As I pondered what to write about for my first gear review, I realized that my first review should have one key element. It should be something that I feel everyone should know about, something that I believe has made my life easier and that I love to use. Almost immediately, Watershed Dry Bags came to mind.
Watershed Dry Bags are something that I use on the river every day. They provide easy access to your belongings while also keeping them dry. With other dry bags, the top loading style can lead to difficulty finding what you’re looking for. The duffle bag style that Watershed designs makes it easy to spot that extra fleece layer at the bottom of your bag. Also, the bag is made of sturdy polyurethane coated fabric that is stronger that PVC (polyvinyl chloride). I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thrown this bag onto the ground or in my boat. It takes a beating, and emerges as waterproof and bomber as ever.
Probably the best feature of the Watershed bag is the closure system. With many dry bags, it’s vital to get at least three rolls of the fabric at the top, to ensure a watertight seal. With Watershed bags, there is a patented zip-dry closure, similar to a zip-lock bag, that makes certain my clothes and other contents of the bag stay dry. And, as I said before, it also makes it simple to get in and out of throughout the day.
I love the variety of sizes and colors that are available in the Watershed bags. You don’t have to be going on an expedition river trip to own a bag. I have a small purse-like bag, the Ocoee size, that holds all the gear I want easy access to throughout the day-my toothbrush, camera, rainjacket, etc. The Colorado-sized option, with 8400 cubic inches, is the perfect size for all my clothes on a five-day (or longer) trip.
One day down in the Grand Canyon on a 16-day Colorado river trip, my Watershed bag fell in the river. It floated in the eddy, bobbing up and down, and I frantically jumped in the water after it. That evening when I reached camp, I opened up the bag to find dry clothes to change into. If the bag can take a swim in the Colorado river and still stay dry inside, then it has my vote as a worthy product to invest in.
Photos courtesy of Watershed Bags.