On a downwind or outrigger run, most paddlers carry very little and keep it clipped close: a phone in a 2 liter dry bag bungeed behind the seat, water, a thin layer, and some nutrition. The leash comes first, the bag second. The whole point of a downwind kit is that it disappears and lets you paddle.
Downwind and outrigger paddling are their own thing. You are moving, often in wind and chop, sometimes far from where you started, and the last thing you want is gear shifting around or asking for your attention. The dry storage question here is not how much can you carry. It is how little can you get away with, and how do you keep it from moving.
Keep it small and keep it close
A 2 liter holds the things you would not want to swim after: phone, key, a card, maybe a gel. Bungee it behind the seat or clip it to a rigging line where you can see it. A small bag that is secured and out of the way beats a big bag that slides. If you carry water and a thin layer for a longer run, they ride on the rigging too, not loose in the hull.
Safety rides first
None of this comes before the basics. On an outrigger, your leash keeps you connected to the canoe, which is your largest and best flotation, and a PFD is a PFD. Dry storage is what you sort out after the safety layer is handled, not instead of it. A phone in a dry bag is not a safety plan. It is a convenience, and a way to call someone from the beach at the end.
Why less is the right answer
A downwind run rewards a clean rig. Every extra thing is one more item to shift, snag, or lose when the water gets lively. Pack the short list, secure it, and forget it. If you are heading out for longer or in colder water, size the layer and the nutrition up, but keep the habit: small, secured, close. For the wider decision on sizes, see what size dry bag you need, and to make sure it stays dry, how to seal a dry bag.
Rig it in a print you will spot
A small bag you can find at a glance is a small bag you will actually clip in. Wild Currents makes 2 liter roll-top dry bags in prints that stand out against a gray hull and gray water. Browse the collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you carry on a downwind or outrigger run?
Very little: a phone, a key, and a card in a 2 liter dry bag, plus water, a thin layer, and some nutrition on longer runs. Everything rides secured to the rigging, not loose. The leash and PFD come first.
Where do you put a dry bag on an OC1?
Bungee it behind the seat or clip it to a rigging line where you can see it and it will not shift. A small, secured bag stays out of your way. Avoid anything loose in the hull that can slide when the water gets lively.
What size dry bag is best for outrigger and downwind?
A 2 liter for most runs. It holds the phone-and-keys core and rigs small and close. Size up to a 10 liter only if you are carrying more layers or nutrition for a long or cold session.
Is a dry bag a safety device?
No. Your leash and PFD are the safety layer on an outrigger, since the leash keeps you connected to the canoe. A dry bag keeps your phone dry and lets you make a call from the beach. Handle the safety basics first.
Why carry so little on a downwind run?
A clean rig is a safer, faster rig. Every extra item can shift, snag, or be lost in chop. Carrying the short list and securing it well lets you keep your attention on the water, which is the whole point.