So many bags out there to choose from, this one takes the cake because of the phone pocket. Dropped my iphone in the water last summer (ended up losing it) and needed to get something so that doesn't happen again. Haven't yet had a chance to take it out but I love how it holds my iphone 13 (newest one). The price of phones are so out of control nowadays if you like being on the water, you have to get a backpack with a phone holder.

Perfect backpack for keeping my college student son’s laptop dry on rainy days on campus walking to classes.

Very nice kit! I likke the contents and case.

This survival first aid kit itself is high quality and made in the same fashion as the dry bags that you would purchase for kayaking or canoeing. The size is ideal since it is big enough to have a robust amount of items that would be needed during a crisis situation, but small enough that it will fit under the seat in my Tacoma. However, it would also do well strapped to the outside of a ruck or in some easily accessible place in a boat or kayak. It is made of tough material so I do not anticipate snags being a serious issue, provided it is not subjected to excessive wear. After years in the military, the content reminds me of the things we had in our “combat life saver” bags. All of the needed things to perform self aid or buddy aid are present provided one has the appropriate level of training and familiarity with the items. This survival first aid kit seems to be designed for the more typical outdoors injuries of small cuts, burns, and abrasions. It does not come with things that are more suited to higher level trauma and wound care, such as Isreali bandages. Therefore, if you are looking for something outside of the hunting or combat realm, this survival first aid kit will suffice for nearly everyone.

After having really bad experiences with supposedly waterproof dry bags and backpacks, I decided I need to do more research and be prepared to spend a little extra in order to get quality gear. When it comes to sensitive items that just can't get wet such as electronics, towels or layers of clothes designed to keep me warm, I don't want to take any chances. I found the gear I was looking for from Breakwater Supply. The River UTE backpack is exactly what I needed and more. It is completely waterproof and submersible. The lashing points are extremely handy for attaching the backpack onto my paddle board or kayak and they are also useful for attaching webbing that allows me to store wet gear such as water shoes or a wet towel on the outside as pictured. The pockets on the sides fit my tall smart water bottles perfectly and the velcro straps on the top sides fit around the cap of the bottle as if that's exactly what they were designed to do. There is a smaller waterproof zippered pocket for my wallet and keys. There is a much more heavy duty waterproof zipper for the main compartment. It stores my Nesso beach tent with the back lash straps holding the poles as pictured. With all that there's still loads of room inside the 20 l Main compartment for a towel, food and also an air inflator if I choose. My buddy likes to use the same backpack to store a miniature fishing pole and fishing gear. There are three additional compartments inside the main compartment of the backpack, but I may not need those until I want to hike with it in areas where I have to walk through water. From hiking and urban exploration to kayaking and paddle boarding, I am a big fan of functional multi-purpose gear and this backpack delivers in aces!

Saltwater fishing all day today and the Halocline shoes performed wonderfully. They have excellent grip in slippery conditions and are extremely waterproof. Also very comfortable to wear!

All great and waterproof

I used this backpack as my personal carry-on for a week long cruise to the Caribbean. I took it on a diving excursion and it did great keeping everything inside completely dry! One thing about the bag though, the zippers are stiff and definitely take 2 hands to open and close (there’s a reason there’s pull tabs on either side of the zippers). I saw this as more of a plus for this trip though, in the airport and traveling in the streets I didn’t have to worry about anyone getting into the bag without me knowing! My mom said she had Yeti coolers with zippers that were stiff like this though and there is a lubricant that can be put on to make it easier to open and close, I’m fine using it without though.

I actually bought this after I purchased their drybag backpack, which I LOVE! I usually use it when riding my bike, but I've taken it camping and to the river several times as well. Holding up great so far! The only issue I have with the first aid kit is that it says waterproof, but I'm not sure how since the zipper looks like a normal zipper. I might test it with all the paper things taken out, so, I'll update after that. Otherwise everything included is great!

