I searched and surprisingly didn't find any previous threads on dry bags to use when touring.

Does anyone have any particular recommendations of brands you have used that work well? I am looking for dry bags with horizontal loading (NOT top-down) because I want to be able to get to my stuff easily. The plan is to use them in my Xtracycle Freeradical storage compartments. Length of 30" or less, Width max of 10" would be great.

Right now I am looking at getting two "Seattle Sports Super Latitude Stuff Sacks" in Medium size.

Anyone used them before?

Here is the link for them at REI.

Thanks,
Ben

These weigh 19 oz less. Cost about 75 bucks less. And make good pannier covers too.

Available worldwide.

Only downside is they create a lot of waste since you only get a few uses from them (unless you recycle the PE).

Although I'm usually all-ears for super cheap substitutes, I'm really looking for something that I can store my gear in that is durable and will last for several years. Sometimes you can find things that are built for other industries that meet 95% of your specifications for 50% of the price... any ideas?

Thanks,
Ben

trash compactor bags last a whole tour, and cost very little. Seriously.

Arkel (www.arkel-od.com) makes very high-quality (but expensive) panniers and has a nice-looking drybag pannier called the "Samurai". I have a set of Arkel panniers (different model) and I think they're fabulous.

I use Seal Line dry bags and they work well to keep my sleeping bag and pad dry. I have the baja and see bags, which aren't what you are looking for. I checked their website, www.seallinegear.com, and they have a whole line of bags, including duffle bags that fold and zip. I don't know if their prices are in line with what you want to spend, but that should give you an idea of what another manufacurer has to offer.

For the stuff in my panniers, I use two-gallon ziplock bags.

Hope that helps.

I stored my gear in trash bags on tour when it rained. It was more convenient that individual dry bags, and it lasted well. I did think of sometihng like this to carry regular boating dry bags:

https://www.backpacking.net/makegear/panniers/Image1.gif

It's just that paniers with their frames are already really heavy, and add a bunch of drybacks and you are going to get up there on weight. So I figure one or the other but not both. Either some Otliebs or a basket type thing for river bags.

Thanks for all of the suggestions and alternative options. I ended up getting the Seattle Sports dry bags from REI, except I picked the large instead of the medium. Why? Because the bags look like they will be a near-perfect fit for the FreeRadical sidebags on my Xtracycle, my tour is going to be 4,500 miles so I need something that will last, and I really don't want to risk my stuff getting wet while I'm riding or camping in the middle of nowhere. =)


Ben

I just bought one of these: Waterproof Stuff Bag 9 in. x 20 in., from Campmor for $15.99. It's only supposed to weigh 4 oz. I know you didn't want topload, but maybe someone else might.

I've gotten along fine with tall plastic kitchen trash bags, but this should be more durable.

I'll report back when I receive and test it.

I for one would like to hear about these. I've always toyed with the thought of dry bags on an open top trailer, mainly to keep the dust out while touring dirt roads.

Sea to Summit make some siliconised nylon (very light) roll-top top-loading dry bags that you could put inside whatever panniers you already have. The 20L one is a good size - will double as a day pack liner, fits in my panniers, good size for organising things. They are available in the US as well as Australia. Highly recommended.

Not sure about side-loaders, never seen one locally.

Here is the URL for the Sea to Summit dry sacks.

https://www.seatosummit.com.au/showdetail.php?Code=AUDS1

They have more rugged ones if you need that, but the ultralight ones are good inside a pack or pannier if you are careful about sharp objects.

I am a great fan of the Sea to Summit bags. Mine range from small to large, and I use them in colour-code to separate various items. They are cheap, which is a great plus.

The material is highly pliable but remarkably tough, and I can heavily compress-stuff my sleeping bags and clothes into them, something that is less likely with trash compactor bags. When I have used those types of bags, the biggest problems have been getting the air out, and then sealing off the top so the compressed stuff inside doesn't "reinflate" the bag.

I have had a set of S2S bags for around four years, and they have done a power of touring and randonnee work, and while they each have shown some moderate wear, they have stood up well.

I am somewhat paranoid about getting clothes and sleeping bags wet. I use a small one for my tools, and that loops and clips over the rails on my Brooks saddle. I figure they have outlasted a pack of trash-compactor bags that have that age old problem that goes with panniers and roll-top bags -- the thing you want most is always under everything else. Plus, I am not so inclined to dump waste plastic that often.

Ortlieb. 100% waterproof. Moisture doesn't get in, or out. I love mine. I leave them on my bike while the rain comes down, and don't have to worry about anything getting wet. Such a luxury.

I just purchased the Ortlieb medium sized dry sack from Wayne at TheTouringStore.com. Not only will it hold my sleeping bag and tent comfortably on top of the rack, it comes in "you can see it from space" yellow, which I'm counting on for visibility on the road. I also plan to use it as a jack-of-all-trades waterproof duffel bag for family camping, commuting, gym, etc.

Thanks to the posters re: garbage bag tip. I'll combine that with the 1-2 gallon Ziplock bags to compartmentalize the "big bucket" Ortlieb panniers.

Ken

Does your sleeping bag stay dry if you pack it in a waterproof bag along with your tent? Aren't these the two items you should never pack together?

+1

I use.....ummm trash compactor bags. They are heavy duty plastic...like almost 4 mil...(just guessing) thick...strong....light and cheap. If you are going to use them horizontally, just cut off the long vertical top part.....They are huge as far as their perimeter,,,girth? circumf...whatever.....peel and stick velcro with a couple of staples covered with tape as a roll top fastener should last you months. I got three weeks of hard touring out of them. I would never think of using cloth bags...I wouldn't trust them.

Here in Europe, Ortelieb is the company you go with for waterproof bags, most are top loading as it minimises the size of the opening (which by definition is the place they are most likely to leak, hence make opening as small as possible and as high as possible)

Ortalieb bags are used by pot holers (spelunkers), canoists, serious mountain expeditions and cyclists

+1

I use them for commuting... *after* discovering that "rain covers" trap water in the bottom of your pannier. Luckily it only screwed up my graphics card on my laptop.

Seriously, they're light, and cheap. The light ones DO say not to submerge them though, so keep that in mind if you ever plan on falling into a river or something.

Ortleib is the #1 in the field though. I just don't have that kind of cash though.