can check this airtight promise , as I did , by docking the zipper and adding weight-bearing to the bag . To do this I dropped the shades on my windows so my neighbors won ’ t become more skeptical , then knelt on the bag and rotated it under my knees for 10 minutes . After that , I propped the Panga against a wall , stabilized the outside of the bag , and then stacked 100 pounds of weight on top . After 24 hours I checked the bag and determined that no air had escaped from the zipper and U-Dock .
I also checked the submergibility aspect , so I loaded the Panga with weight , followed by gift-wrapping paper ( which I figured would best show any sort of leakage ) and submerged it in a deep bathtub and turned on the jets , my simulation for that bag going through a rapid . I left the jets on for an hour , then turned them off . But I left the Panga completely submerged for 24 hours . When I removed the Panga and drained the tub I dried the duffel with a towel and then used a hairdryer to remove any water drops remaining on the bag or on the zipper . Then I opened the bag and checked the paper . As expected , not a drop of water had penetrated the zipper and the paper was absolutely dry .
Like other Yeti products , this one is built to last . The bag is made with Thickskin Shell , which is a high-density nylon and thick TPU lamination that is puncture and abrasion resistant . This is the same material Yeti ’ s soft-side coolers are made with . In addition , this duffel can serve as a backpack because it comes with removable , high-quality straps and equally bombproof metal clips . Let ’ s be honest , however ; although the straps are comfortable and efficient , you aren ’ t going to head into the Crazy Mountains with this bag , figuring it to be a replacement for your standard high-country pack . But , this will get you hands-free from the boat to a campsite and serves superbly in airports as you negotiate security and race to gates . If you need to carry your camera gear all day and hike into some remote bull trout , cutthroat or steelhead stream , this backpack capability earns big props , too .
If you are going to carry the bag with your hands you ’ ll find eight different handles to choose from . These also serve as lashpoints so you can strap your bag down when the need arrives . These also allow you to pitch the bag from the beach to a boat if needed .
You can jam a lot of gear into these bags , especially clothing , and a “ zip assist ” on the inside of the bag helps you get as much in as pos-
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