Best Dry Bag for Paddle Boarding
Dry Bags are Essential SUP Gear
Every paddler should have at least one dry bag. I love dry bags. Dry bags are waterproof duffel bags. They don’t have insulation but are simply used for storage. Dry bags are durable and 100% waterproof. With a good dry bag you can be confident that whatever gear you stow inside will be completely dry.
Dry bags come in different sizes from 5 to 90 Liters
Dry bags come in different sizes and colors. And of course they can be used for a variety of activities. I use dry bags whenever I need a duffel bag. And I have small dry bags I carry inside my backpack when hiking.
When it comes to SUP camping dry bags are essential. I will carry an assortment of dry bags for all my equipment. Every category of gear I take on a SUP camping expedition has its own dry bag. No matter what goes down I know all my gear and food will stay dry. Just the way I like it.
It’s best to assume anything you strap to your deck will go overboard.
Disclosure
Products I use are purchased with my own funds. I am never under an obligation to write a review about any product. This site expresses my own independent opinion.
Theseasonedsurfer.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com
Dry Bags for Paddle Boarding
Earth Pak Waterproof Dry Bag
My favorite brand. Earth Pak makes a great dry bag. Rugged and well constructed they come in four sizes and eight different colors. The larger sizes all have backpack shoulder straps and work well for portage. You can see them on Amazon right here.
Earth Pak Waterproof Backpack
It’s a great idea that works well. Take a dry bag and turn it into a backpack. While this waterproof backpack will never replace my internal frame hiking backpack it does come in handy. It doubles nicely as both a dry bag and a small day-hike backpack.
There is a sternum strap that connects the two padded shoulder straps across the chest. A padded back panel adds comfort and breathability around the back. Two zippered pockets for small items, one inside and one on the exterior, are a nice touch. The backpack has a 35 Liter capacity. I think this bag looks great and the price is reasonable. You can see the current Amazon price here.
Zbro Waterproof Dry Bag
Zbro makes a good dry bag with a mesh pocket on the exterior. The pocket is only big enough for small items. But it’s a nice option for those items you use frequently. You can see the current price on Amazon here.
KastKing Dry Bags
KastKing makes a dry bag with a large transparent window on the side. I could see how that might come in handy.
Are lightweight nylon dry bags good for paddle boarding?
Traditional marine dry bags are thick, durable and 100% waterproof. Good dry bags are made from 500D PVC. Because dry bags are thick they will take up more room than a backpacking stuff sack.
When organizing your gear into small dry bags you may be tempted to use a lightweight dry bag. These lightweight dry bags are typical made out of 40-70D nylon and may have a waterproof coating.
I feel these lightweight nylon dry bags are better suited for backpacking. I really don’t consider them serious marine dry bags.
If one of these nylon dry bags is submersed it may or may not keep your gear dry. It’s a risk I am not willing to take. Especially with video and electronic equipment. But also with clothing and a sleeping bag on a sup camping trip.
True marine dry bags, made with 500D PVC, will not rip or tear. They will keep your gear dry. So I always use these heavy duty dry bags over the lighter nylon bags.
Paddle Board Coolers
Packing a lunch and heading out for a remote beach on your paddleboard is a great day trip. And that might be why the sup cooler and deck bag are the most popular paddle board accessory. Some type of deck storage is needed if you are going paddle board camping, sup fishing or just coastline exploring for the day.
There are a lot of coolers are the market. But which coolers are best for paddle boarding? Here are my thoughts.
Lightweight plastic coolers by Coleman and Igloo are fine.
If you are looking for reviews on $400 Yeti coolers this is not your article. I prefer a reasonably priced cooler that offers reasonable performance. Then I’ll take the money I saved and buy a few other worthwhile SUP accessories.
Soft coolers pack down small after they are empty.
Soft and hard coolers both work well on paddleboards. Soft coolers are great for day trips and pack down well when empty. Hard coolers tend to keep things cold longer and are nice for storing gear. Hard coolers are often used for SUP fishing but there are fish bags that will keep fish fresh too.
Soft Coolers for Paddle Boarding
AO Water-Resistant Vinyl Soft Cooler
In my opinion the AO Vinyl Soft Cooler is one of the better soft coolers on the market. The 1000 denier vinyl used on this cooler is the same tough vinyl used on waterbeds.
AO soft coolers definitely have more insulation than other soft coolers. AO claims that this cooler will hold ice for 24 hours in 120 degree heat. And AO Coolers are guaranteed to never leak or sweat
The AO has a regular carry handle and a removable shoulder strap. There is a small side pocket for dry storage. It comes in three colors and four sizes. You can see the current price of the AO Vinyl Soft Cooler on Amazon here.
12 Can – 14 x 7 x 12 inches
24 Can – 17 x 10 x 12 inches
36 Can – 21 x 10 x 12 inches
48 Can – 21 x 13 x 13 inches
ICEMULE Classic Insulated Backpack Cooler Bag
The Icemule Classic is basically an insulated drybag. That means no zippers. Instead you roll the top secure, dry bag style. It is 100% water proof and super tough. The Classic has a duffle bag style shoulder strap.
Whether this cooler is for you comes down to preference. Some paddlers prefer a more traditional zippered cooler like the AO.
Personally I like the dry bag style cooler for it’s rugged durability and minimalist design. It’s great for paddleboard camping and hiking. This is my favorite but I am a dry bag freak. You can see the current price of the Icemule Classic on Amazon here.
