PFAS in Waterproof Duffels and Dry Bags, Where Waxed Canvas Stands Out

We graded 123 waterproof bags, duffels and dry bags from Patagonia, Osprey, Arc'teryx, YETI, SealLine, NRS, Watershed and others. 109 of them carry the same two concerns in our scoring, a water-repellent or waterproof coating whose chemistry is not named, and no statement from the brand about PFAS.

The bags that grade better do so for plain reasons. Four have no coating on record. Two L.L.Bean waxed canvas duffels have a coating the maker names, wax, which is not a fluorochemical. Eight Patagonia Black Hole duffels still carry a DWR finish but grade 65, because Patagonia says 100% of its new products from Spring 2025 are made without intentionally added PFAS, a brand claim we have not verified.

Summary comparison table

Product	PFAS grade	Material as recorded
Granite Gear ToughSack	Excellent, 85/100	Cordura nylon, no coating recorded
Kelty Daisy Chain Web Duffel Bag	Excellent, 85/100	Polyester webbing and nylon
Pelican 1595 Air Travel Case	Excellent, 85/100	Polypropylene shell, foam, stainless hardware
L.L.Bean Waxed Canvas Duffle Bag	Good, 65/100	Waxed canvas with wax finish
Watershed Goforth Dry Duffel	Poor, 40/100	Cotton blend, proprietary waterproofing, no PFAS statement
Patagonia Black Hole Duffel 40L	Good, 65/100	Nylon with DWR coating, Patagonia PFAS statement
Osprey Transporter 40 Duffel	Poor, 40/100	Ballistic nylon with DWR finish
Arc'teryx Carrier 75 Duffle	Poor, 40/100	Nylon with DWR coating
YETI Camino Carryall 35	Poor, 40/100	Nylon or polyester blend with DWR
SealLine Discovery Dry Bag	Poor, 40/100	Urethane-coated nylon with waterproof treatment
SealLine Pro Zip Duffel	Poor, 40/100	Coated fabric with waterproof treatment
NRS Expedition DriDuffel Dry Bag	Poor, 40/100	Coated fabric with waterproof treatment
Watershed Goforth Duffel Bag	Poor, 40/100	Nylon or polyester with DWR treatment

How we graded these

Every grade here is a model-based estimate built from publicly available product information and manufacturer disclosures, not a lab test performed by our team. A high score means lower concern based on reviewed sources, never PFAS-free and never safe. Across the 123 bags the spread is four at 85, ten at 65 and 109 at 40. Look up any bag in our PFAS product finder.

One grade for 109 coated bags

The 109 coated bags without a PFAS statement all grade 40, because they carry the same two concerns, an unnamed waterproof coating and no PFAS statement. An earlier version of this guide split them between 40 and 20 based on how each was filed, which put SealLine's Pro Zip Duffel twenty points below its own Discovery Dry Bag. On 16 September 2026 we gave every product in a category the same starting point. They now grade the same.

Patagonia Black Hole duffels at 65

The eight Patagonia Black Hole duffels, including the Black Hole Duffel 40L, are recorded as nylon with a DWR finish, and our model counts that finish as a water-repellent treatment. They grade 25 points above the other coated bags because Patagonia says 100% of its new products from Spring 2025 are made without intentionally added PFAS. That earns a brand claim credit and removes the penalty for saying nothing about PFAS. It is Patagonia's own statement, not a test or a certification, and it covers new products, so a Black Hole duffel made before then, including one bought secondhand, may predate it. An earlier version of this guide graded these duffels 40, and we updated it on 17 September 2026.

A correction on the Watershed dry duffel

An earlier version of this guide said the Watershed Goforth Dry Duffel carried a Watershed PFAS-free claim and graded 40. We could not find any PFAS statement from Watershed, so we removed the claim on 17 September 2026, and the bag now grades 40 like the other coated dry bags.

Waxed canvas, and why it grades differently

The L.L.Bean Waxed Canvas Duffle Bag grades 65. Its record describes canvas with a wax finish, and a coating the maker names, that is not a fluorochemical, carries a far smaller penalty in our model than a coating nobody describes. Wax is the traditional way to make canvas shed water, and it is one you can see, feel and reapply.

Uncoated bags, and the trade

The four bags at 85, including the Granite Gear ToughSack and the hard-shell Pelican 1595 Air Travel Case, have no coating on record. The Pelican keeps water out with a sealed polypropylene shell rather than a treated fabric. The fabric bags at 85 are not waterproof in the way a dry bag is, so for a river trip they are not a substitute.

What to avoid

• Assuming premium outdoor brands disclose. Osprey, Arc'teryx and YETI all sit at 40, and Patagonia's Black Hole duffels reach 65 only on a brand statement, with the DWR finish still counted.
• Rewaterproofing an old bag with a spray whose chemistry is not stated. Our stain guard spray guide found no fabric spray above 40.
• Reading a low grade as proof of PFAS. It reflects an unnamed coating and no PFAS statement.

For the rest of the kit, see our backpacks, tents and rain jackets guides.

Our pick

Based on available materials and data, for a travel or gym duffel we would choose the L.L.Bean Waxed Canvas Duffle Bag at 65 out of 100, water resistant through a wax finish the maker names. If you need a hard waterproof case, the Pelican 1595 grades 85 with no coating on record. For a treated nylon duffel, Patagonia's Black Hole duffels grade 65 on Patagonia's unverified statement, with the finish still counted. For a dry bag, our data has nothing above 40, because every dry bag here carries an unnamed coating and no PFAS statement. These grades are estimates built from disclosed materials, not laboratory proof, and nothing here is being called PFAS-free or safe by us.

FAQ

Do waterproof duffel bags contain PFAS?

109 of the 123 bags we graded carry a water-repellent or waterproof coating whose chemistry is not named, with no PFAS statement from the brand. Those coatings have historically often been fluorinated, but our data does not confirm the chemistry on any given bag.

Is the Patagonia Black Hole Duffel PFAS-free?

We cannot say it is. Our records for Patagonia Black Hole duffels describe nylon with a DWR finish, which our model counts as a water-repellent treatment. They grade 65 because Patagonia says 100% of its new products from Spring 2025 are made without intentionally added PFAS. That is a brand statement we have not verified, and a duffel made before that date may not be covered.

Is waxed canvas better than coated nylon?

In our grading, yes. The waxed canvas duffels grade 65, because wax is a named coating that is not a fluorochemical, while coated nylon bags with unnamed finishes grade 40.

Are dry bags PFAS-free?

None carries third-party verification or a brand PFAS statement in our records. An earlier version of this answer said the Watershed Goforth Dry Duffel carried a PFAS-free claim, but we could not confirm it. All the dry bags here are recorded with waterproof coatings of unstated chemistry and grade 40.