REASONS TO BUY
Inexpensive
Durable
REASONS TO AVOID
Leaky
Heavy
Skog A Kust DrySak 20L Review
This inexpensive bag provides modest protection against water
Credit: Skog Å Kust
RELATED: Best Dry Bags of 2024
Our Verdict
The Skog A Kust DrySak is your classic, inexpensive, recreational dry bag. It's made out of a thick PVC material that makes it less vulnerable to punctures and features a classic roll-top design with a few small lash points. While this product serves to keep your stuff dry from errant splashes of water and fits neatly on the front of a paddle board, it's insufficient to keep your stuff completely moisture-free if it gets submerged or tossed in the water.
For improved waterproofness at a still affordable price, check out our Best Buy, the Sea to Summit Big River, instead. On the other hand, if you are looking for a model that is absolutely watertight, we'd recommend the Watershed Colorado Duffel.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Skog A Kust DrySak is made out of 500D PVC and has a 20-liter volume. It comes in a wide variety of colors and sports a handy small zippered pocket on the front of the bag for easy access to small items. It received just slightly better than average scores across the board.
Performance Comparison
This standard roll-type model received average scores across the board.
Credit: Leslie Yedor
Waterproofness
This product worked well to keep our stuff safe from minimal splashes while strapped to the front of a paddle board and in the well of a kayak. When it was put to the test, however, it, unfortunately, succumbed to some serious seepage. After our submersion test, the internal contents were moderately wet, and a lot of bubbles escaped while it was held underwater. Dragging the product behind the board also lead to some seriously soggy clothes.
The Skog is almost identical in design and construction to the Earth Pak Original and the MARCHWAY Floating 20L which all tied for average marks in this metric. For a minor increase in cost, our Best Buy winner, the Sea to Summit Big River also comes with a significant improvement in waterproofness.
Rivulets of water along the inside of the bag after submersion testing.
Credit: Leslie Yedor
Ease of Use
This model is shaped like a flat-bottomed cylinder. This allows it to stand upright unsupported which aids in stacking the internal contents. While this design also means a bit of digging is required to find things in the main compartment, the zippered pocket on the front is convenient for easy access to small items.
A removable crossbody strap makes it easy to carrying this bag to and from the car hands-free.
Credit: Leslie Yedor
A removable crossbody strap makes it easy to sling it over your shoulder on your approach to the water but is lacking ergonomically for long distance carrying. The SealLine Black Canyon Boundary sports a removable backpacking frame that makes it ideal for long approaches or canyoneering.
The Skog is also made out of fairly heavy, inflexible material which makes it a poor choice for packing into another pack. The Osprey UltraLight Drysack serves as a much better packing cube for an added layer of protection inside your backpack.
Features
This model sports a standard roll-top closure system which fastens in place with a standard plastic clip. While the material at the lip is double the thickness of the rest of the cylinder, the lip lacks the rigidity of other models like the Sea to Summit Big River which helps to improve their overall waterproofness.
The removable crossbody strap is made of thin nylon, which does the trick for short commutes. Three plastic D-rings can be used as lash points - 2 at the roll top and one on the opposite end near the bottom. These D-rings are made of thin plastic and would be a bit of a gamble in really rough water. In contrast, the plastic D-rings on the Watershed Colorado Duffel are made of a thicker plastic and reinforced by crossbars.
This model features 3 plastic D-rings, a front zipper pocket, and a crossbody strap.
Credit: Leslie Yedor
The front zippered pocket is a highly convenient addition to this product, but it's not rated as waterproof. It's a great place to stash sunscreen or your car keys as long as you leave the electronic key fob at home.
Durability
The body of this product is made out of 500D PVC which is resistant to scratches and tears. The plastic D-rings, however, are prone to breaking and the Nylon strap is attached by weak plastic anchors.
This model's thick material was scratch free at the end of testing, but our stuff was soaked after being dragged through the lake.
Credit: Leslie Yedor
The Sea to Summit Big River is a still inexpensive alternative that scored significantly higher in this metric. If durability is the name of your game, the YETI Panga 50 is our Top Pick for Travel Dry Pack for its unmatched indestructibility.
Best Applications
The Skog is an inexpensive product that serves best as an on-shore or just-in-case dry bag. It's great for a day at the beach and is the perfect place to stash wet bathing suits on the drive home.
Value
At $27, this product is one of the least expensive models on the market. While its low price point might make it an appealing purchase for your kid's beach bag, it's not the ideal model for an avid outdoors-person. For a small markup, you can get you a big upgrade with the Sea to Summit Big River instead.
Bubbles escaping during our submersion testing.
Credit: Leslie Yedor
Conclusion
This inexpensive dry bag offers minor protection from splashes and works pretty well for casual use on mostly dry land.
—
Leslie Yedor
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