The Icemule Classic comes in four colors and three sizes.
Small 10L – 16 x 8″ and holds 6 cans
Medium 15L – 16 x 10″ and holds 12 cans
Large 20L – 16 x 12″ and holds 18 cans
Larger Icemule’s not recommended:
Icemule also makes larger soft cooler bags similar to the Classic. There is an issue with the strap durability on these heavier capacity cooler bags. Until Icemule addresses this problem I cannot recommended the larger versions of this cooler bag.
GigaTent 24 Can Pop Up Cooler
The GigaTent 24 Can Pop Up Cooler is made from very tough 6000 denier nylon. It collapses down when not in use. When open full the GigaTent is 11″ x 11″ x 11″
Hard Coolers for Paddle Boards
Good hard coolers for paddle boarding can be a tough pick. People tend to abuse hard coolers and expect them to last forever. You get what you pay for and cheap coolers often fall apart. The hinges in particular seem to be a weak point. Still I won’t pay $300 for a paddle board cooler.
We want a cooler that is
- lightweight
- low priced
- reasonably durable
- and able to keep things cold with ice for 18-24 hours.
Does this cooler exist? In my experience, yes.
Stanley Adventure Cooler 16 Quart
The 16 quart Stanley Adventure Cooler is a tough cooler that will hold 21 cans and will keep them cold for at least 24 hours. Everything seems durable and well made. The lid is packed with foam to help keep things cold. I like the bungee cord on the top for storage. This Stanley cooler is definitely tough enough to sit on.
The only negative about this cooler is that if you strap a full thermos on the bungee lid the cooler will flip/rotate to the side when you carry it. Not cool. Other than that this is a great cooler. You can see the current price on Amazon here.
Igloo Legend 17 Quart Cooler
The Igloo Legend is a classic cheap cooler. The Legend is a long time bestseller. Everyone has seen this red cooler at a picnic or the beach. For it’s low price it is a decent cooler and known for cheap cooler durability. It takes work to break the Igloo Legend and I have seen it really abused. Cheap coolers get no respect. It will hold 24 cans and makes a decent seat. You can see the current price of the Igloo Legend on Amazon here.
The nice thing about a cheap cooler is that you are not afraid to drill holes and add a fishing rod holder. Some type of fishing rod holder is a good idea if you plan on doing some fishing off your paddle board. I wrote an article on the best fishing paddle boards here.
You can see this Brocraft Tackle Rack Fishing Rod Holder on Amazon here.
Here is an article I wrote on SUP fishing accessories.
Coleman Xtreme 70 Quart Cooler
If you want a large cooler the Coleman Xtreme is a good option. You want to make sure your paddle board has the right attachment points for a cooler this size.
This is also my go-to cooler for paddle board fishing. You can read my article about rigging an inflatable SUP for fishing here.
Approx. 28 x 16 x 17″
Besides storing food, drink and gear this cooler makes a nice seat. This 70 quart Xtreme is about 28″ wide. It makes a nice wide seat and will hold a 250lb person.
With a 70 quart capacity this Coleman will hold 100 cans. Ice retention is five days. So for the price you are getting a decent cooler. You can see the current price on Amazon here.
You don’t need to use ice. Try refreezable ice packs.
The advantage to ice is that crushed ice will pack tight and maximize space. Plus when it is gone it’s gone and you don’t need to paddle the extra weight. Ice packs need to be carried on deck after they thaw.
Still ice packs stay frozen longer than cubed ice and don’t make a mess. Ice packs are nice for food because they won’t get that tuna fish sandwich wet and soggy. If you are serious about keeping something cold try a combination of ice and ice packs. Here is my favorite ice pack on Amazon.
Ice Packs
- Ice packs will increase ice retention in any cooler whether it is a Yeti or the cheapest Coleman
- Ice packs companies claim ice packs will last 40-60% long than ice.
- Ice packs prevent “sandwich sogginess”
- No convenience store stops needed for ice when using ice packs
At 8.30 each morning, an statement is piped nevertheless a presenter in the ceiling of Kim Jong-won’s house,
barking the day-to-day bulletin in the substantial-pitched voice.
The disembodied broadcaster information new car parking steps, difficulties with the pneumatic spend fingertips chute
and other building repairs andd maintenance work to be carried out
that day.
The correct legal representative can certainly make the world of big difference for any endeavor funded new venture – and startups are
willing to pay off up for legal advice. We’ve examined through $40 zillion amount of start up legal
paying to generate two reports, and acknowledged the most notable Startup Legal Firms as well as the Top Boutique Startup Lawyers.
In 2014, Amazon announced that it would power its rapidly expanding fleet of data centers with 100 percent
renewable energy. Apple, Facebook, and Google made similar pledges two years before that, and pressure
from consumers and environmental groups drove Amazon to follow suit.
For the next two years, the tech giant made admirable strides toward achieving its goal, bankrolling
large solar plants and wind farms. Then, it stopped.
The deep recesses of the number line are not as forbidding as
they might seem. That’s one consequence of a major new proof about how complicated numbers yield to simple approximations.
Filecoin ICO: $186M in 1 hour - What does this
mean for upcoming ICOs?We are at the beginning of
a tectonic shift in consumer financial behavior and with the windfalls
going to those teams and companies arming themselves with what aare essentially called ‘trading vehicles’.
Aussies Be Coming. Got a thought for any new new venture?
Must maximise your runway to make it happen? Here’s why Australia is perhaps
the absolute right place to get it done.