Waterproof camera bags

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Blade Canyon

Senior Member
Can you recommend a good quality waterproof bag to store light camera gear (one DSLR and large lens)?

I get the chance to sail from NC to Bermuda on a 34 foot boat in May. We did this 12 years ago, and it was great, but last time we ruined several cameras that got hit by salt spray. (One bumpy wave shoots saltwater over the sides, and it only took a few drops to corrode the electronics on those cameras.)

For this trip, I just bought a Nikon AW120, that is waterproof, sand proof, etc. I can't wait to turn on the video and haul it to the top of the mast, or even drag it behind the boat mounted on a float, but the picture quality isn't as good as I will want for some boat shots and also for when we land in Bermuda. I want to take along a D600 and probably my 28-300mm lens.

Saltwater can and has gotten into the boat in strange ways. Our CD player got knocked out on the first day last time even though it was mounted below and the weather was moderate, so I want to make sure the D600 is stored in an absolutely watertight bag. On a whitewater rafting trip, the guides had these big rubber packs for my camera, but I don't come up with things like that in my searches. No matter what pack I buy, the camera, lens, and accessories will be double bagged in ziplocs, too.

This is probably the closest thing I could find:

http://www.thewaterproofstore.com/witzlocker2.html

Thanks in advance if you can share some experience here.
 
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SteveL54

Senior Member
I use the Lowepro Nova 180 AW. It has a cover that unfolds and will completely cover the bag.
It's large enough to store my D7100 with a 18-140 lens attached, 2 more lenses, charger, batteries, lens hoods, and SB700 flash.
I've only had to use the cover once, but 2 hours in a pouring rain, everything stayed completely dry, although the cover can be somewhat of a pain to fold and store.
Hope this helps.
 
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Blade Canyon

Senior Member
The Lowepro Nova looks like water could still get into the zipper, even with the cover on. Once that corrodes, the protection is lost. The Lowepro Dryzone duffle 20 is exactly what I want, but the price is $150 compared to $30 for the hardcase Witz. The REI soft dry sacks might really be the best option, not just for camera gear, but for a lot of other clothing, gear, etc. that I want to make sure stays dry, even if a wave breaks in the cockpit and splashes into the main cabin. (Very unlikely, but the Robert Redford movie "All Is Lost" is freaking me out.) I'm going to REI right now!

I just saw the Dryzone duffle for $109 at Adorama... That really might be best for the camera, not only for this trip, but for future use.
 
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PapaST

Senior Member
Good luck. If you do check out Dry sacks look at Walmart too. I purchased them for much cheaper than REI and I've tested them out in the field. Using a dry sack can prevent you from buying ANOTHER camera bag and can serve for other roles other than protecting your camera gear.
 
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