Best Waterproof Grab Bags

Best Waterproof Grab Bags — What to Buy and What to Avoid

Mine is yellow. Roll-top closure, shoulder strap, just big enough to hold what I need and no bigger. It is not fancy. It does not need to be. What it needs to do is keep everything inside it dry when I throw it in the water and run.

A grab bag is only as good as the bag itself. The best PLB in the world is useless if it has been sitting in water for six hours because the bag leaked.

Here is what to look for and the brands worth buying.

What Makes a Good Grab Bag?

Waterproofing — the whole point of the bag. Roll-top dry bag construction is the most reliable — you roll the top down three or four times and clip it closed. Zipped bags with waterproof zips work but the zip is always the weak point. For a grab bag that may end up in the water, roll-top wins.

Bright colour — yellow or orange, high viz. You want this bag to be visible in the water and easy to find on a cluttered deck in the dark. Not navy blue. Not black. Not camo. Bright.

Size — not too big and not too small. You are packing a PLB, VHF, flares, water, first aid kit, and a few essentials. Anything over 30 litres is too big to grab and run with. Anything under 10 litres is too small to fit everything you need. 15 to 20 litres is the sweet spot.

Shoulder strap — essential. You need to get this bag over your head and both hands free in seconds. A handle is not enough.

Attachment point — a clip or D-ring to tether it to you or to the liferaft. In rough conditions you do not want your grab bag floating away from you.

Do Not Scrimp on This

Spend more money for quality. This is not the place to save fifty quid. A cheap bag with a leaky seam ruins everything inside it. The brands I would trust are the ones that specialist marine safety retailers stock — not generic dry bags from sports shops, though some of those are perfectly fine too.

The key test: roll it up, submerge it, check it is actually waterproof before you pack anything important in it, i usually have a swim with it, test it once. Then trust it.

Our Recommended Waterproof Grab Bags

What to Put In It

Once you have the bag, pack it properly. The full list of what should go in a grab bag is in our dedicated guide — but the short version is PLB first, water second, everything else after.

FAQs

Can I use any dry bag as a grab bag?
Yes — if it is genuinely waterproof, bright, the right size, and has a shoulder strap. Test it before you rely on it.

How often should I replace my grab bag?
Check it annually. Look for any degradation in the roll-top seal, any wear on the shoulder strap, and any damage to the fabric. Most good quality dry bags last five or more years with reasonable care.

Should the grab bag float?
Ideally yes — or at least be tethered to someone who floats. Some dedicated marine grab bags are designed to be buoyant. A standard dry bag with air trapped inside will float for a while but is not designed as a flotation device.

The information in this article is for general guidance only and does not constitute professional safety advice. Always consult current MCA, SOLAS, and HSE official documentation and a qualified marine safety professional before making any safety-critical decisions. marinesafetyguide.com participates in affiliate programmes including Amazon Associates and the Awin network and may earn a small commission on purchases made through links on this site, at no extra cost to you.