The RUX Waterproof Bag is an adventure-ready tote that’s built tough and features a rainproof, stormproof closure system.
To get us a closer look, RUX sent Man Makes Fire a review unit. Man Makes Fire gear reviewer Chris Maxcer took it out on multiple sandy and rocky beach excursions along the Oregon coast to test the RUX Waterproof Bag in a rainy, wet environment. To help you determine if the RUX Waterproof Bag is the right adventure tote bag for you, here is what he learned and here are his buying recommendations:
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RUX Waterproof Bag Review
The RUX Waterproof Bag is an everyday rugged tote bag with a built-in waterproof closure system. You can use the system to protect, hide, and secure food and gear.RUX is a small Canadian company out of British Columbia that makes a modular, packable gear storage system for outdoor enthusiasts. The heart of the RUX system is the company’s RUX 70L collapsible gear box. You can carry it like a box or a tote or even a backpack. It’s made from a rugged waterproof TPU material.
The RUX system is pretty cool — it has straps, buckles, pockets, organizing bags, separators and lids that integrate well with each piece. You can attach units together or lash them down on vehicles and boats. A key RUX principle is to help you keep your gear organized and ready for each outdoor adventure.
I’m impressed: The ‘waterproof mode’ hidden inside the RUX Waterproof Bag is simply ingenious.
The RUX Waterproof Bag can attach and integrate with the RUX system. For instance, it’s perfectly sized to take up half of the inside of the RUX 70L. However, in my experience, the RUX Waterproof Bag is easily one of the best standalone adventure tote bags available today. It’s rugged and fully waterproof.
Better yet, it’s not hampered by a stiff zipper or difficult-to-use closure system. The genius of the RUX Waterproof Bag is it that it’s a regular heavy-duty tote for everyday use . . . but when you need to protect the contents, the interior sides pull out to give you a roll-top style waterproof seal. When you don’t need the seal it, the extra material fits perfectly inside the the bag and you don’t even know they’re there.
I’m impressed: The ‘waterproof mode’ hidden inside the RUX Waterproof Bag is simply ingenious.
A Closer Look at the RUX Waterproof Tote Bag
The carry handles, as well as the removable shoulder strap, are rugged yet trim.The RUX Waterproof Tote Bag is a 25L bag made from from a stout 840D TPU-coated nylon. It’s collapsible but stiff enough that the bag has a bit of structure that lets it stand, making it easier to fill than softer fabrics.
The base has a bit of foam built into it for structure and impact protection.
It weighs 19.4 oz empty.
All around the bottom of the exterior of the bag, you can see built-in lash points. At a glance, they almost look like a style design, but they’re functional if you want to feed a strap through the sections. For example, you could lash the RUX Waterproof Bag to a paddleboard, kayak, ebike or UTV.
RUX includes a center cinch strap to help you contain your gear and keep the tote’s shape when full.For those times that you overload the bag — which everyone does with a tote bag eventually — RUX has included a top compression strap to help you keep the contents manageable.
The Waterproof System
When you need to protect your gear or food, the dry-bag style waterproof closure is easy to deploy and works surprisingly well.The RUX Waterproof Bag is essentially a waterproof dry bag with a proven roll-top closure system. Unlike typical dry bags, the shape of the RUX bag makes it easy to fill, easy to pack, and easy to stow. You can actually use the RUX Waterproof Bag as an everyday tote bag. And then, if it rains, you can protect the contents.
In addition to keeping out water, the roll-top system lets you hide the contents from prying eyes and possible thieves. While I hope you don’t live in area with human thieves, I do appreciate the ability to close up any of my personal gear bags while at the beach or picnicking. For instance, if you have food inside the bag, you can seal it up so birds or rodents don’t get into your food.
For light rain in casual environments, simply rolling the top loosely a couple of times and clipping it together will give you decent waterproof protection. If you want to seal it for transport on a boat or in the back of a pickup, you’ll want to fold the top carefully, without wrinkles several times . . . then clip the ends together. Then clip and cinch the compression strap over the top. It’s not hard and it works great.
