Re: [Paddlewise] Do your dry bags deflate air quickly?

I agree with others.  Dry bags are not supposed to be float bags per se.
The fact that they add floatation is an added benefit to their primary
function, which is to keep your stuff dry.  I agree with Shawn - if you pack
them tightly without extra air, they'll stay dry and still give you some
floatation.  If your storage space is crammed full of dry bags, you'll have
quite a bit of floatation.  If not, and you want floatation as a safety item
(always a good idea, even in boats with bulkheads), buy float bags.  I
bought some from Campmor that are pointed and fit into the ends of my boat.
They blow up with a tube and are air tight.  They have the added benefit of
having storage space inside, separate from the air chambers, so they can
also be used as dry bags, though they aren't as good for that as a true dry
bag.
One tip: when taking a kayak camping trip, dry bags work really well as a
pillow - especially if you're like me and like to prop your head up to read
in bed.  It's always a problem when camping.  When I get enough stuff under
my head to prop my head up suitably, it always starts to slide backwards as
soon as I put my head on it.  The rubber surface of a dry bag is non-slip.
It works great!  However, if the bag has a lot of air in it, the same
problem occurs: the air gradually leaks out and your head gradually sinks
lower and lower.  I've learned to stuff the dry bag with enough clothes,
then roll it up and compress it just enough to get a perfect sized reading
pillow.  Heaven!  I like it so much that I even brought a dry bag with me on
my last backpacking trip.  It's a little extra weight, but I really like to
read in my tent, and I like to be comfortable!
Another tip: When I go kayak camping it's a lot handier to have many small
dry bags, rather than a couple of really large ones.  I had some really
large dry bags I bought for day trips in a canoe.  When I took my first
kayak camping trip it seemed like whatever I wanted was always at the bottom
of one of these giant bags, and I'd have to empty everything to get to it.
I bought several small bags for my next trip and it was much better.  See
through bags, or the kind with a triangular window also make it easier to
find what you're looking for.
Cheers!


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