So you've either already ruined a phone at the beach, watched a festival tent turn your bag into a paddling pool, or spent a soggy kayak trip praying your spare jumper stayed dry. Sound familiar? That's exactly why we've written this dry bag guide, the only one you'll need for 2026. Whether you're a paddleboarder, a festival regular, a nervous first time wild swimmer or someone who just wants their gym kit to survive a typical British Tuesday, we're walking you through exactly how to choose a dry bag that suits your actual life, not somebody else's Instagram highlight reel.
So, which dry bag should I buy? That's the question we get asked constantly, and there's rarely a single right answer. There's a right answer for you, based on what you're doing, who you're doing it with and how much stuff you're determined to bring along.
What Actually Makes a Good Dry Bag?
Before we get into sizes, let's sort the features. How to choose a dry bag properly comes down to a handful of things that actually matter, rather than whatever's cheapest on page one of a search.
- Capacity: how much stuff you're realistically carrying, not how much you'd like to imagine you're carrying.
- Waterproof construction: fully submersible bags survive a capsize, splash-resistant ones might survive a drizzle.
- Roll-top closure: fold it down three times, clip it shut, and you've got a seal.
- Welded seams: no needle holes means no sneaky leak points.
- Material: tough, wipeable fabric like 500D PVC shrugs off sand, salt and mud like it's nothing.
- Portability: a good dry bag packs down to next to nothing when it's empty.
- Intended use: a swim bag versus a camping bag are not the same job.
Nail these seven and you've got yourself a genuine waterproof dry bag, rather than an overpriced stuff sack that folds the moment it needs to perform.
Dry Bag Sizes Explained
Dry bag sizes are really about what genuinely fits and how comfortably you'll carry the thing once it's full, rather than the number printed on the label.
| Size | Roughly Fits | Best For | Carry Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3L | Phone, keys, wallet, small valuables | Short water activities, walking, swims | Clips on easily and comes with a shoulder strap, so it’s easy to carry wherever you go |
| 5L | Sun cream, sunglasses, snacks, light layers, a Go Emu towel, book or iPad | Beach trips, festivals, cycling, swimming, camping, paddleboarding, beach | Shoulder strap, still grab-and-go |
| 10L | Change of clothes, washbag, Go Emu towels, water bottle | Full-day outings, kayaking, hiking, gym | Comfortable over the shoulder all day |
| 20L | Bulkier gear, extra layers, shared kit | Camping, family outings, travel, sports bag | Duffel-style carry, still manageable solo |
| 40L | More items for longer trips, gym or sports kit, weekend or overnight essentials | Longer trips, group camping, sports kit | Two handles plus a strap, built for a proper load |
Go Emu sells all five sizes, plus a 3L, 5L and 10L dry bag set designed to make family outings a little easier. Everyone gets the right sized bag, so each person can carry their own kit and you can spend less time figuring out who’s carrying what.
Matching Your Bag to the Activity
Swimming, Paddleboarding and Kayaking
For a quick dip or a spot of exploring, a 3L dry bag is ideal for keeping your phone, keys and sun cream together. It's small enough to clip on and take with you, whether you're heading to the water or exploring a remote beach where you don't want to leave your kit exposed. If your bag does end up in the water, you can spot it, grab it and know that everything inside has stayed dry.
For paddleboarding, a 5L dry bag gives you that little bit more room for the essentials, including your keys, phone, water bottle and towel. It's still compact enough to carry without getting in the way while you're out on the board.
Kayaking is a different story. You'd think bigger is better, but if too big it can actually get in the way inside a kayak. A 10L dry bag is the sweet spot: enough room for spare clothes, a towel and a water bottle, while still being compact enough to keep close by in the boat.
Open Water Adventures
If you're heading into open water, invest in a proper certified flotation device with a light and whistle. Your dry bag makes a good marker point once you're in, especially paired with a matching bright towel hung somewhere visible on shore.
