Category Archives: Blog

“The safety of the shore.”

That phrase has been spoken and written countless times! As much as you love the water, our bodies aren’t made for it, unless you happen to be part mermaid or merman.

We’re designed for land, so when we leave the safety of that last bit of land before the wet stuff, it’s especially important to have the essentials we need when we’re away from shore.

To stay safe on the water, make sure to carry the basics inside of a fully waterproof storage container. Now, how basic is “basic”? Here’s a quick list:

• Bandages and wrap (gauze or elastic)
• Sting relief pads
• Utility tape (duct tape, or waterproof pvc/electrical tape)
• Rope (at least 10′)
• Whistle (absolutely essential!)
• Compass
• Emergency Blanket
• Light

These essentials should cover basic emergencies, however keep in mind that the size of your watercraft and the waters you navigate may lead to your requirements being more official. For example, you may need life jackets, fire extinguishers, and visible and audible distress signals. Having USCG (United States Coast Guard) approved equipment in these situations is vital. Visit https://uscgboating.org for more details.

The perfect lightweight boating companion!

When you’re hauling your gear with you, especially outside, there’s one major factor that determines how exactly you’re going to bring everything along: “What’s the weather?”

Most gear-hauling bags, slings, backpacks, luggage, and carry-cases can deal with 60 seconds of drizzle, but when that rain beats down for 5, 10, 30 minutes, all of your stuff ends up getting soaked.

In addition to weather, activity plays a big role in your bag of choice, too. Shuttling between airports? Need something secure and easy-access. Hiking? Lightweight, comfortable, and holds up to weather. Spending a weekend with friends? Roomy and store your electronics. Kayaking? Make sure it keeps that water out in case it falls in.

With these factors coming in to play, creating a waterproof backpack with the versatility to handle work, play, and travel takes some thought, but we see it as a worthwhile endeavor. We’re committed to creating highly-capable, adventure-ready gear that’s waterproof wherever possible.

We’ll Take Zippers Anyday

One of the biggest reasons we wanted to create a fully waterproof backpack is we see so many roll-top backpacks on the market. Maybe it’s a euro thing, but to us, a backpack needs to have a zipper. The roll-top design is great as a dry bag for water activity, but as everyday backpacks, they’re cumbersome for basic maneuvers like taking a laptop in/out, and they require setting them down completely to open, close, and buckle shut.

Well, there’s one major reason for all of the roll-top bags out there: price. Waterproof zippers are extremely expensive, and roll-top bags avoid this expense.

And when we say “waterproof zipper,” we’re really talking airtight zipper. Cheaper zippers that claim to be waterproof have a small overlap of welded material to keep out a few raindrops. It’s useless if it were to be subjected to a substantial stream of water, or dropped in a lake. But airtight zippers create such a tight seal that the bag will hold air inside it.

And if air can’t flow in and out, you can bet water can’t either.

In addition, there are different levels of airtight zipper. Some airtight zippers require “zipper grease,” and some don’t. The ones that include zipper grease have smaller teeth and extra friction, making them difficult to use. The ones that don’t have larger teeth, are very expensive, operate much smoother, and they’re the type of zipper found on fully waterproof drysuits.

Materials and Seams

In addition to zippers, the material has to be fully waterproof, and the seams where the panels meet have to be sonically welded to avoid the pinholes that form when stitching.

Combining all three of these requirements, creating a fully waterproof zippered backpack is an advanced process, and it generally leads to a very expensive product. There are only about a half-dozen fully waterproof zippered packs on the market, and most are in the $300+ range from big brands. There are also some less expensive ones using inexpensive materials and smaller-teeth zippers that require applying zipper grease, which can permanently stain the fabric of the bag.

As far as materials, TPU-coated fabric is what you want: it’s non-toxic, doesn’t break down, and is extremely durable. However, TPU is just the coating. The actual fabric that’s being coated can range from extremely thin to very thick, and this is usually reflected in the price. Thicker TPU-coated fabric will hold its shape and is effectively molded-in-place, leading to a very unique product.

Breakwater Supply Explorer Backpack Construction

That said, we created the Explorer Backpack using 600D Polyester that’s TPU-coated on both sides. The end result is a medium-weight fabric that keeps shape and is virtually indestructible. It’s difficult to rip, tear, and puncture.

We used a larger-tooth drysuit-grade airtight zipper as the main compartment zipper, and also a similar airtight zipper for the fully waterproof front pocket. This is a big deal because many waterproof backpacks, even those from Filson and Patagonia, do not feature fully waterproof front pockets. They use less-expensive “splash-proof” zippers for their smaller pockets, so if your bag were to fall overboard, anything in the small pocket would get soaked. Also of note, Yeti’s Panga doesn’t feature any additional exterior pockets, not even mesh ones for a water bottle.

