Base Camp Dry Bag vs Base Camp Dry Bag Backpack: which is safer?

The North Face Base Camp Dry Bag Backpack is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

The North Face Base Camp Dry Bag

The North Face

Base Camp Dry Bag

PFAS grade

Poor 40/100

Overall grade

Bad 18/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 4

Material

TPE/PVC drybag with waterproof coating

Confidence

45%

Possiblewater-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating composition

PossiblePVC/TPE thermal leaching

ReportedCoating degradation and microparticle shedding

Our pick

The North Face Base Camp Dry Bag Backpack

The North Face

Base Camp Dry Bag Backpack

PFAS grade

Poor 40/100

Overall grade

Poor 26/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

Nylon fabric with water-repellent coating water-repellent treatment

Confidence

45%

Reportedwater-repellent coating degradation and reapplication

PossibleNylon microfiber shedding

Where these two actually differ

  • 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 The North Face.
  • We flag DWR coating degradation and reapplication and Nylon microfiber shedding on the The North Face and not on the The North Face.
  • The The North Face is TPE/PVC drybag with waterproof coating where the The North Face is Nylon fabric with DWR water-repellent treatment, 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