Keeping your essentials dry while navigating a frothy river has always been a key concern for boaters. Piece of Mind Fabrications of Southern Oregon offers a novel solution with their
“Crotch-Sac” a new take on the classic drybag. Over the past couple of months, I’ve put this bag to the test on day trips and overnight excursions throughout the Pacific Northwest, and I’m genuinely impressed.
Over the years, I’ve encountered several frustrations with drybags, including awkward geometry and excessive accessories or attachment points, questionable durability, and unreliable waterproofness. Many proven waterproof bags are burdened with too many straps, and their shape often makes them difficult to store efficiently or retrieve from within the boat, necessitating their use as a lap bag.
While these larger bags offer ample volume, it’s often more than needed for a quick day trip on your local run. Conversely, smaller drybags suitable for shorter rips often suffer from less-than-ideal closure systems and a loose interpretation of “waterproof.” These smaller bags tend to have a simpler, more rounded exterior, with fewer attachment points, which makes them superior for storage and retrieval from the stern of a boat. After using the Crotch-Sac for the past couple of months, I feel it effectively addresses some of my fundamental needs.
For after-work paddles or hot weekend laps, the Sac is perfect for stashing gloves, a beanie, and my cell phone. Here, the Crotch-Sac’s size is a significant advantage. It offers enough space for essentials like a headlamp, beverage, and phone, yet it’s compact enough to be stored behind my backband without interfering with my paddling position. Its attachment system allows for quick removal with minimal snagging straps, and its attachment points facilitate the easy addition of a shoulder strap.
On two recent multi-day trips, I utilized the Crotch-Sac as my essential items drybag, carrying a multi-tool, power bars, and a spork. By storing the Sac vertically against my forward pillar, I was able to forgo a lap bag and paddle without obstruction, freeing up valuable legroom and space in the seat tray for my throw bag.
What do I appreciate most about the Crotch-Sac? Probably its size and geometry. With one clip (or rather, unclip), I can easily extract the Crotch-Sac from behind the backband in my boat and swing it over my shoulder for scouting, portaging, or whatever the situation demands.
I particularly like that the Crotch-Sac’s dimensions allow me to store it vertically, secured against the forward bulkhead of my boat. This bag’s combination of size and volume (along with a handy 10-inch piece of bungee cord) effectively gives you a lap bag that isn’t actually in your lap—a feature I deeply appreciate when swimming. I’ve successfully stowed the Crotch-Sac vertically in the Dagger Rewind (Med), Phantom, and both sizes of the Indra.
Crotch-Sac Specs:
● Weight: Less than 1 pound
● Volume: 5 liters
● Dimensions: 12′ x 5′
● Material: PVC-coated nylon fabric (approximately 1 mm thick)
● Closure type: Watertight Topaz or TiZIP zipper
● “Happy Swims”; inflation valve
Personalized options make each Sac unique, tailored to the end-user’s preferences and needs. Customizable features include:
● Color
● Internal attachment points
● External attachment points
● Closure orientation (cross-zip or clamshell opening)
● Paddle clips (designed for securely holding your paddle)
● Custom hand-etched topo maps (e.g., Cispus, Skykomish)
Some other cool looking examples of the bags as the design evolves and gets event better.
More information at this link www.pieceofmindfab.com
— By Dan Patrinellis