The Yeti Panga 50 is a simple duffel bag that is submersible and basically bombproof. Photo: Yeti
I trudge around in the rain a lot. I live in a place where if it’s not summer, it’s probably raining. So I need a bag that will keep my shit dry. A bag that will keep my shit dry and stand up to the rigors of having an owner who generally treats his belongings like trash. I will throw bags. Hide them under logs with fabric-piercing branches. Drop them off boats by accident. But Yeti makes bags. Yeti makes good bags. Waterproof, bombproof bags. Case in point: the Yeti Panga 50, a 50-liter duffel bag that is one of the toughest I’ve ever seen.
I live in a legitimate rainforest, which has its benefits, but I won’t lie to you: I hate rain. I hate when a cold drop hits the back of my warm neck. I hate the months of dreariness. I hate the low clouds, hate the constant squish of mud beneath my boots, hate the constant sogginess of my clothes. I like to go outside, though, so I generally try and have the proper gear to make my life a little less miserable. The wave I surf most often is a 20-minute hike down a steep and supremely muddy trail. It’s just far enough that I want to change into my suit at the beach, since hiking back up in a wetsuit turns me into a sweaty mess. And since it’s far more than likely that it will be absolutely pissing rain when I’m hiking that trail, I need a waterproof bag. On the way down, it’s for wetsuits and towels. While I’m surfing, my things will stay inside in it while they sit on the beach. On the way up, my wet wetsuits will live inside, so I don’t have to hold the messy things and get the clothes that were in the bag that I’m now wearing, wet.
It’s not a bells and whistles kinda bag. It’s a simple duffel, but it’s a simple duffel that does exactly what you need it to do in the worst conditions Mother Nature can throw at you. Image: Yeti
I recently got my hands on a Yeti Panga 50. It’s not a bells and whistles kinda bag. It’s a simple duffel, but it’s a simple duffel that does exactly what you need it to do in the worst conditions Mother Nature can throw at you. I’m not lying when I say this bag can be full of important things and completely submerged underwater. It’s not so much a duffel bag as it is a gear fortress, impenetrable to all attacks. The shell is thick like rhino skin. Made from high-density nylon and laminated for an extra layer of protection, they’ve put the thing together with zero access points for water. The bottom is even thicker, made from EVA molded material, so you can fling it onto a bed of nails and not bat an eye.
I’m not entirely sure how they’ve managed it, but Yeti made a zipper called the HydroLok that, as I mentioned, does not allow water to pass its teeth. It can be a little hard to close (hard enough that it comes with a little tag that says “pull hard!”), but I’m okay with a stiffer yank if it means I can throw my bag full of clothes into the drink and rest assured that they’ll be dry when the waves wash it onto shore.
If you’re looking for a bag that is just a simple bag to carry your things, but a simple bag that will carry your things and ensure that those things will be safe and dry, look no further than the Yeti Panga 50.
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