Each month Wildfoot Travel’s Dave Cheetham puts a piece of travel related equipment to the test. From balaclavas to bags and gloves to gilets, the gear may change, but the truthful reflection does not. Here Dave reviews a Lomo waterproof rucsac.
This waterproof dry bag will set you back around £35. I picked mine up on Amazon, although they are available in a wide range of other high street and online retailers.
Having used the bag in the field for some time now, I genuinely think that the thirty-pound price tag represents quite remarkable value.
Don’t expect too many surprises. This is a non-nonsense product. It ‘holds stuff’ and keeps it dry. To coin a phrase, “it does exactly what it says on the tin” and nothing more. But that lack of unnecessary features makes this daysac stand out as a truly dependable work-horse of a bag.
The fabric is reassuringly thick and durable. I expected the white finish to scuff and mark but after several months of use, mine is still a very respectable shade of white.
The 30-litre capacity swallows up a lot of gear but when carrying less the compression straps, which secure at the sides to the roll-top-dry-seal, can easily be cranked down to ensure any size of load is stable and secure.
When on your back, the straps are comfortable and there is enough padding to allow a snug fit without becoming too bulky. The shoulder straps also have a series of webbing loops which can be used to ‘clip on’ any additional bits and pieces. The chest strap and simple waist strap come into their own when moving, reducing ‘load-swing’ to improve stability, without adding weight or clutter.
At the top, the bag features a handy and very robust haul loop with a rubberised grip, which allows a quick grab point when passing the load to others or moving the bag short distances.
Aside from the main water-tight compartment, there is one simple front pocket with a weatherproof zip, which, although it has yet to let me down in heavy rain, I wouldn’t trust to be 100% waterproof if submerged.
All that said, during my trial period, I’ve taken this bag out in long periods of very, very heavy rain and never once has a single drop of water found its way inside the main compartment or the front pocket.
I have grown to love and trust this rucsac and its wonderfully straightforward construction. Following a thorough testing, I highly recommend one of these bags. After all, it really does do what it says on the tin – and it is a very tough tin indeed.