MSR · Waterproof Outdoor Gear Storage Bags
MSR DromLite Bag
Skip pending PFAS clarity; outdoor gear often uses PFAS.
MSR DromLite pairs nylon ripstop with water-repellent coating, a common PFAS carrier in outdoor products. MSR won't disclose their coating specifics, so you'd need to contact them directly.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Nylon ripstop with water-repellent coating
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What MSR DromLite Bag is made of, ingredients and materials
The DromLite Bag uses nylon ripstop fabric, a densely woven polyamide that resists tearing and abrasion. A water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating is applied to the outer surface to shed moisture. Nylon itself is chemically stable and does not leach into food or skin during normal use. The critical unknown is the water-repellent coating chemistry, modern water-repellent coating can be PFAS-based (fluorinated) or PFAS-free, and MSR has not publicly disclosed which formulation is used on this product.
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
water-repellent coating durability and reapplication toxicity
The water-repellent coating will degrade and may eventually require reapplication or replacement. Consumer water-repellent coating spray reapplication products often contain PFAS or solvents; MSR does not specify approved recoating methods, leaving users to choose potentially hazardous aftermarket products.
Microplastic shedding from synthetic fabric
Nylon ripstop sheds microfibers when abraded, washed, or worn. This is not a health hazard during normal use but a cumulative environmental concern. MSR does not disclose fiber shedding rates or recommend washing practices to minimize microplastic release.
What’s reassuring
Azo dyes in nylon fabric
Nylon ripstop is typically dyed with acid or disperse dyes; carcinogenic azo dyes are rare in outdoor gear nylon but not explicitly excluded in public MSR specifications. No recalls or reports of azo dye contamination in MSR bags are on record.
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Nylon ripstop may be finished with formaldehyde-based resins for wrinkle resistance or sizing. No formaldehyde reports or recalls exist for MSR outdoor bags. Off-gassing risk is minimal for non-apparel storage items.
Source, ATSDR ↗Flame retardants
Outdoor ripstop bags are not typically treated with flame retardants unless marketed as fire-resistant. No public information indicates MSR applies flame retardants to the DromLite Bag.
Source, EPA ↗The full breakdown
The brand's record and disclosure
MSR (Mountain Safety Research, owned by Cascade Designs) has not published detailed PFAS sourcing statements or third-party testing results for their gear as of available public records. The brand does not maintain a published restricted substances list or chemical transparency report comparable to outdoor peers like Patagonia or The North Face. This silence on water-repellent coating chemistry is typical of many outdoor equipment makers but represents a gap in consumer assurance.
How it compares in its category
Nylon ripstop bags are industry standard for outdoor storage and carry systems. Most competing products use identical or very similar nylon with water-repellent coating coatings of undisclosed chemistry. Few mainstream outdoor brands offer PFAS-free water-repellent coating on all products, though some (e.g., Paragon, certain REI Co-op lines) have begun transitioning. The DromLite Bag is not an outlier in chemical transparency, it reflects the broader outdoor industry norm of limited disclosure.
If you buy it
Use the bag for dry goods storage, outdoor transport, and camping use as intended; nylon is not a food-contact material and poses no chemical risk in these applications. Avoid prolonged contact with skin for people with sensitive skin, as the coating texture may cause minor irritation in rare cases. water-repellent coating coatings degrade over 2-5 years with washing and UV exposure; expect to replace the bag or accept reduced water resistance. Hand wash gently with mild soap if needed; machine washing accelerates coating breakdown.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 45% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- MSR has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Better-graded alternatives in Waterproof Outdoor Gear Storage Bags
REI Co-op
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- UV degradation and additive leaching
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Marmot
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- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from polyester and nylon manufacturing
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Patagonia
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- Recycled polyester with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- PFAS
4 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
More waterproof outdoor gear storage bags grades
How we score, every product runs through the same public 0-100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.