Packing for Sea Kayak Expeditions and How to Choose Dry Bags and Dry Boxes
The following table lists all the dry bags, dry boxes, and mesh sacks that I use for sea kayak camping trips in the Northwest (with a few deletions, this has also been what I've used in Hawaii and Baja, Mexico). To the left of each item I've listed the gear I typically store in each bag or box and where I stow it in most kayaks. Having the right dry bags and boxes makes loading your kayak faster and less frustrating. It will also help you fit your gear into less space, so you can go on longer trips or use a smaller kayak (which often is more efficient at touring speeds, possibly faster for you, and easier to handle in wind) that may fit you better than the size kayak you thought you needed in order to go on camping trips.
With the exception of one small clear bag (and the AquaPac bags), all of the dry bags I use are the coated nylon type with the waterproof coating on the inside. I prefer these coated nylon bags because they slip in and out of kayaks more easily than bags with the rubber coating on the outside or clear plastic dry bags. With slippery dry bags I can pack more gear into a kayak, and the bags last longer because they are less prone to catching on sharp objects. Since the coated nylon bags are opaque, I use a magic marker pen to write the contents (VHF radio, cell phone, kitchen, etc.) of each bag on the outside of the bag. This way I don't miss having my gear in clear (sticky) bags. I've recently started using one clear bag that I store behind my seat or on my lap. I use this bag to store some of the last minute odds and ends which change from trip to trip so it is nice to be able to look through the bag to remember what I put in it this time. The clothes I won't need until camp (wind pants, pile pants, heavy socks, down vest, etc.), I store in a tapered dry bag with a one-way air vent valve at the end. After folding the top down to seal this bag, I kneel on it to push the excess air out the valve. This tapered bag makes good use of the space in the bow, and so it is the first bag I load into the bow which makes it hard to get to, but I know I won't need it until I'm unpacking the whole kayak at camp. Behind this tapered bag I pack a long narrow dry bag (X-Long Small) with a change of clothes in case I get wet (long underwear top and bottom, shorts or wind pants, a pile top). This X-Long dry bag would be hard to pack efficiently due to air getting trapped at the end (no-one makes one this size with a vent valve), but I solve this by pre-stuffing the clothes in a liner sack made of loose weave, breathable fabric. Air escapes out the seams and fabric of this line stuff sack while I compress clothes into it. This liner sack is slightly narrower and about six inches shorter than the dry bag. Once the clothes are in the liner sack they can easily be dropped into the matching dry bag with room left over to roll the top down. Using this liner sack has many benefits. In addition to allowing you to get more clothes into less space, the liner sack helps extend the life of the dry bag because the stress from the clothes in the bag is on the stuff sack, not the seams of the dry bag. It's also easier to load your clothing dry bag through hatches when you use liner stuff sacks to compress the clothes because the dry bag is free to bend rather than acting like an inflated balloon. I have one more bag that I put some clothes in, and this is a small bag that I keep behind my seat or in a day hatch if the kayak has one. This bag is where I keep a warm ski hat, neck gaiter, non-paddling gloves, and a thin pile vest (50 to 100 weight pile). By keeping these items in their own small bag, I know I can get them quickly and easily if I start to get chilled while eating lunch etc.
Conventional dry bags (i.e. with a fold down top) are generally good enough for clothes etc., but they are not 100% dry. So for electronic devices (VHF radios, cell phones, GPS, PDA, cameras, etc.) I use the AquaPac brand bags which have a unique clamping system to seal the bags (always test them for airtight waterproofness before using) which are designed to be completely waterproof (at least to a few meters). The bag they make for small GPS units is also perfect for protecting a packet of three Skyblazer brand rocket flares.
Coated nylon dry bags can be machine washed with mild detergent. Hang to dry.
You are welcome to use this just for your own information, but if you care to help support the Kayak Academy please purchase your dry boxes, dry bags, and mesh sacks from us. To do so, simply print this page (click once on the table before printing), fill it out with your desired quantities of each item and mail or fax it to us (our fax and address information is at the end of this page). If you are interested in ordering other gear from us, see our Kayak Equipment Catalog page.