We used neoprene padding for the shoulder straps, and molded EVA padding for the back panel. Both of these are fast-drying, non-abrasive, premium materials. Other bags often use abrasive open mesh that soaks up water and takes a long time to dry.

We added reflective features on the front and back, and multiple handles to grab the bag from different storage areas, or from, say, the back seats of your car. The size (20″ x 13″ x 7″) is ideal as a personal item on airplanes, with 25L of capacity, which is enough for a weekend trip.

Protection for Your Electronics

As far as your electronics, it fits a 16″ laptop, plus has a puncture-proof clear pocket on the side for storing a smartphone. What’s cool about the smartphone pocket is you can use this bag on the water and even interact with your phone’s touchscreen through the clear window.

Take a look at the comparison table below:

Material (Higher = Thicker)	600D TPU	~1200D TPU	840D TPU	900D TPU	~210T TPU	~210T TPU
Size	25L	28L	28L	28L	20L	25L
Weight	1.9 lbs	3.9 lbs	3 lbs	3.1 lbs	1.7 lbs	2.3 lbs
Airtight Zippers	Drysuit-Grade (Large-Tooth)	Drysuit-Grade (Large-Tooth)	Drysuit-Grade (Large-Tooth)	TRU-Zip Small-Tooth	Small-Tooth (with Zipper Grease)	Small-Tooth (with Zipper Grease)
Number of Waterproof Pockets	2 (Main and Front)	1 (Main Compartment Only)	1 (Main Compartment Only)	1 (Main Compartment Only)	1 (Main Compartment Only)	1 (Main Compartment Only)
Padding	Fast-Drying, Non-Abrasive Neoprene and EVA	Fast-Drying, Non-Abrasive Neoprene and EVA	Fast-Drying, Non-Abrasive Foam	Fast-Drying, Non-Abrasive Neoprene and EVA	Abrasive, Slow-Drying Open Mesh	Abrasive, Slow-Drying Open Mesh
Inflation Valve					Yes	Yes
Waist Pockets			Yes	Yes
Side Pockets	2 (Mesh and Phone Pocket)		2 (Mesh and Zip)		1 (Mesh)	2 (Both Mesh)

Weight and Round-Up

As far as weight, Yeti’s Panga comes in at 3.9 lbs, Filson’s Dry Backpack weighs 3 lbs, and Fishpond’s Thunderhead is 3.1 lbs. The Breakwater Supply Explorer Backpack weighs 1.9 lbs.

All told, we created an extremely lightweight, versatile bag that protects all your gear and electronics with fast-drying, non-abrasive padding, an extra smaller front pocket, and a buckle strap for bulky items. It’s got reflective features for safety and uses premium airtight zippers as well. Price-wise, the Explorer Backpack is almost 50% less than the Yeti Panga ($300) and Filson Dry Backpack ($325).

Given all of these factors, it’s why the Breakwater Supply Explorer Backpack is the best waterproof backpack out there, and offers an amazing value at its price.

You can find the Explorer Backpack on our website or click here to purchase from Amazon.

First, Some Backstory

During the holidays a few years back, a close friend of ours wanted to put together the perfect gift for a bunch of extended friends and family. The easy part is that she didn’t have to Google things like “best holiday gift”, “best outdoors gift”, or “best gifts for men/women” because her extended circle all shared an indescribable passion for one thing: sailing.

So this immediately allowed her to fast-forward to a great idea: a waterproof emergency first aid kit for boating, sailing, and kayaking. Without the wherewithal to create an entirely customized product from scratch, she visited Amazon, purchased 30 red dry bags, and also purchased the necessary medical supplies herself to put into the bags. She packaged them all up and gave them away. What a true gifting pro.

This immediately led us on our own search: why isn’t there something out there like this? Well, there’s a few similar products. But the quality of what’s out there is…suspect. So we did what the others didn’t, and expanded on Mary’s idea to create the Best First Aid Survival Kit of 2022.

Why the Breakwater Supply Survival First Aid Kit is the Best Waterproof First Aid Kit

For starters, we designed our Survival First Aid Kit to be a combo kit, including both First Aid and Survival supplies. Why choose between injury treatment and survival gear, especially when you’re out there in the middle of wherever?

Take this example: portaging your kayak leaves you with a nasty sprain or even a fracture, so you need to splint yourself up, while the daylight creeps away and rain sets in.

The first thought: ok, we’re kayaking, and also, rain’s coming, so right away, this is why having a waterproof kit is important.

