Dry bags for canoeing!!!

[Outdoordude]

I am going canoeing for a week and really dont want anything getting soaked. As it would become pretty miserable.
I have been told that it is a good idea to store everything in a big dry bag and then put everything inside of it in small dry bags to double protect it.
So ive gone about toting up all the dry bags i need and the grand total comes to £78 which is quite dear.
I like the idea of having everything in dry bags but i dont like the idea of the price.
What do you think, do i need all these dry bags?
Thanks
Jacob

 

[The MAX]

I would just get a good drybag/backpack. Don't bother with doubling up. They are too heavy, and you will most likely not dunk them in water unless you are going on white water. Even if they do dunk, they are filled with mostly air and will float.

But if you really want to put you're mind at ease I'd suggest one of two things:

1) At home before camping, fill up your dry bag with dirty laundry before doing a wash. Take it to a river/lake, and toss it in with a rope on it. Pull it back and check for water inside.

or

2) wrap stuff in garbage bags before putting in. Gives you a bit of extra protection, but avoids the cost and weight of more drybags.

 

[John Fenna]

A cheap and effective alternative to drybags - put your gear in a normal stuffsack, then put the stuffsack in a toughish plastic bag and then put that in another stuffsack - the stuffsacks protect the plastic bag and as long as you seal the opening (I use the twist, fold double and clip with one of those freezer-bag plastic clip things) then you are pretty safe unless you swim in white water

 

[Jjessup]

Another option is to try waterproof barrels. You can get posh ones with metal clasps from canoe shops, then you can just stick the stuff in plastic bags inside. A cheaper way if you can find them is to try food produce shipping narrels. A shop near me used to sell mango chutney barrels. They were nearly as watertight and only cost a fiver, but I did get a mora a tad rusty after a swim with one. Tey also make great seats around the camp! If not I find the heavy duty drybags are usually good on there own, but the lightweight ones, lile the expeds are not so reliable.

 

[The Cumbrian]

You don't need to waterproof everything; look on alpkit and get some of their cheap, lightweight drybags for your sleeping bag and clothes, and use these inside your rucsac or a holdall. You'll then be able to keep your important stuff dry, and you'll have some lightweight drybags that you can use for your usual outdoor activities.

Cheers, Michael.

 

[kmac]

Aldi does cheap drybags so look out for those.

I got a cheap barrel (you can get them free from certain restaurants and just leave outside with some bleach in for food smell to dissipate)

Let me know if you need to actually buy a barrel as I know a couple of cheap places

 

[brambles]

Sports Direct also sell Karrimor drybags in a variety of sizes at good prices

 

[birchwood]

If you have got a large holdall then just buy 3 of the lightweight dry bags. Put your sleeping bag in one,your change of clothes in another and your camera,passport,first aid kit etc in the third.
As brambles said Sports Direct sell the Karrimor ones at half price.
TK Max sell 40litre ones sometimes.
Put your dry foods in ziplock bags or the £1 screw top containers from Wilkinson.Or save the plastic containers that fridge packs of baked beans or fruit come in.
Plastic bags with the top turned over at least 3 times and elastic bands or string, for other kit.
Anything else -stoves etc - should not matter if it gets a bit of a dunking.
There is not much point shelling out for loads of kit you might not use again.

 

[jandude]

Use bin liners inside a rucksack (make smallish parcels per bin bag rather one big one). If you hold the scrunched end and spin the bag enough times it is either easy to knot or simply spin it enough that it will twist on itself and not come undone. Or use elastic bands or garden tie wrap to hold closed.

I have used this method lots and had no problems. At a couple of quid for lots of bags you can also afford to double-wrap if you feel it necessary.

I also have commercially made dry bags - as already said, the light ones are okay as liners but you will need heavy duty ones if you use them on their own.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[galavanter]

Diy bags look at Yostwerks web site dedicated to home made kayaks but also shows how to work with pvc and glues etc

 

[MikeLA]

Original and best Ortlieb

 

[kmac]

Original and best Ortlieb

Agreed......................

 

[munkiboi182]

try going to ur nearest indian restaurant and ask if they have any mango chutney barrels! they make great dry barrels. or go to "the range". they have some fairly cheap but durable dry bags. i picked up a few not too long ago

 

[Old Bones]

An Alpkit 35/65 litre XT drybag is £13/£17 - its not designed for total immersion (but is very tough, not far off Ortlieb) but if you put stuff in either standard drybags (Alpkit have some 20l ones left) or there are some cheapie ones on Amazon for a fiver for three http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yellowstone...=UTF8&qid=1372372091&sr=8-1&keywords=dry+bags or even rubble sacks (with big clippits), you shouldn't need to splash out so much cash. Try TKmaxx - they sometimes have Trekmates bags.

Also try ebay - Highlander http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Highlande...Canoeing_Kayaking_ET&var=&hash=item4d09904f27 heavy bags can be got for£12.75 for 44l. - see similar items as well. And try looking in your local Aldi - the last drybag special purchase was a while back, but they tend to have a sale section, so there might be some still around - they are good value.

Its worth spending out for the essential items to stay dry, since there is nothing as miserable as have wet stuff for a whole week (and your actually on the water - so be prepared to get wet). You might have saved some money on bags by going the ultra cheap route, but you've obviously had to spend a fair about of cash on a whole week of canoeing - sometimes its worth spending a bit to make life more comfortable, and get the most out of your week.

Chutney barrels are big - you find them in wholesalers, and I bet a couple of quid will get you some - in fact I suspect they are more than happy to get them out of the way.