Accessories
The RUX system is full of connectors and straps and accessories. The most important accessory to the RUX Waterproof Bag is the RUX Pocket. It’s basically a handy pocket you can attach to the side of RUX bags and crates to give you extra storage space for things like your phone, wallet, keys or gear.
My Recommendations
The RUX Waterproof Bag is perfectly at home in wet environments.If you spend time outdoors in rainy environments, you’ll appreciate the RUX Waterproof Bag. If you’re looking for a rugged adventure tote for the beach, for camping, picnicking, and day trips, the RUX will be awesome.
As a travel tote, the built-in closure system lets you secure and protect the contents. Meanwhile, the fabric is relatively stiff and rugged, but it’s also collapsible. You can leave it in your vehicle, or slip it into a duffel or luggage.
While I tested the RUX Waterproof Bag on the Oregon coast, I could use the RUX as a grocery bag in grocery stores that no longer provide free plastic bags. (While I don’t have answers to the plastics and microplastics littering our world, I do appreciate rugged, multi-use gear.)
If you’re looking for a great gift ideas for outdoor enthusiasts who seem to already have everything, the RUX Waterproof Bag would likely be a hit.
Any Drawbacks?
The rugged waterproof construction lets you set this tote bag down most anywhere and not worry about the contents getting wet.Technically, I don’t see any drawbacks to the design, features, materials or build quality in the RUX Waterproof Bag. It is very good, and it’s certainly one of the best adventure totes available today. Personally, I prefer extra-stiff bottoms in my tote bags that reduce sag when carrying with a shoulder sling, but that tends to increase weight and reduce how well it packs down empty for storage or travel.
I was surprised at how big and usable the 25L RUX Waterproof Bag is — particularly how it sort of expands with the waterproof top, giving you a bit of extra room. If RUX creates a bigger version — maybe one that will fit lengthwise in the RUX 70L crate or simply be a standalone bag — I’m sure it’ll be a hit, too.
Competitive Alternatives & Options
As far as we know, there are no high-quality, competitive, fully-waterproof adventure tote bags with a design like the RUX Waterproof Bag. However, there are some competitive adventure tote bag alternatives that might also meet your needs. Here are some high-quality tote bag options we recommend:
YETI Camino 35 Carryall — The YETI Camino 35 Carryall is a rugged, structured, and feature-rich tote bag. As far as adventure totes go, it’s arguably the best. The interior includes two stash pockets as well as two built-in dividers that let you organize contents and stand up larger bottles. YETI offers its Carryall totes in 3 size options. The biggest drawback to the YETI Camino 35 Carryall compared to the RUX Waterproof Bag is that the Camino 35 Carryall doesn’t have an innovative waterproof top closure system.
KUIU Cordura 2800 Tote Bag — The KUIU Cordura 2800 Tote Bag is a tote that will likely appeal most to hunters. It’s available in three camo patterns as well as two solid colors. Unlike the RUX Waterproof Bag, it’s not waterproof and the top doesn’t seal — but it’s rugged and packable. KUIU offers a structured 2800 version with a stiff bottom and stand-up sides.
RTIC Ultra-Tough Tote — The RTIC Ultra-Tough Tote is a simple but durable tote bag that is typically priced below the competition. It comes in two sizes, 25L and 40L and multiple color options. The material is waterproof but the bag is open at the top.
The Bottom Line
All-in-all, the RUX Waterproof Bag is an awesome adventure tote bag. It works just like an everyday, heavy-duty outdoor-ready tote bag . . . and it functions as a sweet waterproof dry bag. Better yet, the structure and base of the RUX Waterproof Bag lets you set it down so that it stays put for easy use and storage in a vehicle or on a boat or iSUP. The overall build quality is fantastic. It’s relatively lightweight but definitively tough. Very highly recommended.
