man and woman on paddleboard with deck bag

What To Take In Your Paddleboard Dry Bag

Written by Lydia Burdett / September 2024

Any SUP enthusiast will tell you that one of their most crucial pieces of equipment is a top quality paddleboard dry bag. They allow us to keep all of our kit organised and protected from the elements, which is especially helpful when you’re engaging in a water-based activity like stand up paddleboarding. Whether you’re a keen photographer or enjoy a SUP trip that sees you indulge in a picnic on the way, the ability to take a range of belongings with you can really enhance stand up paddleboarding. A paddleboard dry bag allows you to achieve exactly that, so it’s important that you invest in a good one and pack the right things.

Here at Red, we work tirelessly to ensure that our awesome selection of waterproof bags includes an adventure companion for everyone. We have created a range of unique paddleboard dry bags that are ideal for stowing your important belongings on a SUP trip. Let’s take a closer look at your options and the things you’ll want to take with you.

Find the Perfect Dry Bag

Before you get packing, you’ll want to make sure that you’ve got the right type of paddleboard dry bag for you. There are many different sizes and styles, from the traditional to the innovative, and each is designed to suit different types of adventures. When choosing your paddleboard dry bag, it’s the following options you want to consider:

Waterproof Dry Pouch

Red’s Waterproof Dry Pouch is the ideal companion for anybody who wants to travel light but with no compromise on safety and security. Its compact size makes it easy to keep on hand or tuck into your backpack, but this small dry bag is also very durable and takes advantage of the high levels of protection that Armour Tech material provides. The YKK zips and welded seams also give the dry pouch a very high level of waterproofing, keeping your valuables safe and dry in case of an accident while on the water.

Roll Top Dry Bag

If you want to be prepared for all weather with a durable paddleboard dry bag with enough space for all of your gear, then you’re going to want to take a look at our collection of Roll Top Dry Bags. These traditional-style dry bags are available in a compact 10L variety, a larger 30L, or a whopping 60L (which is more than comfortable transporting our awesome Titan II Paddleboard Pump) and feature a classic roll top closure for ultimate convenience and versatility.

Waterproof Paddleboarding Deck Bag

The waterproof deck bag has been designed from the ground up specifically for paddleboarding. It can be easily secured to the deck of your paddleboard to keep all of your essential kit close to you throughout your SUP trip and is properly kitted out with 100% waterproof Armour Tech Fabric and Aquaseal YKK zips to ensure that your valuables are safe and secure on the water. It’s a top choice of paddleboard dry bag for dedicated SUP enthusiasts, and perfect if you’re planning on being out on the water all day long.

Essential Paddleboard Dry Bag Packing List

With your paddleboard dry bag selected, it’s time to consider the contents. When packing your essential gear, it should go without saying that you’ll need to plan for the size of the bag you’ve chosen and the weather conditions you are facing. However, we recommend that you keep the following essentials close to hand in your paddleboard dry bag.

Your Phone

Having your phone on hand when hitting the water is always a wise idea. It’s not just a way to take some great photos, it’s also a key navigation and safety device. There are all kinds of helpful apps that you can download onto your mobile device that will help to improve your SUP experience, and it’s important to have it available to contact a friend back on shore or the emergency services in case of a crisis. Storing small items like your phone is where a small dry bag like the Waterproof Dry Pouch comes into its own.

Drinks Bottle

Having a drinks bottle like the Red Insulated Water Bottle is important for keeping up your hydration levels when you’re engaging in a physical activity like paddleboarding. If you’re making use of our Deck Bag you’ll have a pair of drink bottle pockets, allowing you to easily stow your beverage of choice on the paddleboard.

Sun Protection

Don’t forget your first line of defence against sunburn and UV rays, particularly if you’re paddleboarding in summer! Naturally, your paddleboarding trip might involve exposing yourself to the sun for a prolonged period so you’ll need to be careful and think about how you can keep your skin protected. Make the most of the space in your paddleboard dry bag and pack a suncream with minimum 30 SPF, as well as a cap and or sunglasses to keep your eyes protected if the space in your paddleboard dry bag allows.

Microfibre Towel

If space allows, pop a small towel into your paddleboard dry bag. Not only good for drying off if you fancy a quick dip at a point of interest along the way, a towel can also come in handy if you need to clean up any of your SUP gear or dry your hands before using your phone to snap the sights from your board. We suggest choosing a microfibre towel - it’ll be so light you’ll hardly even notice it's there and will dry off exceptionally quickly so that you can avoid getting everything else in the dry bag wet when you roll it up and tuck it away after use.

Keys

There’s no getting around the fact that you’ll have a set of keys with you when you go paddleboarding, but you might still feel apprehensive about risking taking them in the water with you. Rather than leaving your keys on the shore and out of sight, you can keep them safely stowed in a paddleboard dry bag. This way, you’ll know where they are at all times and be able to get back home or into the car fuss-free when it’s time to call it a day on the water.

What To Take In Your Paddleboard Dry Bag