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Voyageur's
Half Dome
The Half Dome incorporates a polyethylene sheet stiffener that
gives it a rounded profile-and makes accessing the contents a
cinch. The bag
is made from PVC-coated polyester in a simple, tapered shape,
with no external pockets, save a mesh one at the rear big enough
for sunscreen or a small water bottle. The bungies running across
the top will secure (not very well) a chart in a ziplock.
The
Half Dome utilizes a serious dry suit-type zipper closure that
arcs over the rear end of the bag. When it's open you can pull
the rear flap down and easily see and retrieve everything inside
the 900-cubic-inch bag. As I expected, there was no leakage under
any circumstances. As with all examples of this type of zipper,
however, it is quite stiff to operate. This is somewhat reassuring,
since you know when the thing is closed, unlike on, say, the Watershed
where you have to feel all along the edge of the lips to make
sure you've popped every bit shut. But the zipper requires a strong
pull, which would be much easier if Voyageur added loops at either
end of the opening to hook a thumb through while pulling with
the other hand.
The
Half Dome has the best wave-shedding profile of the bunch. Although
its tapered front more easily scoops up small waves coming along
the deck than the bags with bluff fronts, which block them, those
waves and even bigger ones usually cascade harmlessly off the
back of the Voyageur bag. When bigger waves hit the front of the
blunt bags, they tended to splash up in my chest and face more.
The
Half Dome's compact shape and 14-inch width fit well on the deck
of nearly any kayak. The mounting kit comprises four web straps
with plastic clips on one end (like the Watershed, apparently
designed to clip to bungies), and sewn loops on the other. If
you slid these loops over the bungies that are laced across the
bag, you would have an easily adjustable but pretty elastic bungie-to-bungie
mount. However, try as I might I couldn't disassemble the dang
fitting that connects the ends of the bungie on the bag, so I
couldn't slide the loops on, short of cutting the bungie and retying
it. If this were my bag, I'd ignore the whole setup, and use nylon
cord and clips to tie the bag down by its four stout corner eyelets.
I think this would be much sturdier in any case. Even with the
corners pulled tight, the arched top makes it easy to insert and
retrieve gear.
Overall,
there was very little to criticize about the Voyageur bag. I worry
a bit about the polyethylene sheet abrading the bag from the inside.
I'd like to see reinforcing patches where the corners of the sheet
rub. I'd wrap the edges of the sheet with tape or foam, but that's
quibbling. The Half Dome is simple, easy to use, and totally waterproof,
at a very reasonable price.
Price: $90 | Voyageur, (800) 311-7245 ext. 186
http:www.voyageur-gear.com
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