All 128 waterproof outdoor gear storage bags we scored fail our PFAS screen

The verdict
All 128 waterproof outdoor gear storage bags PFAS Authority has graded score below its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, as of October 2026.
Free to quote with attribution to PFAS Authority and a link to pfasauthority.com/best/outdoor-gear-bags. Grades are model-based estimates from published materials and disclosures, not lab tests. The rubric.

Every grade below is built from published materials, ingredient lists, certifications and brand disclosures, scored on one public rubric and ranked best-graded first. Each score links to the full breakdown of what earned it, and the numbers across the whole dataset are published too.

Are waterproof outdoor gear storage bags non-toxic?

None of the 128 waterproof outdoor gear storage bags we graded clear our screen. Non-toxic is not a defined or regulated term, so what we can tell you is what our graders recorded. Beyond PFAS, the hazards found or left unruled-out on waterproof outdoor gear storage bags in this category are microplastics, VOCs and off-gassing, artificial dyes, formaldehyde, heavy metals.

Why REI Co-op Trailgate Gear Bin Green 140 L grades highest here, and why that is not a pass

Every grade on this page is one sum. A category starts from a baseline, each disclosed material or coating adds risk points, and each thing the brand or a third party has published takes them away. Below is that sum for the winner, then for 2 products it beats, so you can see exactly where the 45 points between the top and the bottom of this waterproof outdoor gear storage bags ranking come from. Nothing in this category reaches our 70 point pass mark, so this is the shape of the field rather than a recommendation.

Top graded, and still below our pass mark

REI Co-op Trailgate Gear Bin Green 140 L
65Good
REI Co-op Trailgate Gear Bin Green 140 L

Made of Polypropylene storage bin, no water-resistant coating mentioned.

  • +30Category baseline. The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
  • +15No PFAS disclosure. No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
  • -10Base material not linked to PFAS. The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.

35risk points in total, which is a grade of 65

What the grade does not fix. It still carries one risk factor, No PFAS disclosure, and our graders recorded 3 other hazards on it. See the full breakdown.

What it still grades above, and why

Patagonia Disperser Roll Top Pack 40L
45Poor20 points behind the winner
Patagonia Disperser Roll Top Pack 40L

What puts it behind. Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment, +35 points. Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS. The top-graded product carries no such factor.

Made of Recycled polyester with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish.

  • +35Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
  • +30Category baseline
  • -10Brand-stated PFAS-free. The brand states this product is PFAS-free. We have not verified the claim.

55risk points, a grade of 45

Sea to Summit Ultra Sil Dry
20Bad45 points behind the winner
Sea to Summit Ultra Sil Dry

What puts it behind. Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment, +35 points. Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS. The top-graded product carries no such factor.

Made of ripstop nylon with silicone or polyurethane coating.

  • +35Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
  • +30Category baseline
  • +15No PFAS disclosure

80risk points, a grade of 20

No product on this page was physically tested by us. Every number above comes from published materials, ingredient and coating disclosures, certifications and brand statements, scored on one public rubric. Formulations change without notice, so check the current product listing before buying.

What to watch for in waterproof outdoor gear storage bags

Beyond the PFAS grade, these are the things our graders recorded on the 128 waterproof outdoor gear storage bags in this category. We assess from materials, brand statements and published research. We do not lab-test.

  • Microplastics

    Plastic fragments small enough to shed from a product into food, water or air without anyone seeing it.

    Found on 14 of these waterproof outdoor gear storage bags. Plausible but unconfirmed on 69 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. EPA

  • VOCs and off-gassing

    Volatile compounds that evaporate out of a material at room temperature, which is what a new product smell is.

    Found on 1 of these waterproof outdoor gear storage bags. Plausible but unconfirmed on 35 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. EPA

  • Artificial dyes

    Synthetic colours added to food, cosmetics and textiles, most of them petroleum derived.

    Plausible but unconfirmed on 16 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. FDA

  • Formaldehyde

    A preservative and resin ingredient that is also released slowly by a group of chemicals used in its place.

    Plausible but unconfirmed on 15 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. NCI

  • Heavy metals

    Metals such as antimony, nickel and chromium migrating from a material into what touches it.

    Plausible but unconfirmed on 10 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. ATSDR

The safest waterproof outdoor gear storage bags we graded, lowest PFAS risk first

Nothing in this category clears our buy threshold yet. That is the finding, not a gap.

See PFAS-free waterproof outdoor gear storage bags on Amazon

The waterproof outdoor gear storage bags we would skip

Lowest scoring in this category, worst first, with the reason.

How to read these scores. PFAS Authority is a scoring system, not a laboratory. We do not test products ourselves. Each grade is a model-based assessment built from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, brand disclosures, recalls and third-party lab results where they exist. Read the full rubric to see exactly what adds and removes points.

What we check on waterproof outdoor gear storage bags

  • BPA & bisphenols. Plastic-hardening chemicals linked to hormone disruption. FDA
  • Phthalates. Plastic softeners studied for endocrine effects. ATSDR
  • Microplastics. Tiny plastic particles that shed from products into food and water. EPA

Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.

The waterproof outdoor gear storage bags brands we found no PFAS statement from

We found no PFAS statement from 21 of the brands here. That is our research, not proof a brand has never said anything, and it is not evidence of harm. It is why none of them score well on disclosure.

AFTCO, ALPS Mountaineering, CamelBak, Cascade Designs, Cascade Rescue, Deuter, Exped, Geckobrands, Granite Gear, Gregory, Hurley, MSR.

The brands that have published something, and what each of them actually said, are in our record of what every brand has said about PFAS.

Common questions about PFAS in waterproof outdoor gear storage bags

Are waterproof outdoor gear storage bags PFAS free?

All 128 waterproof outdoor gear storage bags PFAS Authority has graded score below its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, as of October 2026. The lowest graded is Sea to Summit Ultra Sil Dry at 20 out of 100.

Are waterproof outdoor gear storage bags non-toxic?

None of the 128 waterproof outdoor gear storage bags we graded clear our screen. Non-toxic is not a defined or regulated term, so what we can tell you is what our graders recorded. Beyond PFAS, the hazards found or left unruled-out on waterproof outdoor gear storage bags in this category are microplastics, VOCs and off-gassing, artificial dyes, formaldehyde, heavy metals.

Which waterproof outdoor gear storage bags should I avoid?

The three lowest scoring we hold are Sea to Summit Ultra Sil Dry at 20, Gregory Alpaca Gear Box 25 2 Pack Backpack at 20, REI Co-op Convertible Duffel at 20. The problem with the first is that likely lower PFAS risk, but brand doesn't disclose details.

How can you tell if waterproof outdoor gear storage bags contain PFAS?

In this category we check for BPA & bisphenols, phthalates, microplastics. Plastic-hardening chemicals linked to hormone disruption. Language like stain resistant, water repellent or easy release usually means fluorinated chemistry even when PFAS is never printed on the box.

Which waterproof outdoor gear storage bags brands have not published a PFAS statement?

We found no PFAS statement from 21 of the brands we scored in this category, including AFTCO, ALPS Mountaineering, CamelBak, Cascade Designs, Cascade Rescue, Deuter. That is what our research turned up, not proof a brand has never said anything, and a missing statement is not evidence of harm. It is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.

Do you lab test waterproof outdoor gear storage bags?

No. We score from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, disclosures and third party lab results where they exist. Where a product has been independently tested we use that result and say so.

More food and water categories we have graded

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Brands we grade across the catalogue

Everything we have scored from these brands, not just waterproof outdoor gear storage bags.

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