Waterproof Bags are solid – but what about the zippers?
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Hey guys –
Anyone have any experience with the bag in today’s Gear Review? I’m extremely confident in the water-proofedness of the fabric but I am not sure how much to trust the zipper. If it’s anything like the old-school zippers it’s probably not submersible, but might survive a short dunking at least while new (and if tightly closed).
Zach
Hey Zach, does that wide belt slide out from the bag totally? It looks like it might. I’ve been looking for a waist pack with that feature for years. I think it’s a great idea for kayak anglers who may want to get out and wade fish, thus wearing the belt with the bag. Or fishing while seated in the kayak and having the bag between your legs with the belt easily taken off the bag and stored in the hatch compartment so that it doesn’t snag the fly line.
I’ve suggested this idea to Simms but they didn’t even have the courtesy to respond back. With the popularity soaring for kayak angling, I’m surprised someone hasn’t come up with this idea by now!
Hey Zach,
I’ve been through a lot of “waterproof” bags over the years. Most were OK, in that nothing inside got wet. Which is not to say that some were not better than others (those making some of those others memorably worse . . .).
I’ve had zippers that wicked water to one end or the other, where there was just enough space to dribble water into the bag. Not normally fatal, but not as “waterproof” as advertised.
Some fabric just didn’t cut it in the sun, or if pinched (an all too common occurrence in some designs). Some had “sharp” corners that quickly abraded and leaked. Some zippers were so hard to close, that pulling on them finally pulled something else loose.
One concern I always had was that even if a bag passed a submersion test, how well would the zipper hold if you happened to fall on the bag while wading. Or, even if the zipper is waterproof, is the design such that it holds up well over time. Or if a bit of grit gets into it. Or will it have the “sunscreen on a fly line” deterioration.
A lot of variables, so I just assume NONE of them are 100% reliable, but having little choice, try not to test them in real life. I don’t fall down too often (although some have been quite spectacular), but take extra care when wading with a camera in a “dry bag”.
One of the “best” (worst) failures I had was with a bag that was intended for boat use, and had a waterproof bottom shell, extending up the sides a couple of inches, with the bulk of the bag being constructed of “water proof” fabric. Problem was, as I found out during a torrential rain one day on the flats, was that the zippers weren’t waterproof, and the stitching around the many pockets wasn’t waterproofed. The end result was that the bag filled up with several inches of water. Water was going in much quicker than it was leaking out, and the bottom shell was truly waterproof, right up to where it was stitched onto the fabric. All in all, about the worst design possible.
I’m a big fan of the roll top bags, but then they’re not particularly suitable for many needs.
Buzz
You can find some pretty good, inexpensive, waterproof boat bags by googling around. Look for tool bags. As for zippers, I wish there were saltwater capable, corrosion-proof ones on all the gear that’s sold for flats fishing. You can buy very expensive rain slickers and shoulder bags, made ostensibly for anglers, that are throw-aways after six months of flats fishing.
That’s why serious foul-weather gear for commercial fisherman doesn’t have zippers.
No personal experience with that bag, but experience with many others. Overall, these zippers are called water resistant for a reason – the teeth don’t create a watertight seal and the only protection you have is the gusset, or whatever its called, over the zipper. This bag will probably be mostly fine in heavy rain and maybe a quick submersion. Overall, don’t trust any zipper that is not a dry-suit zipper. There aren’t many companies that make legitimate zippable fishing bags. Patagonia has a one-compartment bag and Sagebursh Dry (which are fantastic bags based on using a friend’s) has multiple.
Zach, I really like the look of those bags and may well end up with one for my new Kayak.
The zippers are obviously a week point and I’ve noticed (over a few bags) that the zippers can separate a bit if they’re put under load from the sides.
It’s easy enough to do because unlike more heavy built bags, the waterproof stuff tends to be thin and not have much support.My Ortlieb has a weak point in the lower third of the zippers where the weight of a camera and a couple lenses stretches the base of the bag a bit.
An insert from an old camera bag has helped.
I keep the zippers well lubricated with silicone and so far haven’t had any problems in the rain.All said and done, for a few dollars and only a small weight penalty, you could carry a light dry bag rolled up in the bottom of a bag like that if the rain reaches ‘quick, build an ark’ ..
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