If you’ve ever had to walk home in the rain, you’ve probably experienced the dreaded moment of opening your backpack, hoping that the contents have somehow stayed relatively dry. Many waterproof backpacks promise the ultimate protection from watery conditions, but when it’s your treasured possessions on the line, who wants to take any chances?
If you’re like us, then you’re probably skeptical that a bag could really deliver on such lofty promises, but we figured we should give The Friendly Swede Waterproof Dry Bag Backpack a fair shot to impress us.
Below you’ll find our Friendly Swede Waterproof Dry Bag review and the tell-all results from extensive waterproof testing to answer the question: is the Friendly Swede Waterproof Dry Bag Backpack waterproof? Let’s begin!
The Basics
The Friendly Swede Waterproof Dry Bag has classy minimalist features and a laptop pocket sizable enough for a 13" laptop. There are also three external pockets that are slim but well placed so you can keep gear well organized when you’re on the go.
This size bag is ideal for day trips or commuting, and it’s a perfect choice if you’ll be outside for extended periods biking, camping, or hiking. It’s also got lightweight straps that are fully adjustable and padded for comfort, so you don’t have to carry extra weight, but they don’t dig into your shoulders either.
This bag weighs only 0.7 kg and features a premium PVC tarp material with carefully welded seams and a roll-top closure specifically designed not to leak water into your bag. The 500D Tarpaulin material is exceptionally durable, meets REACH standards, is free from toxins, and comes in stark colors like black, white, and olive green.
The roll-top design of this bag makes it easy to expand or contract to accommodate objects of various shapes and volumes, and the splash-proof zippers mean you can still access your items even if you’re outside in the rain. The stylish design works well for urban life and active individuals and doesn’t look out of place in rugged and more remote locations.
This bag also has one zippered internal pocket and a total volume of 15L. While some minimal fraying is possible as the bag gets used, the welded seams prevent most wear and tear, so this bag not only stays looking nice but also maintains more of its waterproof qualities.
Waterproof Testing Results
This junction is where we put the Friendly Swede bag to the test and subjected it to water in multiple ways to see if it really lived up to the promises it made. Read on for the results.
The Mist
The Friendly Swede Waterproof Dry Bag quickly passed the Mist test thanks to the high-quality material and welded seams. The zippers also passed this test with flying colors, and virtually no water made it through when we opened the pockets.
The Rain
The Friendly Swede also passed the Rain test with flying colors, and nothing more than a drop of water made it through when we hastily opened the bag in our excitement. The rolltop closure performed exceptionally well, and the internal organization's pockets were completely dry.
The Dunk
This test was the one we were most anxious about, but The Friendly Swede once again astonished us, and we found only a few drops of water inside. While we don’t think you’ll be fully submerging this bag in a tub of water as we did, it can still hold its own in even the wettest conditions.
Other Features We Like
The interior space on this bag is excellent and allows for items of different shapes to rest safely without the bag becoming uncomfortable to wear. We love the roll-top design of this bag as well because it means we can collapse the bag down to a smaller size when it’s less full or open it up when we need to carry more stuff or oddly shaped items.
The laptop sleeve is also reassuringly snug, so we don’t worry at all about our laptop shifting about as we walk. The sleek look is also a plus and pretty much fits in in any environment, from the city to the hiking trail, so you don’t have to worry about sticking out embarrassingly.
Complaints
While this bag has a fashionable design, the main compartment isn’t easy to access without completely removing the backpack from your back. We also found that the fabric edges could be more durable as there was some minor fraying over time, but never any holes, thanks to the high-quality welded seams.
If you look closely, you can tell that the material is multiple layers molded together into one, and this provides an excellent level of durability, but it also made the slim external pockets challenging to use for anything thicker than a cell phone or small notebook.
These slim pockets are also pretty waterproof, but they’re not monsoon-proof, so we had to move more moisture-sensitive items to the internal compartment when there was a downpour outside. The laptop sleeve works well for a 13" laptop, but if you have a larger device, it might be challenging to get a snug fit without it rubbing against other items in the bag.
Who Should Get The Friendly Swede Waterproof Dry Bag Backpack
The Friendly Swede is an excellent choice for students and for those that commute to work by walking, biking, or other means where you get exposed to the elements. The zippers on this bag use a similar design and technology to that of more expensive brands like Patagonia, which provides an impressive level of waterproofness in a variety of conditions.
This bag also has comfortable straps and keeps the contents snugly in place, making it more comfortable to carry when riding a bike or walking.
Final Verdict: Is The Friendly Swede Waterproof Dry Bag Backpack Waterproof?
The Friendly Swede Waterproof Dry Bag is highly water resistant in most applications and even dunking it thoroughly in water did little to dissuade us from this notion. With lightweight designs, splash-proof zippers and fully welded seams, you can get years of service out of this bag as you commute to work or school with little fear of wet conditions. It also made our list of the best waterproof backpacks!
Until next time, stay dry out there.
