With the coming of spring and wet weather in general, you’re going to want to keep your EDC safe and dry with waterproof and water-resistant bags. That applies whether you’re a photographer looking to protect your gear, a student who’s never without their laptop, or a bike commuter running daily essential errands with a life that’s constantly on the move. After all, the gear you put inside your pack is usually more expensive than what you carry in your pockets (think expensive electronics and other valuables). And what good is a spare set of clothes after a workout if they’re already soaked through with rain? If the contents of your bag aren’t protected against a little water, you’re one April shower away from a really bad day.
There’s a lot of things that make for a good everyday carry waterproof and water-resistant bag. One of the biggest factors is the materials used in the manufacturing of the bag: they tend to be either inherently waterproof thanks to their technical properties or coated and impregnated with waterproofing compounds that keep moisture out. The hardware used to open and close the bags is also an important consideration, since you want special sealing zippers that stand up to the weather, paired with flap covers or roll-top closures that do their part to keep the rough elements out. And some waterproof bags are designed well enough that they can actually be submerged underwater completely.
So if you’re looking for a new waterproof or water-resistant bag to keep the gloomy days of rain away, we’ve put together 20 of our favorite bags for you to choose from. We’ll explain what sets them apart from your standard bag, and why they deserve to carry your EDC. The good news is, that they run a wide gamut of styles and features, so you can pick what suits your needs, and make upgrades to your current kit where needed.
Arc’teryx is renowned for their waterproof technical outdoors apparel, and they infuse their bags and packs with the same expertise. With its streamlined minimalist look and Advanced Composite Construction, the Granville Zip 16 gives you strong technical waterproof performance in a daypack form factor that blends well in an urban environment. With 16 liters of capacity, there’s room for your everyday essentials and despite the bag being lightweight at just 26 ounces, there’s a padded pocket that can accommodate up to a 15" laptop for your work needs.
Matador specializes in packable bags for everyday carry, and their FreeRain24 proves that just because a bag is lightweight and collapsible, it can’t also be impervious to penetration by strong rain. It’s made out of lightweight, yet durable 30D CORDURA nylon that’s siliconized for weather resistance, and the Hypalon roll-top closure adds additional physical protection for the 24 liters of gear you can pack inside. And when you’re not using the bag, it packs away into a package that fits in the palm of your hand for easy storage or for use as a bag within a bag when you’re traveling.
Peak Design’s line of water-resistant everyday carry bags combine protection with a sleek design that’s well-suited to travel with you whether you’re on your way to the office or exploring the great outdoors. Their new Everyday Backpack provides 15 liters of space in a main compartment that offers easy side access and a full 270 degrees of access when the single UltraZip zipper is fully unwound. The internal storage area has enough room for a 13“ ultrabook laptop or professional tablet, and the main compartment can be further configured with Peak Design’s FlexFold dividers. The 400D nylon canvas shell is made out of 100% recycled materials, and it’s impregnated with durable water repellent (DWR) finish to keep the raindrops out and away from your gear.
Bellroy is more known in the EDC community for their fine line of wallets and leather goods, and they’ve brought that same level of detail and attention to their professional bags and packs. Their System Work Bag features clean minimalist styling that will suit you well whether your headed to the boardroom or your next travel destination. Its folding closure and water-resistant non-toxic fabric construction helps keep the elements out, but it’s easier to manipulate compared to traditional roll-top designs because of its magnetic G-hook hardware.
Mystery Ranch is well-known in the EDC and tactical community for making hard-use bags that can stand up to the elements and more. Their Urban Assault 21 is one of their friendliest designs for urban everyday carry. And in its waxed wood variant, it builds upon the durability and water-resistance of their 500D CORDURA fabric with wax impregnation to keep even the strongest rain showers away from the valuables you put inside. The water-resistant YKK 3-way zipper opening helps with that as well, and it makes for easy access for the interior of the bag when you need it.
