"Are Your Bags Waterproof?"
“Are your bags waterproof?” ––It’s a question we hear all the time, and we get it! Parsing through technical details, comparing roll-tops vs zip-closures, Cordura vs XPAC vs Waxed Canvas, waterproof vs water-repellent...it can be easy to get lost in the sauce when trying to find the best bag for your needs. Here’s a quick breakdown of our four waterproof bag styles and what makes them entirely waterproof: the TPU welded liner.
TPU WELDED LINER - “THE REAL MVP”
Our waterproof bag styles––Default, Transit, Roll-Top Duffle, and Porteur Rackbag––feature a 100% waterproof, TPU coated 420d nylon liner, custom cut to fit each bag and RF welded at the seams. RF (radio-frequency) welding uses high frequency electromagnetic energy to fuse materials together at the molecular level in an extremely strong and durable bond. Once welded, the liner becomes a single-piece, waterproof membrane which we drop into the main compartment of the bag and sew into the bound edge of the roll-top.
The TPU welded liner ensures that the main compartment stays totally dry. You can simply fill, roll, secure, and your dry bag is good to go! To avoid the chance of any traces of water entering from seams, stitches, or zippers, our waterproof bags share a few common construction details:
- A roll-top main compartment (instead of a zip closure)
- No interior sewn pockets (no stitches puncturing the liner)
- No stitches holding the liner to the shell of the bag (except at the edge of the roll-top)
OUR 100% WATERPROOF BAGS
Default - 18L Mini, 25L Regular, 40L XL
Transit - 15L Mini, 25L Regular
Roll-Top Duffle - 40L Regular
Porteur Rackbag - Small, Regular
EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE
The Arid Duffle and Flaptop both have TPU welded liners but do not have roll-tops (design choice), and the Apex has a roll-top but no TPU welded liner (because of its zippered front access). These styles are extremely “weatherproof” but can’t be classified as 100% waterproof.
As always, feel free to reach out to us at info@ilequipment.com with any questions!
