Most dry bags are made to go inside something else. The Sea to Summit Big River is made to go on the outside: strapped to a roof rack, a kayak or a motorbike, where it gets rubbed, rained on and dragged about. We paid $75 for the 13 litre version in Picante, and it weighed 189 g on our scale.
What’s in the box
A roll-top dry bag in heavy-duty 420D nylon, with a dark, triple-coated base, a row of lash points down one side and a buckle with a D-ring on each end. It comes in six sizes, from 5 to 65 litres, and four colours: Dull Gold, Jet Black, Picante and Surf the Web.
What we like
- Extremely durable 420D ripstop nylon
- 10,000 mm rating with taped seams
- Oval base stacks and doesn’t roll
- Sturdy lash loops for tying it down
- White interior shows your gear
- Replaceable buckle
What we don’t
- Heavier than a lightweight dry bag
- Not made to be held under water
- Sling is sold separately
Quick Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Sea to Summit |
| Material | 420D ripstop nylonTriple-coated base |
| Colour options | Dull GoldJet BlackPicanteSurf the Web |
| Weight | 189 g |
| Waterproof rating | 10,000 mm hydrostatic head |
| Seams | Double stitchedReinforcedTape sealed |
| Lash points | Load rated to 100 kg |
| Sizes | 5 L8 L13 L (tested)20 L35 L65 L |
| Closure | Roll top with a replaceable buckle and D-rings |
Fabric, seams and base
The fabric is what you pay for. It’s 420D ripstop nylon, a much heavier cloth than the thin fabric of an ultralight dry bag. It handles being dragged across a boat deck, strapped to a motorbike rack or stuffed into a rough kayak hatch without puncturing.
It’s rated to a 10,000 mm hydrostatic head, and the seams are double stitched, reinforced and fully tape sealed. That’s solid protection against heavy spray and a proper downpour. Like almost every roll-top bag, it isn’t made to be held under water for long: the seal is a fold, not a zip.
The base gets extra protection. It’s triple coated, because that’s the part that sits in the wet sand, on the boat ramp or in the bottom of a kayak. It’s also oval, which is smarter than it sounds: the bag doesn’t roll away when you lay it down, and it stacks better in a narrow hull or a drawer.
In the middle of the base is a low-profile lash point, marked with a maximum load of 15 kg. That’s where the Sea to Summit Dry Bag Sling attaches: one end clips to the base and the other to the D-ring at the top, and the bag becomes something you can carry over a shoulder. The sling is sold separately.
Roll top and buckle
It closes the way every roll-top bag does: push the air out, roll the top down at least three times and clip the buckle. The stiffened strip along the opening makes it easy to get a tight, even roll. The heavy fabric is a bit rigid to roll down when the bag is new, and it loosens up with use.
The buckle has a D-ring on each end. They give you two more places to tie the bag down or clip it on, and they keep the load off the buckle itself. The buckle is a field-repair type: if it gets crushed on a trip, it can be swapped for a new one in seconds with a screwdriver.
Inside, the laminate lining is bright white. It reflects the light, so it’s much easier to find small things at the bottom, also in poor light.
Lash points
A row of sturdy lash loops runs down the side of the bag, and this is what sets the Big River apart. You can run a strap or a cord through them and fix the bag to a kayak deck, a paddleboard, a motorbike or a roof rack, so it stays put and doesn’t slide out from under the strap.
The label on the bag rates the lash points to a maximum load of 100 kg, so they’re proper tie-down points and not just decoration.
There’s no shoulder strap. It’s purely a dry sack, so for carrying it hands-free you need the Dry Bag Sling, which is sold separately. It clips to the lash point on the base and to the D-ring on the buckle.
Size and weight
Thirteen litres is a useful middle size: room for a change of clothes and a towel, or the camera gear and a jacket. Packed and rolled shut, it stands up by itself on its oval base. If you want to see what’s in the bag without opening it, the lighter Sea to Summit Dry Bag View has a clear window.
Ours weighed 189 g on the scale, against the 190 g on the box. That’s the price of the thick fabric: it’s a good deal heavier than a lightweight dry bag of the same size, and too bulky for a hiking pack. For a boat, a bike or the roof rack, the weight doesn’t matter.
Conclusion: Sea to Summit Big River Dry Bag 13LConclusion
The Sea to Summit Big River is a dry bag built for the outside of a vehicle or a boat. It’s extremely durable 420D ripstop nylon with a 10,000 mm rating, taped seams, an oval base, sturdy lash loops and a buckle you can replace yourself. It’s heavier than a lightweight dry bag, it isn’t made to be held under water, and the carry sling is sold separately. I paid $75 for it. For gear that gets strapped down and soaked, it’s a very tough bag.
A heavy-duty 13 L dry bag in 420D nylon with a 10,000 mm rating, taped seams, an oval base and load-rated lash loops.
Heavier than a lightweight bag at 189 g, and the carry sling is sold separately.
- 4WD tourers
- Anglers
- Motorcycle tourers
Yes, if the bag will live on a roof rack, a kayak or a motorbike, where the tough fabric and the lash loops earn their keep. For hiking, or for keeping things dry inside the car, a lighter and cheaper dry bag does the job.