Mission Workshop is a design firm based out of San Francisco that specializes in making tough backpacks for everyday carry that suit an active commute while looking good in an urban environment. Their Fraction rucksack is a slim EDC bag with lots of weatherproof stash pockets, urethane-coated zippers, and an internal frame sheet that helps the bag keep its shape even if you don’t cram it full of stuff on a daily basis. The bag is built to a military spec for hard use, and the buckled flap helps keep the rain out, especially if you’re on a bike.
If you’re looking for a high quality messenger bag from Mission Workshop that also shares the serious water resistance the rest of their bags offer, check out The Khyte. It’s a fully featured messenger laptop bag that features a two-layer waterproof construction that has HT500 double-coated textile technical fabric and three Arkiv rails for modular carry. There’s a flat pocket for documents, and the main compartment is easily accessed because of the use of Fidlock hardware.
Zippered side pockets for quick access to small essentials
Specifications
Capacity
55L
Weight
2 lbs 9 oz
Materials
900D TPU laminate DWR-finished ripstop nylon
Reviews
No reviews yet
Price
$$$$
Patagonia lives and breathes the outdoor spirit, and their Black Hole bags are designed to let you fill a ton of your gear in a waterproof shell that’s great for extended trips. The versatility of carry that the Black Hole Duffel offers is amazing as well, because it easily transitions from traditional duffel carry to comfortable backpack style carry for extended hikes. The exterior of the bag is made out of 100% recycled 900D ripstop fabric that’s been TPU laminate-coated and then DWR finished to keep the rain away.
The WANDRD PRVKE (you can go ahead and call it the “Provoke”) was designed by the founders of the company to fill a hole in the camera bag space between heavy-duty use, actual carry performance, and good aesthetics. With its TPU-coated tarpaulin and 1680D ballistic nylon construction it’s ready to take on more than your average scratches and dents from daily use, as well as more than the average rain shower. The expandable roll-top closure helps keep the elements out, but it also lets you get a bit more space from the bag when you need it, from 21 liters of capacity up to 25. You can also open up the bag as a clamshell and access the contents from the side if needed. And while it has its origins as a camera bag, there’s lots of zippered pockets for your non-electronic EDC.
Breathable EVA foam padding for long term carry comfort
Specifications
Capacity
28L
Weight
840D polyurethane-coated nylon
Materials
2 lbs 3 oz
Reviews
No reviews yet
Price
$$$$
You might know Filson more for their heritage everyday carry bags and accessories, but their Submersible Dry Backpack provides excellent waterproof technical performance in a backpack form that you can actually submerge in water if you need to, and keep the contents safe and dry in the process. It’s able to do this because it’s made out of abrasion-resistant 840D nylon that’s been PU coated with a construction that lacks ingress points for water to enter. And its roll-top closure makes it even more watertight. With a full 28 liters of space, you can fit a change of clothes and more, but you can also put your most-needed small items in an external waterproof zippered compartment for easy access.
1733 is a small-batch specialty bag and accessories manufacturer based out of Chicago, and they specialize in making durable yet lightweight and highly water-resistant bags out of X-Pac sailcloth nylon. Their Side Pack offers lightweight waist bag carry convenience that gives you seven liters of easy-access space that only weighs 11.7 oz because it’s made out of laminated DWR-coated 210D X-Pac VX21 sailcloth fabric. It’s non-porous and highly abrasion-resistant, so it can stand up to the roughest daily use. The bag itself is designed to hold your everyday carry essentials like your wallet, pen, and knife in dedicated organization spaces. And because the external webbing is MOLLE spec, you can expand upon the bag or attach it to your other gear when you need it.
Black Ember is a design company based out of California that builds high-quality technical backpacks with a minimalist aesthetic that providesserious waterproofing and urban-friendly styling. The WPRT is, as its acronym points out, a waterproof roll top that’s elegant but modular, with an exterior that takes different pouches that you can configure to suit your daily missions. It offers a generous main cargo area that’s fully protected from immersion in water up to an IPX6 rating due to a 800D 3-layer Microhex technical fabric exterior that’s been laser-cut and bonded with no seams for water to get in. With Fidlock hardware, it’s easy to get into the bag internals, and its understated minimalist urban styling helps you not stand out in a crowd.
