Sea to Summit Big River Dry Bag, Ultra-Durable Roll-Top Dry Storage

Works as it should for a good cost

This is the third time I have purchased one of these dry bags. The material is unlike any other dry bag and it feels like stiffened cloth. I like the way it stands up on its own when your stuff is in it. It is very sturdy and has a true flat bottom, not just a sack with no shape. Remembered: to truly be effective as a dry bag you must roll the top 3 times, so that takes away a lot of space. You may want a size bigger. I bought the 13 liter. It fits nicely between my feet in the front of my kayak. It holds phone, water bottle, binoculars, bird book, sunglasses, hat, bug spray, etc. You can always roll top more if too large for your tastes. The only reason I had to buy another one was because I dumped my kayak and lost it in the strong current. If you found it, enjoy!

I was very happy with my two 35 liter Sea to Summit dry bags, except the lash loops on one bag weren't attached properly from the manufacturer. I contacted Sea to Summit just asking for sealant and after a few hiccups, they did come through and sent a new bag instead.The new Big River bags have completely different lash loops. My first impression is that these are first class. The lashings say they are rated to 220 pounds and they do seem that sturdy. There's no way I'll put that much weight in one.I am out in a canoe or kayak in the neighborhood of 100 days a year or so for the past 20 years. (I've gone through a lot of dry bags.) I've been very satisfied with the toughness of the fabric on these Big River bags after 6 months (on the original bags) and with the new lash attachments on the replacement, I'd say, if it continues to hold up, this is my all-time favorite dry bag.

I purchased the Big River Dry Bag 13L. It works really well for me, and I'm glad I didn't try and save a few dollars by going with a cheaper brand. I use it to put my phone/wallet/keys/snacks/sunscreen in when I'm on the water for short trips. The thorough and evident quality of the dry bag makes it worth the investment as a quality piece of gear!PROS:- Durable exterior. I don't think anything rocks/scrapes would ever break it.- The top is easy to roll up. If I don't put as much in the bag one day, I just keep rolling it.- I like the 2 D Rings on the buckle. I use the D Ring and a carabiner to keep my bag where I want it. It's nice that there are 2 D Rings, not just one. Also, the D ring is big enough to use a pretty thick carabiner (like you would take rock climbing).- The buckle itself works well. Not flimsy. I've never had to use a repair buckle, but it's nice that they think that far ahead.- There are two side areas that you can use to strap the bag down.- When I'm storing it, I roll it back up (from the bottom) just like it came in the original packaging. The fabric isn't folded in any way that puts stress on it if I leave it in my garage or bottom of my pack for months at a time.- I also like the oval shape of the bag. I feel like there's a lot of wasted space in circular bags. They say the oval prevents it from rolling, and makes it easier to pack. That might be true, but I like the oval because it does a better job holding my gear.- The fabric is great for sliding in and out of a bigger pack.CONS:- Sometimes when I roll it from the top, the D Rings have a tendency to get "rolled up" into the roll.- I don't think I have any other cons!Another HUGE pro --> I reached out to the Sea to Summit customer service team and they were enormously helpful. They were prompt, descriptive and empathetic. I could really tell based on their tone and message that they embrace the outdoor lifestyle, enjoying nature, and being sustainable. I think they're based in Colorado, but they opened the email with "G'Day!"

I have purchased three Sea to Summit river bags because the first one performed so well. I'm an outdoor educator/guide in the Pacific Northwest so these bags get some use. They've been on lake and river trips; canoe, raft and inflatable kayak, as well as car camping adventures. What I love about them is the flexibility of the fabric in colder temps. It makes packing them and rolling the top down to close SO MUCH easier than other dry bags on the market. It cleans up nicely too. The bags have well-placed, generous and strong loops for securing to watercraft.Could it get any better? Probably... I wish it had a comfortable accessory strap, like backpack straps and not a single over-the-shoulder strap. This would be helpful on longer portages when carrying gear and equipment. But I DO appreciate having no permanent straps on the bag - nothing to get hung up on when pulling in/out of the gear stack in the back of your rig.Not to be overlooked - the photos don't lie - the colors are beautiful 🤩

I do prefer this bag line's color options and would have really liked the red bag for visibility on my bikepacking trip. Maybe I will revisit this since I think I could get away with this slightly lighter bag on a trip where I'm not subjecting the bag's bottom to rough abrasive surfaces.To me these are niche though and might be perfect for someone interested in minimal weight. These are not super minimalist - S2S has those - but mistakenly bought these when I wanted a smaller version of my 35L Big River "Heavy Duty" bag. Those have extra durable lash points and a heavy bottom. Even so on my trip I ended up over packing an HD bag and it started to get a little distressed. So just be careful about any hard/sharp objects like tent poles, etc that might be included in the bag and all will be good.