The Sea to Summit brand has vested themselves as a company that provides the adventure traveller with useful accessories to make life on the road, and in the water, far easier. Over the last two decades they have produced lightweight and durable products, with the Ultra-Sil Dry Sack being a good example. This highly recommended outdoor accessory made my amphibious adventure experiences far more convenient, keeping water from harming my valuables even at the wettest of times.

The sack comes in 7 sizes, ranging from 1 to 35 litres, and in a variety of colours; blue, green and red. I tested out the 20 litre sack, and used it on canyoneering and running adventures. As I was mostly accompanied by a partner, I was eager to see whether the 20 litre sack could keep two peoples’ accessories/valuables dry. Two sets of shoes and clothing (leaving on the necessary clothes) was no test for the sack. If you are interested in putting a backpack/hydration pack in there as well, I’d recommend the 35 litre, as the 20 litre wasn’t large enough.

The sack is PU coated to give it ‘ultimate waterproofing’, and fitted with a Hypalon roll-top closure, which at first didn’t have my trust. This very modest design seemed too simple, and did not look like the most effective mechanism to seal a dry sack. My first impressions were soon dismissed, as the sack proved why Sea to Summit are so renowned in outdoor accessories.

This easy-to-use roll-top closure does more than just waterproofing the sack; it also provides a useful round-shaped handle for carrying. If you want to get really creative with it, you can tie the sack to your body (I used a triathlon-racebelt), and swim with it while the sack drifts alongside you. Waterproof-test passed.

The sack is made from siliconised Cordura, which is supposed to provide maximum durability. Unexpectedly, the material did disappoint as a tear in it appeared after some rock hopping in a canyon. A quick patch kept the water at bay again, but confidence in the durability was difficult to be restored. No problems after the fixing occurred though.

Whether I was rowing over dams trying to keep valuables safe and dry, or swimming through cold rivers hoping to wear something warm on the other side; this dry sack didn’t disappoint. In all this a great product and proved very useful – whether used during adventurous trips or for day to day use.

Depending on the size of the sack, prices range from $10-$30, mirrored by a 20g to 65g weight spread. Find a retailer in your region.