterproof ratings (hydrostatic head) of their products. Which is something I can only encourage!
This dry bag is slightly different from the alternatives on this list because it comes with an advanced compression system. The usual roll-up system is still there, but additionally you can use a strap system for even more compression.
It might be very handy for certain items and it could really save you some room in your bag.
The downsides? Well, the advanced compression system will make the dry bag slightly heavier. Also, this bag will be a bit more expensive.
Check out the latest price on amazon: Sea to Summit Event Compression Dry Sack
Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Sack
Price: $
Size: 1L/2L/4L/8L/13L/20L/35L
Extra: /
The “Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Sack” is the more regular dry bag from Sea to Summit. It’s a dry Bag that is stripped down to it’s basics. Which I can appreciate. The benefit of being lightweight makes this one of the best dry bags for hiking!
One of my favourite things about this bag is that there are a lot of smaller sizes available as well. You could for example buy a 1L bag for your underwear, a 2L bag for your other clothes and a 10L bag for you sleeping bag. This would not only protect your clothes from rain/water, it would also make your backpack logistics a lot easier. I would recommend buying these bags in different colors for exactly that reason.
There are a lot f advantages of bringing multiple smaller dry bags, but it would obviously also make your purchase a lot more pricey.
Check out the latest price on amazon: Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Sack
Scrubba wash bag
Price: $$$
Size: /
Extra: Laundry enhancements
I kept the most special dry bag for last. To be completely correct it’s not just a dry bag, it’s more like a wash bag. This is the perfect dry bag for hiking, backpacking and camping – if you care about hygiene.
As you may or may not know, a dry bag is not only great for keeping your gear dry, you can also use it to wash your clothes.
Now, the scrubba wash bag is actually optimized for doing the laundry… and yes, it does actually work. The results with the scrubba wash bag are better than the laundry results from any other dry bag.
Note that you can still use this bag as a dry bag for storage.
The biggest downside? It’s pretty expensive. I would definitely recommend this to everyone if it were just slightly cheaper, now I would only recommend it to hikers who don’t care too much about their budget.
Check out the latest price on amazon: Scrubba wash bag
Why you should bring dry bags
So why should you bring dry bags in the first place? While you are on a hiking trip you might encounter a lot of rain or you might have to cross multiple creeks.
If you are unlucky, the inside of your backpack might get wet/soaked. Even if you bring a waterproof backpack with a waterproof cover, heavy rainfall can still find its way inside your backpack.
There are a couple of things that you definitely don’t want to get wet, your sleeping bag, your clothes, etc.
The answer for this problem? The dry bag!
That said, the dry bag is multifunctional. For example, you could use it to do your laundry. Additionally, it can make your logistics a lot easier (you could bring different colors of dry bags, one for your sleeping bag, one for your underwear, one for your food, etc.).
What to put inside the dry bag
Some people prefer to bring a single dry bag and only put the most valuable items in there. Other hikers prefer to simply put everything in one or multiple dry bags.
I would definitely recommend to put vulnerable electronics, your sleeping bag and at least some clothes inside a dry bag. Whether you put everything inside one bag, or you put them in different bags is up to you. I really like to put everything in separate dry bags, but it does increase the weight of my overall pack. Also, it will cost more money to buy multiple smaller bags in comparison with one big dry bag.
Don’t forget to put gear you might need while hiking at the top of the dry bag. Food, a head torch, a camera and your smartphone are all good options to put at the top.
How big should my dry bag be
If you decide to bring one big dry bag, I would probably recommend to get at least a 20 liter dry bag. Especially if you are carrying a big sleeping bag.
If you decide to put everything in separate dry bags, you can definitely buy some smaller ones as well. However, you will still have to make sure that you can fit your sleeping bag in one of them.
The more chance there is that your stuff wil get soaked (hiking in a very rainy area or crossing a lot of creeks?), the more I would recommend to put everything in dry bags.
If you are going to put everything in dry bags, I would also recommend to bring multiple dry bags instead of one big one. It will simply make life easier if you need to get something out of your bag.
Dry bags vs ziploc bags
You might have used ziploc bags in the past instead of dry bags. I don’t dislike ziploc bags, but they are simply not very durable. If you want to waterproof your gear, ziploc bags are only a mediocre solution. These bags can easily rip open or holes could arise, this would result in a not very waterproof bag.
You could consider to put all the gear that you cannot fit into your dry bag(s) in ziploc bags instead. This way, the most vulnerable/important items are already safe inside the dry bag.
Put your most valuable items in the dry bag and secure your additional gear with ziploc bags.
Conclusion
Having one or multiple dry bags can definitely improve your hiking experience. You will be especially thankful on very rainy hiking trips. It’s not only the fact that your gear will be dry at the end of the day, it also gives peace of mind. Knowing that your gear is stored safe and dry.
There are multiple potential answers on the question “What is the best dry bag for backpacking, hiking or camping?”. In the list that I included in this article you will find some of the very best options. The one that is best for you is probably the one that best fits your needs. Especially the size can be an important factor.
Buying a dry bag does not have to expensive at all. Money really shouldn’t be an excuse for not securing your gear.
Note that the main function of a dry bag might be to store your gear safe and dry. However, this is not the only advantage of having a dry bag with you. Dry bags are used very often to do your laundry with. There is even a certain brand that created a dry bag that is optimized for doing the laundry, the Scrubba wash bag.
Now that your gear is stored safe and waterproof, make sure to keep yourself dry as well. Check out my article about the best waterproof hiking jackets and the best hiking rain pants to be completely prepared for rainy days on the trail!
That wraps it up, this were my recommendation of the best dry bags for backpacking, hiking and camping. Have you tried any of these? Do you have any other recommendations? Feel free to let me know in the comments below!