Most Faraday bags are fabric or foil, and neither likes a wet boat locker, a kayak hatch or an overland rig that fords a creek. Faraday Defense's DRY series solves that by lining a waterproof tarpaulin dry bag with three layers of its CYBER NC nickel/copper fabric, so one bag keeps gear dry, keeps it off every network and shields it from EMP. The line runs from a 5L sling pack to a generator bag that swallows a full-size portable generator. Here is what each size holds and which one suits a boat, a kayak or a truck.
What every DRY bag has in common
Each DRY bag has a waterproof tarpaulin shell, a double roll-top closure with buckles and a triple-layer lining of CYBER NC nickel/copper fabric. Faraday Defense rates the shielding at over 85 dB (400 MHz to 40 GHz on the sling, backpack and duffel pages; its generator-bag pages print 4 GHz), blocking cell signal (including 5G), GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and RFID and giving EMP protection to everything sealed inside. The roll-top is the point: rolled and clipped, it makes both the waterproof seal and the shielding seal at once. The slings, the backpack and the duffel we list are the Stealth Black edition, with the labeling in black.
Two things the DRY line is not. It is not a NEST-Z storage bag, so if you only want EMP protection for a spare that never moves, the 7-mil NEST-Z kits in Faraday bag types compared are the simpler buy. And it is not a submersible case; Faraday Defense describes the shell as waterproof and the closure as watertight, which is what you want on deck or in a hatch, not on the bottom of the lake.
The DRY line by size
| Bag | Size (Faraday Defense) | Built for | Carry |
|---|---|---|---|
| DRY Bag Sling Pack 5L | 7" x 7" x 12" interior | A phone, key fob, cards and a small tablet | Two shoulder straps, quick-release straps, zip side pocket |
| DRY Bag Sling Pack 10L | 7.75" x 7.75" x 14.5" interior | A tablet or small laptop plus a phone and accessories | Same as the 5L |
| DRY Bag Sling Pack 20L | 9.75" x 9.75" x 16" interior | A laptop and a day's worth of gear | Same as the 5L |
| DRY Bag Sling Pack 30L | 11" x 11" x 20" interior | A laptop, radios and a full day pack | Same as the 5L |
| DRY Bag Backpack | 16" H x 11" W x 6" D closed | A laptop, a tablet and radios | Padded shoulder straps, quick-release straps, two mesh side pockets |
| DRY Bag Backpack + NX3 3-piece kit | Same backpack | The backpack plus NX3 phone, tablet and laptop bags for the devices inside | As above |
| DRY Duffel Bag 55L | 25" L x 10" W x 14" H closed | Laptops, tablets, radios and the rest of a travel kit | Shoulder straps, reinforced handles, top compression strap |
| DRY Small Generator Bag | 11" L x 15.5" W x 20" H closed | A compact inverter generator, a power station or a computer tower | Multiple handles, tightening straps, MOLLE front and back |
| DRY Large Generator Bag | 30" L x 24" W x 24" H closed (32.5" H open) | A full-size portable generator or a large power station | Multiple handles, tightening straps, MOLLE front and back |
Sling interior dimensions and the closed sizes of the larger bags are Faraday Defense's figures. The sling packs have a water-resistant exterior zip pocket for cards and small everyday items; that pocket sits outside the shielded compartment.
Sling packs: 5L to 30L
The four slings share one design: a puncture-resistant tarpaulin shell with reinforced seams, two shoulder straps, multiple quick-release straps, a roll-top with a dual-clip closure and the exterior side pocket. Our fit guide, worked from Faraday Defense's interior dimensions, is simple. The 5L takes a phone, a key fob, cards and a small tablet. The 10L takes a tablet or a small laptop plus a phone. The 20L takes a laptop and a day's gear. The 30L takes a laptop, radios and a full day pack. For a kayak or a paddleboard the 5L and 10L are the sizes that fit a hatch or clip to a deck line; for a boat the 20L or 30L carries the handhelds, the chart tablet and the phones in one bag that can be thrown in a locker.
