Hey Everyone,

Last week I posted some photo's in the MYOG section talking about a 100% welded drybag that I built for my ULA Epic Pack. The bag was built with a 70d teal blue taffeta and weighs in around 6oz. Its been a great addition to the pack and has worked great, but as always gear can be built better so I was looking for some more feedback. I have decided to re-post this topic in the Gear Deals section due to all the emails I got from forum members asking when I was going to start selling the new bags and what sizes would they be offered in. Haha I guess they read my mind...

Anyways.. I have been looking into the idea of offering a 100% welded drybag for months now and have been testing various materials types and weights.

I have decided to offer the drybags in 2-3 different material weights. I am currently deciding between the 30D and 70D material for packliners and drybags. The 30d is much lighter in weight but the 70D is far more durable so as of now I am undecided.

What is sure will be my "heavy" bombproof 200D model that is designed for kayaking, canoeing, and river rafting.

The sizes and colors are still up in the air so I would love to hear any and all feedback.

Potential Sizes:
6x9
8x12
10x15
12x20
16x34
20x40
24x48

Potential Colors:
Gold
Orange
Teal
Grey

To keep things simple at first I plan to stick with one color per type of material.

Thanks for any and all feedback,

Lawson
Owner
Mountainfitter.com



P.S. The cuben fiber 20% off pack-liner sale will start at the end of next week.

Edited by Mountainfitter on 10/15/2010 15:37:32 MDT.

You know I am going to vote for the 30D :)

In all honesty, when I use my ULA Drypack it is usually in the winter and I tend to be in more open areas (not bushwhacking and foliage has fallen from the trees) so I can get away with a lighter bag. I think the thicker versions have their place though - why not offer them all!

Off topic, I've been to the site a couple of times over the last few weeks. No more tarps/shelters? Or just sold out?

Hey Steve,

Thanks for the feedback. I think your probably right and that I should offer all the different weights since they each have their pros and cons. As far as color's go what do you think?

The tarps really weren't hot sellers. I am not sure if it was a price issue or a design issue. To compound the problem, I had trouble getting more material so once I ran out of stock I decided I would focus my attention else where. I will still build custom tarps but for now I won't be stocking them.

Basically my new direction is this..."Absolutely the best lightweight gear everyone can afford" :)

I really only use my drypack in the winter so I am looking at it from a winter safety angle, I like bright colors that can be seen.

A nice bright orange is my color of choice. This is the current color of my drybag for my pack. However, I know from other posts that many users on this forum will want a green/brown so that they can blend in a bit.

As for size, 50L is perfect for me. I have a 65L drybag aswell and it sees very little use. I think the only time I have used it is when I am camping with my girlfriend and I have to bring bacon, eggs, two tents, bottles of wine, microwave....

Also, I am a fan of the thinner and taller bags than wide ones. I notice that my 65L bag is very wide and creates a wider footprint on the trail that can become a problem if things get tight. Not sure if you are looking for this type of info but I want to make a cuben one and these are all the things I am considering.

Slightly off topic, but what is 'welding' as it pertains to fabrics? I see this term a lot these days (ie. on high end shell jackets). Is it bonding with heat/heat sealing? Obviously it's not traditional welding with huge voltage and metal rods.

Regarding the dry bags, the more options you can provide the better. I agree with Steve that a taller shape is better than a wider one. I would aim to have 2-3 sizes in at least 2 colors and with 2 fabric options. In other words, offer both 30D and 70D drybags in 2+ colors (one bright like orange, one subtle like grey) and offer 2-3 sizes (50L, 65-70L and maybe one smaller than 50L).

If you are only able to offer one color per fabric, I would opt for the subtle color (ie. grey) because some people will not purchase bright colors like orange so you'd loose a significant portion of your potential customers.

Edited by dandydan on 10/16/2010 15:13:36 MDT.

Different ways for different fabrics Dan.. Although I imagine that for these we're talking about heat welded/sealed, as opposed to dielectric or ultrasonic.

that pack looks swoOt!

Thanks for the feedback. I like the orange and grey suggestions since they were the exact colors I was thinking. I also like gold alot since it's a little brighter then grey but alot more neutral then orange.

The bags are impulse welded which is a pre-determined amount of heat and dwell time. Radio Frequency welding is another method of welding materials. It can be stronger but the equipment is out of sight expensive.