Drybags

[Jim malone]

I always carry my gear in a drybag slung around my shoulder when hiking.
Apart from a small survival pack on my waist most is stuffed in a large drybag. Inside the drybag there is another bright yellow one, rolled up tight. Does anyone use this more often in the wild? Those bags are supertough, completely waterproof, and can be used as an improvised water or fuel bag, tinder, food or game collection bag, a cushion, an improvised floatation device that keeps your cloths and boots dry when crossing a river or in a sudden flood situation. in a bright colour as a signalling bag, etc.
These bags can be used to shield your body from moisture The biggest ones even let you put in your legs partly and stuff the inside with insulating materials or can be used to sleep on stuffed with insulating material to shield your body from the cold and moisture. They can be used as bear bags, because they are water and airtight so they don't transmit food odours too easy. If you buy a black one you can use it as a solarbag to "heat" water in the sun. Or with a dessicant gel inside these bags can be used to store guns, or valuables very low profile. If you place these bags with the family fortune inside, say a nice stapled logpile outside your house or cabin nobody will think you have anything to hide there. These packs are pretty low profile and don't transmit agression, wealth or high social status letting you blend in during an emergency.
I would rather walk dressed in earth tones with two black bags slung around my shoulder in an urban emergency, then walk around in military fatigues, with an expensive state of the art backpack, and shoulder rig around transmitting , hey this guy is either wealthy or prepared well so he probably has valuable stuff with him.
The ony real drawback imho is that they are slow to get into. You can buy them in smaller yellow orange or green units , and write down the contents on them , so you don't have to rummage thru your large back to find anything loose, and they are absolutely waterproof!

i always use ortlieb bags http://www.ortlieb.com/index_white.php?lang=en&m1=0&m2=0&file=p-search.php and http://www.ortlieb.com/index_white.php?lang=en&m1=0&m2=0&file=p-search.php

 

[revolverman357]

Great ideas, of all those, I use a dry bag for a bear bag while hiking.

 

[BushcraftBrainTrust]

In cold weather camping I make a kit wit extra wool socks, gloves, hat, AMK 2 person heat sheet, AMK bivy, hand warming pads, and an extra fire starting kit. I put it in a small orange drybag.

 

[Foilist]

I have used one for motorcycle camping. In camp, it has been used:

as a water bucket.

as a floor mat.

as a dry sitting surface.

as a bear bag.

as a "washing machine" (toss in clothes, water, a little soap; then throw it on the ground and stomp on it for awhile).


You can even carry stuff it it!

 

[333rm]

I have a drybag stuffed inside my BOB. It acts as a liner so my Aloksaks don't rub against the heavy material and as a secondary water barrier. All my things are packed inside Aloksaks in my pack, then all those are stuffed inside the drybag. So I'm not to worried about anyting getting wet.

 

[gadgetgeek]

I have a couple, the larger one is silnylon and is just a pack liner, but is bright orange which could aid in signaling, the smaller one is much heavier and grey. could be used for all kinds of things, I generally use it as my clothes bag on short trips.

 

[Wanderlust]

Very good idea, I have thought about using them before but never really have, I think I may start carrying around a smaller one in my day bag as part of an emergency kit. Also If you are into climbing they may also work as an emergency haul bag. You need to run something up to the leader you can just put it in the Dry bag and send it up. Great ideas Jim.

 

[hiwa]

I plan on getting one for my canoe trips this summer. I want to make sure I have an extra set of dry clothes and first-aid kit.). The rest of my gear doesn't mind if it gets wet.