Timbuk2 is a company based in San Francisco that specializes in making backpacks and messenger bags for the biking community. Naturally, water resistance is an important feature when you don’t have the protection of a car to keep the elements out, and that remains true with their Spire backpack. It features a full 30 liters of total space, but it slims down to fit a sleek profile that won’t weigh you down when you’re on the move. Its exterior webbing allows modularity as well as attachment points for carabiners. There’s an elastic side pocket for a water bottle, and internal organizers for small items like pens and phones. It’ll fit up to a 15" laptop in its dedicated space and the roll-top opening with DWR-coated fabric will keep everything inside safe and dry as you ride.
Chrome Industries has been making urban-oriented everyday carry packs and accessories since 1995. Their Urban Ex Rolltop 28L features lightweight welded technical 600D PU coated nylon construction with knurled welds that help keep the water out when you’re caught out in a storm. There’s webbing on the exterior for modularity, but it’s also made to fit quality bike locks to secure your ride when you park. The padded 15" laptop sleeve ensures your expensive tech stays safe throughout the day, and the quick access storage on the exterior of the pack lets you get to your important small items without ruining the weatherproof integrity of the pack as a whole every time you need smaller gear.
Fjällräven is a Swedish company that excels in making quality outdoors products. Their Ulvö 30 features waterproof durable Bergshell fabric that helps keep the rain out while being good for the environment, thanks to its 31% recycled nylon construction. The spacious main compartment features 30 liters of space with a padded laptop pocket that fits devices up to 15 inches. It has a low-profile minimalist look that works well in an urban environment, but with the side access water bottle pockets you can take it with you hiking and stay hydrated as you go.
Topo Designs is well-known in the EDC community for their line of quality outdoors bags that pair heritage styling with modern construction for the ultimate in durability and weather resistance. Their flagship pack is the Kletterpack, and with its tough 1000D CORDURA fabric that’s naturally water-resistant and the beautiful Horween leather trimmings, it makes for a beautiful pack that’ll also keep what you put inside safe and dry from a storm.
You’re probably familiar with Ridge for their line of minimalist everyday carry wallets, and they build that same reliability and minimalist aesthetic into their Weatherproof Daypack. As the name implies, it can keep out the rain thanks to its weatherproof nylon construction and AquaGuard YKK zippers. But while it can keep out the rain, there’s a port on the bag that lets you charge a cell phone in your pocket with a power bank contained in the bag’s dedicated pocket.
Thule is an outdoors manufacturing company based out of Sweden that makes high-quality everyday carry gear oriented towards travelers and bikers who need strong waterproofing in their day-to-day lives. Their Paramount 24 Daypack will serve you well whether you spend most of your time on a commute, or just need a bit of protection from the elements. It features SafeEdge-padded corner protection that fits up to a 15" laptop inside, and it stays protected thanks to its durable 420D nylon DWR-coated design. The roll-top manufacturing helps keep the rain away, but access to your technology is made easy with the dedicated laptop compartment.
Aer’s line of travel and day bags gained popularity for providing quality construction, excellent performance, and a minimalist aesthetic that doesn’t stand out. Their updated Day Pack levels things up with premium water-resistant 1680D CORDURA and 840D nylon construction that’s highly abrasion-resistant and DWR-coated to protect your valuables. And with 14.8 liters of space, it’s a comfortable backpack that lets you bring the essentials without weighing you down unnecessarily as you go from place to place. There’s a dedicated top pocket for your smaller valuables or EDC items, and carrying the bag is made easy with its padded back panel and sternum strap for stability.
Osprey’s “All-Mighty Guarantee” is one of the best parts about integrating one of their packs into your EDC, and it ensures that buying one of their bags is a purchase you can rely upon for more than just one hike. Their Archeon 25 features water-resistant rolltop construction and water resistance thanks to its durable, GRS-certified recycled nylon construction. Built for hikes, the Archeon 25 is designed to accommodate a 3-liter water reservoir for staying hydrated while you’re on a hike, and the adjustable shoulder harness and sternum strap making carrying heavy loads with the Archeon 25 easy to accomplish.
