OtterBox聽is branching out from cases and coolers. On Tuesday, the company announced its new聽. The dry duffels, which went on preorder Tuesday, come in three sizes:聽35, 70, and 105 liters, ranging from $250 to $400. The steep prices, and the bags鈥櫬燽urly design,聽put聽them in the same league as聽.听
I got my hands on a聽sample of the聽70-liter Yampa ($300), which seems protective and durable without sacrificing ease of use. (I haven鈥檛 had the chance to take it on any adventures yet.)
Constructed out of TPU-coated nylon, this bag聽is made to endure rocky shorelines and brambly bushwhacks. A watertight zipper keeps everything dry, and an internal layer聽of low-density foam means you can haul, toss, and drag聽your gear without fear of damaging it.
Durability is nothing new when it comes to聽duffels, which have been getting more and more聽overbuilt聽as companies like , , and 聽have iterated on their waterproof adventure haulers. But user-friendliness is where OtterBox鈥檚 bag truly shines. A fold-over harness system lets you聽swap聽between backpack and duffel carry by clipping the buckles to one side or the other. Unlike the Panga, which has a smaller opening that makes the interior difficult to organize, the Yampa has an extra-wide opening that shows you聽all your gear quickly.
The convenience of a large opening聽does come with a trade-off, however: OtterBox聽had to add buckles to hold down the聽extra material at either end when the duffel is zipped shut. The two massive buckles聽are a bit unwieldy and difficult to work in a hurry. I had聽to use two hands to undo each buckle, which felt聽clunky. Thankfully, there is an external water-resistant pocket where I can store essentials I need to reach in a flash. It鈥檚 not fully waterproof though, so I鈥檓 careful with what I choose to store here.
In many, if not most, outdoor adventure situations, this duffel will be more than聽you need. But people who do a lot of backcountry water travel may find that it鈥檚 just tough enough to inspire confidence on long portages and rough waters.