Dry Bag for the Beach
Dry bags for beach days need to earn their keep against sand, spilt sun cream and the occasional rogue wave. A 5L dry bag, Go Emu's self-confessed all-rounder, handles sun cream, sunglasses, snacks and a light layer without adding bulk to your beach bag. For more on kitting yourself out properly for sunny days, our summer beach essentials guide covers the rest of the kit list.
Camping and Festivals
A weekend at a campsite or festival usually means making do with limited space, unpredictable weather and shared facilities that aren't exactly luxurious. Your clothes and personal essentials can quickly end up on wet grass, muddy ground or a less than spotless shower block floor.
A 20L dry bag is ideal for keeping spare clothes, towels and larger gear dry, while a 5L dry bag gives you a convenient place for toiletries and smaller essentials. For your phone, keys and wallet, a 3L dry bag keeps the things you really don't want getting wet safely tucked away. Because when the campsite showers are questionable, at least your clean clothes don't have to be.
Travel
There’s something about a road trip that makes you want to stop everywhere. A quick swim turns into an afternoon by the lake, a rainy walk leaves your clothes soaked and suddenly you're digging through the car for something dry to wear. Keeping wet and dry kit separate makes those spontaneous stops much easier to manage.
A small dry bag can also keep your phone and valuables safe when you leave the car behind. Whether it's a 3L bag for essentials or a 20L for the rest of your kit, the best dry bag for travel can be a surprisingly useful addition to your road-trip gear. For more smart packing ideas, check out our eco-friendly travel swaps guide.
Sports Kit Bags
Here's one that gets overlooked constantly, dry bags as sports kit bags. Muddy boots, wet training gear and a change of clothes all in one place, without the changing room smelling like a swamp.
A 40L dry bag duffel swallows a full kit bag's worth of gear and keeps it separate from your clean clothes on the way home. Several sports professionals, from boxers and hockey players to rowers, use Go Emu bags to carry their kit, so they're well tested by people who take their sport seriously.
For the full lowdown on getting the most out of a duffel-style bag, our duffel bag care guide is worth a read.
Families and Everyday Life
Go Emu started with a simple idea. Every member of the family gets their own sized bag, in their own colour, so everyone can carry their own kit. No more donkey carriers! Pair a 3L for the kids' post-swim snacks with a 20L for the family's beach kit and you've got a system that actually works, rather than one giant bag where everything gets lost.
For everyday use, dry bags suit far more than adventure types. British rain, work commutes, gym sessions and camping all benefit from a bit of proper waterproofing, no wetsuit required.
Which Size Suits Which Activity?
| Activity | Recommended Size | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Swimming / short dips, boat hopping | 3L | Light, clips on, protects the essentials only |
| Paddleboarding & boot bags | 3L or 5L | Small enough to stay out of the way |
| Kayaking | 10L | Clips to the boat, stays put if you capsize |
| Beach days & swim lessons | 5L | Fits sun cream, snacks and a light layer |
| Hiking & Gym, Trekking, Surfing, Rowing, Fishing and more | 10L | Room for spare layers and a water bottle |
| Camping | 20L | Handles bulkier gear and unpredictable weather |
| Festivals | 20L | Same demands as camping, just louder |
| Travel | 20L (plus a 3L for valuables) | Separates wet and dry kit properly |
| Sports kits and overnight bags | 40L | Room for a full kit plus muddy boots |
| Family outings | Mixed sizes | Everyone gets their own, in their own colour |
Which Dry Bag Should I Buy?
Grab a 3L for valuables, a 5L for beach days and a 10L for anything longer. Or skip the guesswork entirely with the 3L, 5L and 10L dry bag set which covers most of the above in one go. Once you've nailed the essentials, a 20L or 40L can join the family for camping, travel or kit-bag duty.
The best dry bag for you is simply the one that matches what you're actually doing with it. Get the size right, check for welded seams and a roll-top closure and you'll never dread a splash of unpredictable weather again.