Then you figure you may as well open the emergency blanket, tie or tape up the poncho to keep the rain out, and hunker down until other kayakers hit the river again in the morning, and that way maybe someone can retrieve your car and you can get home without risking further injury. There are a million scenarios that are offshoots of this one. And this is why our kit is an adventure must-have.

Another reason we make the best waterproof survival kit for the outdoors is we’ve eliminated repetitive supplies. We know how important it is to save space and pack light. Other kits out there will try to convince you that you need multiple survival gadgets and gizmos that all do the same thing.

We’ve equipped you with emergency essentials should you need to spend 24-48+ hours off-grid, like the example above. A multitool with an LED light, wire saw, emergency blanket, poncho, duct tape, and paracord bracelet with fire starter is enough to erect emergency shelter, gather firewood, stay dry in the rain, and preserve body heat.

And those are just the survival essentials. For the first aid supplies, you’re supplied with 30 adhesive bandages, compressive and absorbent gauze, first aid tape, and a large triangular bandage for serious wounds (such as headwounds or for a sling). There’s also an elastic tourniquet, ointments, and an 18″ foam/aluminum survival splint, which really is the difference between other dry bag first aid kits and ours.

These are true trauma supplies that would come with a military-issued IFAK (individual first aid kit). Sure, you’ll find these supplies in a comprehensive outdoor first aid kit, but will you find one in a smaller waterproof first aid kit that also includes survival gear?

The combination of high-quality survival and first aid supplies are what makes this kit military-grade and tactical as well. As one of our recent reviews said, “After years in the military, the content reminds me of the things we had in our ‘combat life saver’ bags.”

The Waterproof Dry Bag

We put a lot of thought into the waterproof dry bag that the Survival First Aid Kit comes in. This 2 liter dry bag is made of welded PVC tarpaulin for true waterproof protection. The first aid symbol on the front is 3M reflective for extra visibility, which is especially critical on the water in low light, or hiking. And we didn’t just equip it with any carabiner – we used a heavy-duty locking carabiner made of zinc alloy for corrosion resistance.

It’s very important to be able to keep your survival kit close without having to tuck it into your backpack, where it may take up valuable space. Not only will this bag keep everything dry and protected, but it’s lightweight and flexible, so this kit can fit places that hard plastic or heavy zippered kits can’t.

Other Options

We’re not going to claim we’re the best without recognizing the other options out there. But we’ll also go point-by-point and break down how we’re better. All of the kits below are outdoor survival kits at similar price points.

	Breakwater Supply First Aid Survival Kit	Surviveware Waterproof Small First Aid Kit	Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight Watertight Medical Kit	Well-Strong Survival First Aid Kit	HomestockPlus Survival First Aid Kit	HomestockPlus Trauma First Aid Kit
Waterproof	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Survival Gear	Yes			Yes	Yes	Yes
Trauma Kit	Yes	Yes			Yes	Yes
Reflective	Yes				Yes
Carabiner or Buckle	Yes	Yes			Yes	Yes
Survival Splint	Yes				Yes
Ice Pack					Yes
Weight	1.5 lbs	1.25 lbs	.37 lbs	1.2 lbs	2.9 lbs	2.2 lbs

The Verdict?

You can see the prices in the small Amazon tiles, and as mentioned above we’ve compared kits that are in the same price range. The weights really do span from ultralight (.37 lbs) to fairly heavy (2.9 lbs). When it comes to contents themselves, the bag with the most similar capabilities to the Breakwater Supply Survival First Aid Kit is the HomestockPlus Survival First Aid Kit, however it’s not waterproof, weighs twice as much, and costs 15% more.

We’ve put a lot of thought and development into making our Survival First Aid Kit the most cost-effective, trail-ready, and space-saving kit you can buy. No other kit features the combination of survival and trauma supplies, with a locking carabiner, survival splint, and completely waterproof, reflective bag.

We actually oversupply you with equipment in this kit, and specifically include in the hang-tag that you should customize the kit to your specifications.

We put together this article as a comparison of why we make a special product. We know what it takes to make a versatile emergency survival kit so we’re qualified to evaluate different options. Other survival kits from MyMedic and Uncharted Supply Co aren’t on this list because they cost several hundred dollars. We’re about doing things in a more streamlined way, which allows us to make high-quality, yet affordable products.

The winner? It’s you, because at the price of our kit, you get to save space, weight, money, and potentially yourself. Of course, be prepared anytime you venture off the beaten path, and everyone’s situation is different, so if there’s something we left out or there’s something in a different kit that’s necessary for you, we get it – though you can always customize our kit on your own. We’re not offering medical advice, but we are encouraging you to get out there and explore safely.

You can buy our Survival First Aid Kit on our website or buy the Breakwater Supply Survival First Aid Kit from Amazon here.