This bag is super light, extremely comfortable, and can hold a lot! I use it for all my weekend or day trips. Purchased one for my father as well because he needed a bag that was 100% waterproof.

This set includes 4 carabiners, each 2 inches long. They are made of a very light and strong plastic and include no springs. Instead, the plastic arm pushes open, and on the tip of the arm is a small groove. When closed, this small groove keeps the carabiner from sliding side to side. They seem very durable. I was able to fully push the arm in such that it touches the other side. It takes considerable effort, so this is not flimsy plastic. Based on my tests of 50 sets of opening and closing, it still seems very durable. This is a great alternative to metal carabiners, especially if you want to avoid clanking. These are obviously not rated for mountaineering or anything, though. Thanks for reading! I hope you found this review helpful!

i stuffed it with containers of ice water that really put it to work testing the strength integrity and workmanship of all attachments and straps sewed and heat sealed together i found my BackPack out of all the manufacturers i carefully methodically located and purchased Break Water after reading other people’s review on and off their website on youtube videos and once home in my possession found it rugged strong robust brutal and likely to last years through the harshes environments and treatments i know i can count on Break Water additionally i purchased the first aid package i saw seemed fully capable of supplying the right people with handy supplies in the event first aid supplies is needed during my journeys Break Water yes expensive but today everything is getting more and more expensive luckily here you getting your money’s worth oh by the way i shopped this back pack because my last one which last some time but it blew out around the zipper and left a hole i don’t ever anticipate that and hope Break Water would stand behind its products in any event. thank you

We run an all-weather camera delivery in NYC. Seven days or a week rain, shine or blizzard. We immediately knew we were dealing with professional grade gear when we opened the box, these bags are seriously constructed and for our purposes, keep very expensive camera gear bone dry after 10 hours out in the rain. That being said, they did not completely forget about the style end of things , the backpack does not look like a rubber dry-bag and can totally be used as an every day commuter backpack etc. So it’s pretty much consensus amongst those who review these products that they are an extremely high-quality product, recently we had a zipper issue and I got to experience the customer service end of the Breakwater brand philosophy. Super supportive, knowledgeable and ultimately resolved our issue immediately and with full satisfaction. They really went above and beyond making sure we were 110% happy, and as a result of combining top shelf quality products with missionststement of full client satisfaction have created a lifelong customer out of me. Can’t wait to get a new round of bags for our growing business in some of the new colors, thanks again Breakwater. Jules

I’ve had this bag for a little while now. When it arrived I was very impressed with the quality. The back and the straps have neoprene padding and are comfortable to wear. You can use your touchscreen through the clear pocket. The quality of the materials used and the seams were good quality. Since receiving it I have done some testing and it has held up very well. I took it with me on a hike through the snow loaded with extra layers, a first aid kit, and my camera. The bag kept all my gear dry and was very comfortable during the hike. For my second test I stressed the seams to see how well they held up. I overloaded the bag and also pulled at the seams. The seams held up very well and there were no leaks afterward. For the final test I filled up my bathtub and completely submerged the bag. This test revealed small holes in the phone packet due to the way it was packaged for shipping. I reached out to the company and was quickly sent a replacement bag and they fixed the problem with the way it was packaged. The replacement bag had no holes and was waterproof as advertised. All in all it is a good looking high quality bag from a great company. I highly recommend this bag.

Great tote for picnicking and the beach

Haven’t had the opportunity to test this backpack in any heavy rain yet, but the design is sleek and well built. The shoulder straps can be a little uncomfortable depending on the weight of what’s inside the bag and I hope the back-pad drys quickly because it looks a little spongey. Overall looks and feels like a sturdy bag for the price

The straps are large strong and really high quality. I had lost one of mine that came with my River backpack, but upon my request these were made available through the website. I'm so grateful that this company is so accommodating.

Use onboard a kayak for emergencies. Waterproof bag seems of good quality and is a better option over hard plastic which might crack and then leak.