Dry Bag Tapered

The Restrap Dry Bag Tapered is a handmade roll-top dry bag, tapered at one end to slide into a bikepacking saddle bag holster. The Restrap Dry Bag Tapered comes in 8 L and 14 L, has tape-sealed seams and an IP6K6 waterproof rating, and is made in Yorkshire, England.

What it keeps dry, and how dry

Every seam is taped, the fabric is waterproof and the top rolls down and buckles shut. It carries an IP6K6 rating, the standard for a seal that is dust-tight and holds out powerful jets of water. That is what a day in sideways rain on the Tasmanian Trail or a wheel full of creek-crossing spray throws at a saddle bag. It is a riding dry bag rather than a dive bag, so keep it out of the river.

Capacity and what fits

• 8 L: a summer sleeping bag or quilt plus a down jacket, or your camp clothes for a few nights.
• 14 L: a three-season sleeping bag with room for a mat or puffer jacket alongside, the core of a multi-day kit.

The taper is the point. A saddle bag holster narrows towards the seatpost, and a straight-sided dry bag either leaves dead space or will not go in. The tapered shape fills the holster from end to end, so the load sits tight and moves less on rough ground.

Material and durability

Restrap make these by hand in Yorkshire from waterproof fabric with tape-sealed seams, with a woven label at the closure. A single buckle closes the roll-top.

Packing and carrying

Push the narrow end in first, roll the top down several turns before you buckle it, and squeeze the air out as you roll so the bag packs down firm. The bag also works on its own inside a frame bag, a pannier or a pack when you need to keep one set of gear dry.

Looking after it

Rinse off mud and grit after a trip and dry the bag inside out before storing it. Keep it away from sharp tent pegs and stove parts when packing, as a puncture is the quickest way to undo a taped seam.