There are so many things I love about swimming in open water, but I always dreaded getting out of the water. Not only was this because I love being in the water, but also because it meant I had to go and see if my car keys were still where I left them hidden on shore. I would then have the cold walk back to my car where I kept my towel, warm hat and dry clothes.
This is what I did when I went swimming every week throughout last summer (luckily my car keys were never stolen). But this year I decided I didn’t want to risk it anymore. I loved my old tow float. It made me really visible in the water and meant I had some buoyancy support if I needed to stop for a rest. But it was missing the one thing I needed - somewhere for my keys.
So I decided to get a dry bag which has everything a tow float has as well as an internal dry compartment for your belongings. I spent some time researching which dry bag I should get and decided on the Swim Secure Dry Bag. I’ve never looked back since.
Features
- Colours - orange, citrus, pink
- Sizes - 20L, 28L, 35L, 50L
- Internal dry compartment
- Double air chamber system
- One way inflation valve
- Comes with a waist belt and leash
- Waist belt length - 58cm-108cm
- Two useful handles
Pros
Easy Inflation System
The one way valves make the dry bag really easy to inflate (make sure you put your stuff in the dry compartment before inflating the two air chambers). It means I’m not panicking to close the valve before all the air I just put in comes flying back out again. Deflating the bag is just as easy. The back of the valve cap is perfectly shaped to deflate the bag when pushed into the valve at an angle.
Durable
In the reviews I read when researching dry bags, this bag was often referred to as sturdy and durable. They weren’t wrong. The double inflation mechanism gives this dry bag the durability that other bags are missing. It means that if one of the inflation chambers suffers a puncture, the other chamber will keep the bag afloat and keep my possessions safe and dry.
Makes Me More Visible
To be safe in the water, it is essential that your dry bag is a bright colour. With the Swim Secure Dry Bag, this isn’t an issue as you have a choice of three colours perfectly suited to open water swimming. I’ve seen swimmers both at my local beach and my local open water swimming lake using citrus, pink and orange floats, all of which I could see from a far distance. Personally, I love orange, so I got an orange dry bag to match my orange swim cap.
Easy to Use
Lightweight and attached with a leash and waist belt, I’ve found the Swim Secure Dry Bag to be really easy and comfortable to use. The leash keeps my bag in the perfect place and the waist belt is adjustable so I’m able to make it the right size for me. Additional waist belts can also be clipped together to fit swimmers of all sizes.
Keeps Items Dry and Safe
You might be nervous about taking your valuable items with you into the water. I know I was. So when I got my Swim Secure Dry Bag I decided to test it out with a small spare towel instead of my valuable items. When I opened the bag after my swim the inside of the bag and the towel were bone dry. Since then I trust the bag to keep my valuables safe and dry on my swim (including my phone and my car keys).
Cons
Risk of Moisture Getting Inside
Like any dry bag that goes in the water, you risk getting moisture inside the bag. So far this hasn’t happened with my Swim Secure Dry Bag. To prevent this issue, I make sure I don’t put anything wet or damp inside the bag and after every swim I open up the bag to let the air fully dry any potential moisture inside.
Only the Orange Bag Comes in Different Sizes
When choosing my dry bag, I knew I wanted a medium size bag in orange. I liked the Swim Secure options as the orange comes in four different sizes. However, I did notice that the pink and citrus dry bags are only available in one size - 28L. I opted for the orange 28L bag and it’s the ideal size for me. It gives me the choice of just bringing a couple of essentials on a quick swim or bringing more with me on a swim hike. If you have more belongings that you need to bring with you, I would still recommend the Swim Secure Dry Bag even though you’d only have the choice of orange (orange is one of the best, if not THE best colour for open water swimming). However, if the 28L size is too big for you and you really don’t want orange, check out the smaller pink tow donut which has a dry compartment.
Price Comparison
The Swim Secure Dry Bag is a great price and a top quality bag.
Swim Secure 28L Dry Bag - RRP £31
Puffin Billy 28L Dry Bag Float - RRP £30.99
Ultra Dry 28L Swim Buoy - RRP £34.99
My Recommendation
Overall, I highly recommend the Swim Secure Dry Bag. It does everything I need it to do - it lets me bring my belongings with me while keeping them dry, it makes me visible and safer in the water and it doesn’t get in my way when I’m swimming.
Buy your Swim Secure Dry Bag today.