Karrimor Waterproof Dry Bag Review

Overview

The Karrimor Waterproof Dry Bag is the budget end of the stuff-sack aisle: a roll-top nylon taffeta sack with taped seams, sold in seven sizes from a 2 L first-aid pouch to a 70 L pack liner. It suits hikers who want dependable rain protection and some gear organization without paying cottage-industry prices. The trade-off is that the fabric is basic and the hardware is plain, so ounce-counters will find lighter, tougher options elsewhere.

Key Specs

Spec	Detail
Weight	48 g
Material	Nylon taffeta
Closure	Roll-top with side-release buckle
Seams	Taped
Hydrostatic head	10,000 mm
Capacities	2, 5, 10, 15, 25, 40, 70 L
Dimensions (L × W)	2 L: 32 × 17 cm; 5 L: 44 × 26.5 cm; 10 L: 55 × 35 cm; 15 L: 63 × 37.5 cm; 25 L: 70 × 41 cm; 40 L: 76 × 46 cm; 70 L: 103 × 49 cm
Typical price (UK)	About £9 (2 L) to £27 (70 L) at full price; Sports Direct regularly discounts

Performance

Weather protection. The headline number is the 10,000 mm hydrostatic head, which is a fabric rating and a healthy one for a bag meant to see rain, creek splashes and wet tent floors. In practice, the roll-top closure and taped seams decide how dry the contents stay. Owners on the Walkhighlands forum describe Karrimor sacks that never leaked, and the same thread is frank that they sit below Exped-grade kit. The same users steer them toward hiking duty and away from diving or serious water sports. That is sound advice. Roll-tops of this type are splash-and-shower protection, not submarines.

Rolling technique matters. A veteran UK hiking blogger who runs four Karrimor sizes offers a tip that applies to any roll-top: press the air out before the final rolls. For cameras and phones, leave a little air in as cushioning. A bag cinched down hard works as a compression sack. One left puffy works as a very small pillow.

Organization. This is where the range earns its keep. Reviewers use the smaller bags to sort a pack into zones: first aid in the 2 L, electronics and spare batteries in the 5 L, a sleeping bag or two-person tent in the 10 L, and waterproofs and spare layers in the 15 L. The side-release buckle doubles as a handle, which makes pulling a bag out of a packed rucksack easier than it sounds.

Durability. Owners describe the buckles as sturdy and the taffeta as acceptable for the price, but not tough. One Walkhighlands buyer reported a buckle that broke within minutes of unpacking, and the buckle isn’t easy to swap. That’s a single report against a larger crowd of satisfied users, but it fits a bag priced like a sandwich. Nylon taffeta is a plain, light fabric. It isn’t a heavy-duty pack-cloth or a dyneema laminate, and it rewards care. Expect it to hold up to normal trail abuse and not to a season of dragging across granite.

Weight. At 48 g, the bag is competitive for a small unit, but the weight advantage fades in the larger sizes, where fabric area grows quickly. Ultralight cuben and thin silnylon liners from cottage makers will generally undercut a taffeta bag at the same volume, at several times the price.

Choosing a Version

Seven sizes split into three jobs:

• 2 L and 5 L (32 × 17 cm and 44 × 26.5 cm): Small-item organizers. The 2 L suits a first-aid kit, lighter and repair gear. The 5 L holds a phone, camera and spare batteries, and is small enough to slide into a lid pocket.
• 10 L and 15 L (55 × 35 cm and 63 × 37.5 cm): The most useful pair for a thru-hiker. The 10 L swallows a sleeping bag or a compact shelter. The 15 L is the right size for rain gear and an insulating layer, or a quilt plus clothing.
• 25 L, 40 L and 70 L: Pack-liner territory. Karrimor’s own guidance is to pick the bag closest to the volume of the rucksack. A 25 L suits a daypack, a 40 L a weekend pack, and the 70 L a full expedition-size load. These sizes are also the ones where lighter liners from other brands pull ahead on weight.

A sensible starter kit is a 5 L, a 10 L and a 15 L. Together they cost less than a single premium dry bag.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10,000 mm fabric, taped seams and roll-top closure cover the basics of weather protection
• Seven sizes, from 2 L to 70 L, cover everything from first-aid kit to full-pack liner
• Very low price, with frequent discounts in the UK
• Side-release buckle is easy to use and works as a carry handle
• Owners report few or no leaks in normal hiking use

Cons

• Not intended for submersion, diving or serious water sports
• Plain nylon taffeta is less abrasion-resistant than premium dry-bag fabrics
• Buckle is difficult to replace if it fails, and at least one owner had one fail early
• Heavier than cuben-fiber or thin silnylon at larger volumes
• Mostly sold through UK retailers, so availability elsewhere is patchy

Who Should Buy This

This is a bag for weekend walkers, UK hillwalkers and budget-conscious thru-hikers who want a handful of dry sacks to organize a pack and to keep a sleeping bag and spare clothes dry in a downpour. It also suits anyone who wants a throwaway-priced liner for a daypack. Those chasing a base weight under 10 lb, paddlers who expect real immersion, and hikers on long trips who want tougher fabric should look at Sea to Summit, Exped or a cottage-brand silnylon alternative.

Verdict

The Karrimor Waterproof Dry Bag does what a dry bag is supposed to do at a price that makes replacing one painless. It isn’t the lightest or the toughest, but for rain protection and pack organization on a budget, it is a sound buy. Treat it as a practical, short-lifespan workhorse, not a long-haul heirloom.