The new 30-litre Red Adventure Waterproof Backpack is designed to be comfortable to wear, and versatile for use on land and on the water. Katy Stickland puts it to the test
My verdict after testing Red’s new 30L waterproof backpack over four months
One of my pet hates is owning different types of gear for the same job, especially as we do not have much space on board.
The 30-litre Red Adventure Waterproof Backpack is designed to be used on land and at sea – from commuting to the office to kayaking on the river or storing electronics for dinghy trips ashore.
The rucksack is made from recycled 420D nylon with double-sided TPU coating and is oil and mould-resistant (a plus on a boat), with two stretchy mesh side pockets for storing your water bottle, two front pockets (one large, one small), a 30L interior and a removable padded laptop insert.
The backpack has useful mesh side pockets and two front pockets. Credit: Anna Stickland
I have been testing the waterproof claims of the bag since February, taking it on a rainy hike in Wales, throwing it in the bottom of the dingy while going to our boat and finally, by filling it with weights and sinking it in my friend’s 1-m deep cold water tank for 20 minutes.
To do this final test, I inserted a clean, dry brown piece of cardboard into the main interior to monitor any water ingress; I rolled the top of the dry bag four times and secured the clips for this test.
This 30L waterproof backpack is not designed to be fully submerged (nor does it claim to be), but it stood up to the test well, with only a small amount of water making its way in, leaving a corner of the cardboard wet.
The bag was weighed down and left in a cold water tank for 20 minutes; just the tiniest amount of water trickled in. Credit: Katy Stickland
When I used it for a very wet hike around the coast and for transporting my electronics to the boat, everything remained dry inside, including the front pockets.
An adjustable bungee cord at the front of the bag is also useful for securely storing waterproofs or a jumper.
It features really comfortable, breathable padded back supports, adjustable foam straps, and a handy carry handle, making it easy to wear.
There is also an integrated whistle, an adjustable chest strap, small reflective strips and a bike light loop (useful if you cycle).
The straps are adjustable; plenty of padding for the back makes it comfortable to wear. Credit: Katy Stickland
Being a 30L waterproof backpack, the interior can be a bit cavernous and it does mean you sometimes scrabble around trying to find what you want; an attachment point for a torch would be a useful addition.
Overall, it certainly lives up to its claim of being the Swiss army knife of bags.
It is available in three colours: Obsidian Black, Storm Blue, Olive Green
Buy the 30-litre Red Adventure Waterproof Backpack direct from Red here