Alpkit drybags WARNING.

[BigMonster]

Ok guys a final UPDATE on the situation.

Two days later I got an email from Alpkit saying that they have gone over my orders and that 3 of my drybags qualify for a warranty replacement. So either someone new had a look in to this situation, or they have found this thread. And I have today received 3 new drybags from ALpkit:



As stated before this was never a Alpkit bashin thread as over the years I had excellent service from them, sometimes I had good service from them, and this time I had mellow service from them. But my main message stil goes: Alpkit Airlock drybags don't last, even unused. I don't mind as in the past they were a good value for money but not anymore. Still great place for titanium and climbing stuff.

 

[Toddy]

Very good
That's more like the Alpkit service that they're more known for.

M

 

[Lost in civilisation]

Must be the cynic in me, the turnaround from calling you a kit abusing fool / liar, to oh yes sir, we will honour our 3 year warranty that we advertise as cast iron.

perhaps they read the thread .....

 

[C_Claycomb]

That is great news. Thanks for sharing the update.

Regarding my old Exped bag, thought I would share a picture to show what it did. I noticed that when put clothes in and rolled the top, it ceased trapping air. So I filled it with water to see if it had a pin hole leak...
. by Last Scratch, on Flickr
Still looked fine on the inside, no loose tape, no flaking coating. Was obvious though that the bags were not air tight, so no danger of using one on a trip and getting wet gear.

 

[petrochemicals]

How old is the bag and what material is it made from ?

 

[C_Claycomb]

My Exped bags? It was the standard urethane coated nylon, not sil-nylon. Age is a little tricky. They were purchased after July 2005, probably in 2006 and I became aware that they were no longer air tight in 2012, maybe 2013. So six to eight years old. The thing that is interesting to me is that I had two bags, a 13ltr (pictured) and a 40lr, both bought at the same time, and both stopped sealing at the same time, and neither had seen hard or particularly frequent use, so it wasn't mechanical wear.
I sent them both back to Exped just for their interest, to see how the material used held up with age alone.

I am quite familiar with urethane based items failing after time. I have seen two pairs of urethane soled shoes have the soles totally disintegrate, after a long time in a box stored in the wardrobe, and I have seen lots of Cordura either delaminate or go sticky.

 

[Erbswurst]

In the last time I bought several different dry bags.
Alpkit isn't offered in Germany, so I can't say anything about.

But because I use them on a daily base, I just can tell you my opinion BEFORE I managed to brake them:

Frilufts has the worst quality. In my opinion they are rubbish.

Osprey is very light, seemes to be well made, but is not totally air tight at the closure.

Sea to summit 70 DEN is very well made but not totally air tight.

Snugpack is very well made and totally air tight.

Ortlieb offers in my opinion the best quality.
They are made totally different.
They offer light and small bags too.

 

[Laurentius]

Let's be honest it is the technology, Chinese quality control regardless. Own any waterproof long enough, give it some hard use and it will delaminate. I can remember the days when Goretex was an exotic new technology and when it was laminated nylon vs waxed cotton. Does anyone own any garment or tent that they bought in the 80's that has not delaminated?

 

[Erbswurst]

I own dry sacks from the US Army I bought in the 90's used. They surely had been produced and used by the army in the 80th. And they are still fine!

I own Ortlieb bags from the 90's which are still fine. But well: Ortlieb produces in Germany!!!

 

[Old Bones]

'I own Ortlieb bags from the 90's which are still fine. But well: Ortlieb produces in Germany!!!'

Much as I like Alpkit's Airloks (mine have been fine, and not much different from the Lowe Alpine and Podsac ones I also have), I tend to go for their Xtra's. Only a couple of quid more, but much tougher, have attachment points, and a shoulder strap as well. Weight more, but are tougher.

The thing to note about Ortlieb bags is that Airloks, Expeds, Ospreys, and so on are sil nylon, etc, and are like Ortliebs PS10 range. In fact their PS10 is heavier, with a 12L Ortlieb coming in at about 70g, whereas a 13L Airlok is 48g. Heavier material tends to mean tougher, which is why Alpkits 13L airlok Xtra comes in at 113g. The Ortlieb also has an attachment loop on the base, which again adds weight. And their 350 range is bombproof but a 13L bag weighs 220g. There is always a tradeoff between weight, robustness and price.

Actually, the Ortlieb 13L PS350 bag is £15.50 in Cotswolds, whereas the Alpkit Xtra 13L is £16 direct. But its half the weight....

BTW - its a shame that their Mission packs have gone up in price to £25, but still good value. My wife keeps 'borrowing' (and forgetting to give back) the set I bought years ago when she goes on trips abroad for work, because they are so handy, and she tends to use the Xrta drybags to pack shampoos etc in her hold luggage, because if they spill, its all contained. Their Brickz travel bags look good for the price as well - Eagle Creek style ones are about a third more.

 

[Keith_Beef]

Back in September 2010, I bought some thick plastic SealLine Baja dry bags, in 55L, 20L and 5L sizes.

I don't use them very often, and keep them in the dark inside a Maxpedition Fliegerduffel between uses. I've not noticed any degradation of the material or seams. The last time I used one was this summer, when I put a couple of cameras inside one to swim into Odisejeva špilja (the Odysseus Cave, Mljet, Croatia). It worked perfectly.

 

[MrEd]

I like the heavier duty drybags such as ortileb as overboard ones. Think all others will fail sooner rather than later.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk

yep the ortlieb ones are nice, i have a large one i use. had it about 5 years and its had a moderately hard life and still works.

 

[Wayne]

I have used the sealine dry bags on our expeditions. They have survived a lot of harsh treatment. Sand, mud, torrential rain the occasional swim and most impressive baggage handlers.

I think with dry bags it’s a case of buy the best you can afford and test then regularly. Anything important should be double bagged.

 

[Woody110]

I got a selection from Sports Direct, Karrimor ones about 5 years ago, and they are still going strong, still waterproof and they haven’t have the easiest of lives.
I’ve also got a thicker one from Aldi about 10 years ago, and I have no idea what’s it made from, but it’s bomb proof. Not the lightest but very strong.
They have them on special buys from time to time.

 

[Erbswurst]

This would be an option for the boat, I think.