Sea to Summit View Dry Sack Review
Compare prices at 2 resellers Pros: Good water protection, easy to use, replaceable clip
Cons: Single stitching, not tall enough to roll properly
Manufacturer: Sea to Summit
Our Verdict
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 This Product
Sea to Summit View Dry Sack | |||||
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| Awards |  | | |||
| Price | $21.95 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | Check Price at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $12.95 at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers | $20.95 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $9.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Good water protection, easy to use, replaceable clip | Very waterproof, clear window, easy to locate things, sturdy build | Lightweight, rectangular shape, simplicity is a feature | Lightweight, good protection, simple to use | Three bag set, weather-resistant, small handy sizes, simple design, inexpensive |
| Cons | Single stitching, not tall enough to roll properly | Flat shape is odd, extra access step | Not abrasion resistant, must be part of a system | Limited size options, less impressive construction | Durability concerns, clumsy construction, 10L bag is very narrow |
| Bottom Line | An inexpensive windowed dry bag with solid water resistance and some easy to use features | A seriously waterproof bag we trust with our most sensitive items at a very nice price | For backpackers and day hikers, this model is a packing cube dry bag hybrid | A simple, lightweight dry bag that lets light in and is easy to use | These bags offer reasonable weather resistance at a great price but are not the most durable option |
| Rating Categories | Sea to Summit View... | NRS Ether HydroLock | Osprey Ultralight D... | Outdoor Research Be... | 3-Pack All Purpose |
| Waterproofness (50%) | |||||
| Ease Of Use (30%) | |||||
| Features (10%) | |||||
| Durability (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Sea to Summit View... | NRS Ether HydroLock | Osprey Ultralight D... | Outdoor Research Be... | 3-Pack All Purpose |
| Weight | 1.7 oz | 2.3 oz | 1.6 oz | 1.0 oz | 0.7 oz (2L), 1.0 oz (4L), 1.5 oz (10L) |
| Tested Size (liters) | 4 L | 5 L | 20 L | 3 L | 2 L, 4 L,10 L |
| Closure Type | Roll-top | HydroLock and roll-top | Roll-top | Roll-top | Roll-top |
| Included D-Rings? | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Style | Roll-top | Roll-top | Roll-top | Roll-top | Roll-top, 3-pack |
| Material | 70D nylon, TPU window | 30D silicone-impregnated ripstop nylon, urethane window | 40D ripstop nylon | 40D siliconized ripstop nylon, PU coating | Polyurethane coated ripstop 60% cotton, 40% rayon |
Our Analysis and Test Results
We tested the View Dry Sack in the 4-liter size, but it comes in a vast range of sizes both smaller and larger. It's made of 70D nylon with fully taped seams, a TPU window, and a plastic replaceable buckle with stainless steel pins.
Performance Comparison
Waterproofness
Though the View isn't rated submersible, it is water-resistant. The roll-top isn't enough protection for full submersion, leaking small water droplets slowly into the bag. But, for all uses other than being completely underwater, it does an excellent job. It's rated to withstand up to the high end of light pressure (up to 10,000mm) and had no issues beading water off every surface of the bag in our garden hose testing. Even when the high-pressure testing was over, the fabric of the View Dry Sack didn't look or feel wet anywhere, which is more than we can say about many others we tested.
Ease of Use
Sea to Summit has designed this bag to be easy to use by incorporating some handy features like a white interior and clear window — both of which help you see what's inside and find the precise item you're searching for. While we appreciate both of these attributes more than traditional, dark, dry bags, they're not perfect. Unlike some other window-bearing models we tested, this one is a bit small and a little too far up from the bottom of the bag, leaving plenty of space for all the little items to collect down where you can't see them. The roll-top is easy to use but doesn't quite have enough space to work well with the window. It rolls away from the window, but once you get the required three-roll minimum and clip it shut, the top isn't tall enough, and the clip covers a large portion of the top of the window.
Features
The View Dry Sack is a fairly simple bag, with the obvious features of a clear window and white interior. It has a single D-ring on the top that's large enough for just about any carabiner to slide through. Its plastic buckle is replaceable if broken, attached by a stainless steel screw pin. Rather than a perfectly cylindrical shape like traditional dry bags, the View is a squashed cylinder, helping it to be more easily and securely lashed to the deck of your paddleboard or outside of your backpack. In the 4-liter size we tested, we didn't miss any carrying handles or lash points because it's so small. But in a larger size, the View suffers from its lack of additional attachment points to attach it securely when in transit.
Durability
The View is a lightweight dry sack, but it's not ultralight. The seams are both sewn and taped and it's constructed with 70D waterproof nylon. It did just fine during our several months of testing, but we're less excited about its long-term prospects. The welded seal holding the TPU window in place isn't as wide as some others. The seams of the bag itself are single-stitched and taped rather than welded. And this is one of the few lightweight models we tested that isn't made of ripstop fabric. However, we do appreciate that the buckles are easily replaceable, so if one does happen to break, you won't have to replace the entire dry bag.
Value
The View Dry Sack is a solid bag that sells for a reasonable price. It's not the most protective or the cheapest option we tested, but it threads the needle between functionality and cost, making it a good value overall.
Conclusion
The Sea to Summit View Dry Sack is a standard dry bag with a window on the side so you can more easily find what you're looking for. It's simple and easy to use, with functional features and a good level of water resistance. It's not our favorite windowed dry bag, but it's a good price with above-average protection and performance.
— Maggie Brandenburg