ISO waterproof luggage

July 17, 2009 7:58 PM

Looking for a set of waterproof luggage, suitable for Central America, but not a backpack. Help?

A friend of mine is going to be traveling to Guatemala for two years on an LDS mission and will be moving around quite a bit in country. A lot of the transportation will be by "chicken bus" -- basically old US school buses. Most of the time his luggage will be on top of the bus, so he's looking for something waterproof and durable. Unfortunately, backpacks are not allowed.

My friend, being acutely aware of the wisdom emanating from the MeFi oracle, asks your advice. Any thoughts?

posted by SuperNova to travel & transportation (7 answers total)

I'm not clear how far the backpack ban goes, like does it have to look like luggage? The North Face Base Camp Duffel is a very good bag for this situation if not. I've had trek leaders use it in the same exact situation you've described.
posted by smackfu at 8:15 PM on July 17, 2009

Unfortunately, backpacks are not allowed.

Take a backpack anyway.

I don't mean to be trite and dismissive of a mission rule if it really is one. I generally am adamant in advocating adherence to mission rules. But I would like to see what this rule actually says, if it really is one. If the rule is adamant, all-caps, and whatnot, like "BACKPACKS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED BY THE GOVERNMENT," then don't take a backpack. But if it's something like "experience has shown that backpacks are not an ideal way for missionaries to carry their possessions, and incoming missionaries are, therefore, instructed to use traditional luggage rather than a backpack," then I say disregard it and take a waterproof backpack - because it's a suggestion and not a "rule."

Also, could it be that the rule is actually saying they should not have a backpack as their everyday carry-the-scriptures-and-other-materials thing, and not a proscription against a large backpack as luggage (which will really only be used 4 or 5 times, tops, in the mission field)? Read the "rule" or whatever it is closely and yes, play lawyerball with it. I am adamantly against playing lawyerball with God, commandments, doctrine, etc. But lawyerball with the officious regulations of Church bureaucracy is not only fair game, but a necessity.
posted by The World Famous at 8:43 PM on July 17, 2009

i have *just* gotten a waterproof rolling case from fuerte cases. it looks pretty good, but i haven't actually taken it out and abused the hell out of it. appears to be pretty solid, though.
posted by rmd1023 at 7:49 AM on July 18, 2009

Check out a river bag (for white-water rafting). They are extremely durable, 100% waterproof, designed to be dragged behind a waterproof raft. They will keep your stuff dry.

Also check out LL Bean's waterproof duffel bags, less waterproof and less durable but probably good enough.
posted by kathrineg at 11:03 AM on July 18, 2009

...and you can find river bags/dry bags with backpack straps, for easier carrying - but not technically a backpack.
posted by attercoppe at 6:14 PM on July 18, 2009

I wonder if the waterproof thing is a bit off-track. It's going to be torrentially rainy compared to most of the rest of the world, but it's also going to be sunny and hot enough to make sure his clothes are dry. Bringing a laptop, sure, you want that to be dry. But will he be bringing two years' worth of stuff with him? Probably not. So I say get a duffel as in smackfu's link or something simpler (and washable!), put absolutely-cannot-get-wet-stuff inside a smaller waterproof bag (which could be as simple as a ziploc-type thing), and get to know the Spanish for all the necessary hand-washing/laundry/clothes-pinning needed.
posted by mdonley at 3:16 PM on July 20, 2009

Thanks for the helpful answers. He ended up going with the North Face, so I marked that answer as best.
posted by SuperNova at 12:19 PM on August 17, 2009