Backpack and duffel
The DRY Bag Backpack is the roll-top pack version, 16" x 11" x 6" closed, with padded shoulder straps and two mesh side pockets for a bottle. It is the overlander's choice: it goes on your back for a hike or into the cab for the drive, and the laptop, tablet and radios ride inside. The backpack plus NX3 kit adds the NX3 Small 3-piece set, one phone, one tablet and one laptop bag, each rated by Faraday Defense at 85 to 90 dB, so individual devices stay shielded when they come out of the pack.
The 55L DRY Duffel is the family or crew bag: 25" x 10" x 14" closed, with shoulder straps, reinforced carry handles and a strap across the top that holds the roll closure shut. On a houseboat or a cruiser it is the bag the whole boat's electronics go into when a storm is coming; on a truck it rides on the back seat.
Generator bags: small and large
These two are the reason many RV owners come to the DRY line. The Small Generator Bag closes at 11" x 15.5" x 20" and is built, in Faraday Defense's words, for travel and storage of generators, computer towers and equipment: in practice a compact inverter generator, a computer tower or a power station. The Large Generator Bag closes at 30" x 24" x 24", opens to 32.5" tall, and covers a full-size portable generator or a large power station. Both have MOLLE webbing front and back for attaching smaller gear, multiple handles and tightening straps, and a clip-and-roll closure for quick access.
Measure before you order. A generator's listed dimensions are usually the frame; add the handle and the fuel cap height if the bag has to close over them, then compare with the closed sizes above. Faraday Defense's pages say only "smaller generators" and "generators"; the inverter-generator versus open-frame split is our reading of the closed sizes, which in practice separates a suitcase-style inverter generator from an open-frame unit. If you are not sure, send us the model and we will check it against Faraday Defense's figures. Power stations are easier to measure, and the small bag doubles as weatherproof storage for a station in a pass-through bay. Which station suits an RV is a separate question, covered in our power station or UPS answer.
Boats, kayaks and overlanding
Boats
Saltwater, spray and a wet bilge are the normal state of a boat locker. A 20L or 30L sling for the handheld VHF, the phones and the chart tablet, or the 55L duffel for a crew's worth of gear, keeps everything dry and off the network in one bag. If the boat carries a portable generator or a power station, the generator bags store it dry on deck or in a lazarette. Our houseboat power guide covers the installed side of the boat.
Kayaks and paddleboards
The 5L and 10L slings are the sizes that fit a day hatch or clip to the deck. Phone, keys, cards and a small tablet in the 5L; add a compact camera or a handheld radio and the 10L is the one.
Overlanding and off-road trailers
Dust and water crossings are the enemies here. The backpack carries the laptop, tablet and radios in the cab; the small generator bag stores the power station in the trailer or bed. The MOLLE webbing on the generator bags takes a pouch for cables and the solar connectors.
FAQ
Are DRY bags waterproof or water-resistant?
Faraday Defense describes the tarpaulin shell as waterproof and the roll-top as a watertight seal. They are built for rain, spray and a wet locker, not for being submerged.
Do DRY bags block cell signal, or only EMP?
Both. Unlike the NEST-Z storage bags, the DRY series blocks cell (including 5G), GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and RFID at over 85 dB (Faraday Defense rating) as well as shielding against EMP.
Can I put a NEST-Z bag inside a DRY bag?
Yes. A NEST-Z kit of spares inside a sling or the duffel gives the stored gear a waterproof, signal-blocking outer layer. A packing list for an RV is in what to keep in a Faraday bag.
Will a running generator work inside the bag?
No. The bags are for travel and storage. A generator needs air and exhaust, and a bag sealed around a running engine is a fire risk. Bag it when it is cold and stored.
Where do DRY bags ship from?
Every Faraday Defense DRY bag here is genuine, covered by Faraday Defense's limited lifetime warranty to the original retail purchaser, and ships free to the lower 48 states, with tracking by email. See the full Faraday Defense range, or ask us which size fits your gear before you order.