Drybags are an essential piece of equipment when on the water. You want to keep your gear safe and dry so when you get off the water, you can get into warm clothes, and unpack your dry goods. Watershed has been in the business of making drybags for over 20 years! They continue to improve their products, but it all starts with these five basic principles:
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Closure – drybag seals like a freezer food storage bag
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Seams – double & triple layer fabric at meeting points
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Fabric – polyurethane fabric which is five-times as abrasive resistant than PVC
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Quality – rigorous inspection process
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Design – created by river guides
The Animas drybag is Watershed’s most popular backpack style bag. The dimensions of the Animas are 22” height x 14” width x 7.25” depth (56 cm x 36 cm x 18 x). It’s the perfect size for a two-day trip on the river.
It comes with removable shoulder straps, a durable top handle, and removable waist belt. The shoulder straps are comfortable and the top handle is great for grabbing the bag off the raft or out of your truck. The top handle could be a bit longer to make it easier to grip though. The bag is constructed with Watershed’s superb closurer seal and strap-down buckles. The thick fabric of the Animas drybag makes it plenty durable.
PaddleXaminer tested the Animas drybag on an overnight trip on the Upper Colorado river. I was able to fit my sleeping bag, tent, sleeping pad and backpacking pillow into the Animas bag. I paddled my Hala Rado SUP while my friend Pete was in his raft. After getting through the canyon and getting by the “eye of the needle” rapid, we camped along the river. The next morning, we decamped, loaded up the raft with all our gear and finished at State Bridge roughly ten miles down river. The Animas drybag performed great! It kept my gear dry which is exactly what you want. I can’t wait to do another overnight river trip with my Animas drybag!
The Animas bag comes in these color options: Orange, Blue, Coyote, Black or Multi-camo.
