I Bought & Tested the Best-Selling Waterproof Backpacks. Here's Why Oxmere is #1:
Written by Laura Kessler
After that ferry ride, I spent the next two months hunting for a replacement, and I worked through the usual suspects. A budget "rain-resistant" daypack soaked through its stitching during a single afternoon of drizzle. A trendy roll-top dry bag kept water out, but every laptop grab became a three-minute unrolling ritual.
Next came a heavy-duty fishing pack that stayed bone dry yet had no padded laptop sleeve, so my computer rattled around like a loose tooth. A sleek commuter bag looked fantastic until water crept through its seams during a Seattle downpour. Not one bag balanced real sealing, daily practicality and all-day comfort.
So I stopped guessing and built a proper test. I gathered five of the most talked-about waterproof backpacks, including one called Oxmere that kept landing in my inbox from readers, and cleared six weeks to put them through rain, hose-downs, creek crossings and long commutes. I didn't care about marketing claims. I cared about what was still dry inside at the end of the day.
Here's what I found.
My Test Results
I spent six weeks putting all five packs through identical conditions. Each one got a five-minute hose-down at a fixed angle, repeated rainy commutes through Seattle's wet season, and a 20-minute partial dunk in a shallow creek in the Cascade foothills. Before every test, I tucked paper towels into each compartment and loaded a weighted laptop stand-in into the sleeve, so any seepage showed up instantly.
I scored every pack on four criteria: waterproof protection, durability and materials, storage and organization, and comfort and fit, plus a customer satisfaction score drawn from owner feedback. I carried 15 pounds of gear on four-mile loops and long commutes, then checked paper towels, stitching and my shoulders at the end of each day. After testing more than 40 waterproof packs and dry bags in my career, I know what a failure looks like.
The first finding was decisive. After the hose-down, I opened the main compartment of Oxmere and the paper towels were completely dry, and the same was true after the creek dunk. The embossed, high-density Oxford fabric beads water instead of absorbing it, which is why waterproof protection scored 97% against 88% for the next-best pack.
Beyond weather protection, the organization impressed me most. Seven compartments, including a padded 17.3-inch laptop section and a hidden anti-theft pocket against your back, held a laptop, charger, passport and four or five t-shirts without bulging. The luggage strap slid onto a rolling suitcase in seconds, and the USB port charged my phone from a power bank I never had to dig out.
I looked hard for flaws. The honest answer is that the only real limitation is availability, since this pack sells out regularly and I waited two weeks to order mine. Everything else held up through six weeks, with no loose stitching, no sticking zippers and no strap sag. That is a short list of complaints for a pack I used every day.
The Results:
Put simply, Oxmere is the only waterproof backpack I tested that protects like a dry bag, organizes like a briefcase and carries like a hiking pack.
Value
Since switching to this pack, I've stopped carrying a separate dry-bag liner, stopped wrapping my laptop in a garbage bag, and stopped checking the weather app with a knot in my stomach. I got time back every morning, and the habit of worrying disappeared with it. That reclaimed hassle is where the real value lives.
Doing nothing has its own cost. A leaky bag means a ruined laptop, lost documents and a derailed trip, plus the endless cycle of replacing flimsy packs every season. I've watched friends repeat that loop for years. Every "savings" ends up costing more time, stress and gear than buying the right pack once.
After six weeks of daily abuse, the stitching, zippers and fabric on Oxmere showed no wear, which tells me it should last years rather than seasons. Compared with premium competitors, it delivers more features and better protection, which makes it exceptional value. It's a smart long-term decision.
A Pack That Works From Monday Commutes to Weekend Trails
On a typical day, I slip my laptop into the padded sleeve, toss the pack on my back and walk out into whatever the sky is doing. No forecast checking, no plastic bag, no stress. At the office it looks clean and professional, and on the trail it carries my gear comfortably.
It suits more people than you'd expect. Photographers can protect camera gear, students can carry textbooks through storms, travelers can strap it to wheeled luggage, and cyclists get reliable protection on wet rides. It's the one bag I'd hand to anybody who hates surprises.
Customer Reviews
I shoot weddings on the Oregon coast, and rain is not optional. Four straight hours of steady drizzle last month and both camera bodies, two lenses and my laptop came out completely dry. Nothing rattles around inside either. This pack has replaced three bags in my rotation.
Chicago in February is brutal. My walk to campus takes 35 minutes and my books haven't gotten damp once. The USB port is a nice surprise too.
I fly nearly every week for work, so my bag has to survive airports, taxis and surprise Houston thunderstorms. In two months and eleven flights, it slid onto my rolling suitcase every time, and my laptop and paperwork stayed bone dry the one afternoon I got caught in a downpour crossing the tarmac. It looks professional enough that two clients have asked where I got it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Water resistant bags shed light drizzle for a short time, then soak through at the seams and zippers. A true waterproof backpack uses sealed or coated fabric and a protected closure, so contents stay dry in sustained rain. In my hose-down test, that difference showed up within five minutes.
Roll-tops seal well because there is no zipper line for water to find, but they are slow to open and awkward when you carry a laptop. A well-built zippered design with protected seams gives you much easier daily access.
Choose a roll-top for boats and rivers, and a zippered pack for commuting and travel.
Yes, as long as the laptop compartment is sealed and padded. Our top pick, Oxmere, kept a weighted laptop stand-in and paper towels completely dry through a five-minute hose-down and weeks of rainy commutes. Look for a dedicated padded sleeve rather than a shared main compartment.
Look for coated or taped seams and zippers with protective flaps or a waterproof coating.
Then test it yourself: tuck paper towels inside, spray the bag for five minutes and check for damp spots. Doing this in the first week lets you catch problems while you can still return the pack.
A well-made pack should last several years of regular use. Rinse off dirt and salt with fresh water, air dry it fully before storing, and avoid machine washing. Check the stitching and zipper track every few months so small issues never become leaks.
Yes, if it balances protection, padding and comfort. Our top pick handled office commutes, airport days and weekend trails during my six weeks of testing thanks to its breathable back panel and smart organization. Pure dry-bag styles tend to excel outdoors but frustrate you at the office.
- Daily commuting: choose a pack that fits a laptop, charger and lunch.
- Business trips: look for room for four or five shirts plus electronics.
- Water sports: a smaller roll-top in the 10 to 20 liter range works well.
Pick the smallest size that fits your real routine, since oversized packs tempt you to overload them.
Yes. Demand regularly outpaces supply, and I waited two weeks myself before I could place my order. Restocks tend to sell through quickly, so order Oxmere as soon as the store page shows it is available.
Purchase and Delivery Process
Ordering is simple. This pack is sold exclusively online through the official store, so there are no retail markups and no hunting through shelves.
Here's the catch: it is frequently out of stock because demand is so high. I personally had to wait two weeks before I could place my order because it was sold out.
If the store page shows it as available, don't wait. Once my order went through, shipping was fast and the pack arrived well protected.
Where Can I Buy the Oxmere?
Getting your own Oxmere with a 50% discount is simple. Just follow these steps: