Waterproof Duffels

Tom Pamperin

From left: The NRS Expedition DriDuffel, the Watershed Yukon, the SealLine Zip, the Ortlieb Duffle, and the Seattle Sports Nav Duffel.

In small boats, space is limited so it’s important to have good ways to stow gear. Many of today’s open boats have buoyancy chambers that can double as watertight storage space, but it can be awkward to stuff gear through small hatches and even more awkward to pull it out. Compartments at the ends of the boat put the weight where it will make the boat less nimble in a seaway.I prefer to store the bulk of my gear in waterproof duffels lashed securely near the center of the boat. They offer better access to the contents and additional buoyancy if the boat gets swamped, especially if inflated with air after packing. At the end of a long day, I find it far more convenient to pull one big dry bag from under a thwart, carry it ashore, and sort through my gear in camp than it is to manage several small dry bags. Duffel dry bags have long side openings and are easier to pack and unpack than top-loading dry bags.