ProView – Nite Ize RunOff Waterproof Bags

These bags were awesome at keeping snow off all my gear and I think they would work well for rafting and kayaking. 

Out of the box, the zippers seem durable but are still easy to zip, which, in my experience is unusual for waterproof zippers. The clear sides are awesome for helping to find things/reduce the amount of digging around and the material seems thick enough for snow and medium-duty whitewater use. Colors other than black would be nice especially for rafting in the hot Colorado sun.

I’ve tested the larger bags backcountry ski patrolling.  I replaced my previous packing cube and extra tall Nalgene method with these bags.  They were the perfect size for my emergency overnight kit and my first aid kit. When I took them out on my first patrol, I was really impressed with how easy they were to use — I could easily open the zippers even with gloved hands, and the clear sides allowed me to easily see where everything was inside.  The only small negative I noticed while using the bags, is that there is no tab to hold onto while closing the bag so you have to pinch the bag itself in order to pull the zipper closed.  That being said, this was still manageable with gloves on.

The bags totally did their job and kept everything dry on a snowy day when in use and outside of my backpack!

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Since it’s just turning to spring season here I haven’t gotten to test mush of the waterproofness durability rafting or kayaking. I did test the waterproofness at home in a bowl of water to make sure they actually were fully waterproof with submersion. As advertised, the zippers and bag were completely waterproof and kept everything inside dry! I’ve used them a few times on the water and found the smaller bags to have great attachment points that cam straps fit through. The big packs are missing these attachment points that are big enough for cam straps, but I was able to strap it well through the handle. They performed great and the variety in sizing allows me to choose which size I need from just a key fob, or wallet, keys, phone, or up to a bunch of layers, sunscreen and other things to pack in the ducky.

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The Final Word

These bags are perfect to replace my packing cube and Nalgene I’ve been using for my emergency overnight and first aid kits.  I always have my tall emergency kit Nalgene with me in my backpack or kayak and now I’ll always have my Nite Ize bag. The zippers are strong and easy to use which is always the biggest concern for a watertight zippered bag.  The zippers also have an easy last bit to close– usually the failure point when things aren’t closed 100% of the way. From what I’ve seen in my testing, they should have good durability for snow sports and medium-duty whitewater use. 

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