The right setup depends on whether you're joining a trip or running it. A guest needs one clearly identifiable bag, a 10 or 20 liter, for personal gear in the group pile, plus a small 2 liter kept on your person. Whoever rigs the boat needs personal bags per person plus separate bags for shared camp gear.
Boat and raft days put more gear in one shared space than almost any other kind of paddling, which is exactly why an unorganized pile turns into a search party by lunch. A little planning up front fixes most of it.
What if you're a guest on someone else's raft trip?
Bring your own dry bag rather than relying on the trip leader's system. A 20 liter covers an overnight's worth of personal gear, or a 10 liter is plenty for a day trip. Keep phone, wallet, and keys in a small 2 liter that stays clipped to you or tucked in a spot you control, not loose in the group pile where it's easy to lose track of. A print or color you can spot at a glance is a real advantage once ten similar-looking bags are stacked in the same boat.
What if you're rigging the boat yourself?
Separate personal gear from shared gear into different bags entirely. Cooking equipment, group food, and camp gear belong in their own larger bags, distinct from anyone's personal 10 liter or 20 liter. Distribute bags across the raft rather than loading everything into one giant sack, both for balance and so a rough patch of water doesn't put all your gear in the same spot. Tie everything down. A boat that takes a hard hit or flips will test every knot and clip on board, and gear that isn't secured becomes someone else's problem downstream.
Packing for a group or family boat day
Group trips are one of the few places where owning several matching sizes actually pays off: everyone gets their own bag, shared gear gets its own, and the print or color makes sorting instant at the takeout. If you're outfitting a family or a full crew, Wild Currents runs a bundle: buy 6 or more bags and save 10 percent, on the Bundle and Save page. It's the rare case where a discount makes sense, since a group trip is the actual multi-bag context it was built for.
Build the set for your next trip
Wild Currents makes roll-top dry bags in 2 liter, 10 liter, and 20 liter, in prints that make sorting a group pile easy. Browse the collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size dry bag should I bring on a rafting trip as a guest?
A 20 liter for an overnight, or a 10 liter for a day trip, plus a 2 liter for your phone and wallet kept on your person rather than in the group pile.
Do I need my own dry bag if I'm just a guest on someone else's raft?
Yes. Bringing your own means your gear is clearly identifiable and you're not relying on someone else's packing system or hoping there's room in theirs.
How do you keep gear organized on a group boat trip?
Separate personal gear from shared or group gear into different bags, and use print or color to spot bags quickly in a pile. It saves real time at every stop.
Is it worth outfitting a whole rafting group with the same brand of dry bag?
It can be, both for consistency and cost. Outfitting a family or crew with several bags is exactly where the buy 6 or more, save 10 percent bundle fits.
What's the biggest packing mistake on group boat trips?
One giant shared bag that's hard to search and awkward to secure. Several sized bags, tied down separately and sorted by owner or purpose, work better every time.