Stowaway Packable 20L Backpack vs Base Camp Dry Bag: which is safer?
Eddie Bauer Stowaway Packable 20L Backpack is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Our pick
Eddie Bauer
Stowaway Packable 20L Backpack
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
Possiblewater-repellent coating degradation and unknown composition
PossibleDyes and fastness in colored variants
PossibleMicroplastic shedding during use
The North Face
Base Camp Dry Bag
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
Possiblewater-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating composition
PossiblePVC/TPE thermal leaching
ReportedCoating degradation and microparticle shedding
Where these two actually differ
- We flag DWR coating degradation and unknown composition, Dyes and fastness in colored variants and Microplastic shedding during use on the Eddie Bauer and not on the The North Face.
- We flag Durable Water Repellent (DWR) coating composition, PVC/TPE thermal leaching, Coating degradation and microparticle shedding and Seal seam integrity and off-gassing on the The North Face and not on the Eddie Bauer.
- The Eddie Bauer is Nylon ripstop with water-repellent coating where the The North Face is TPE/PVC drybag with waterproof coating, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- These two are level, close enough that price and fit should decide it rather than our grade.
Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
More waterproof outdoor gear storage bags: see the full ranking