Your Outdoor or Fishing Bag Got Wet — Waterproofing and Everyday Care.
Getting wet is part of outdoor use. The question is what the bag is made of, and what you do after. Waterproof first. The Waterproof Fishing Tote HFB1001 is a 50L tote in PVC Tarpaulin, made to be waterproof. Most of our other outdoor and fishing bags are water-repellent rather than fully waterproof — for example the HL231001 lightweight backpack is 100% Nylon 210D PU-coated, and the fishing backpacks HFB1002 and HFB1003 are 600D Oxford. PU coating and Oxford fabric shed rain, but they are not a dry bag: in heavy rain, keep electronics and paper in a sealed pouch inside. After a wet trip, three steps: (1) empty the bag completely, including side pockets; (2) wipe it down and let it air-dry open, out of direct sun; (3) do not put it away damp — a damp bag left closed is where smells start. Removable pads, like the washable base pads in the pet carriers, can be taken out and washed separately. For fishing bags, rinse off mud and fish smell the same day if you can; the 600D Oxford on HFB1002, HFB1003 and the waist bags HFB1005-HFB1008 wipes clean, but dried mud is harder to shift. And check zips after a muddy trip — grit in a zip is the most common reason a zip starts to stick.