This dry bag comes with a valve and compression straps. I understand the purpose of the compression bag, but what is the purpose of a valve?
2 Answers
Letting the air out while you're closing/compressing the bag, looks like.
It's probably more of a risk than a benefit in general, but could be worth considering if you need to pack tight around hard objects or edges, like having gear for a multi day trip inside a kayak.
Alternatively, you could use it as a water bag with tap, but it does not look like that's the intended function.
A further reason is to use the space in the bag for buoyancy and to squeeze the bag into a space securely, by adding air to the bag after it's in place. This generally means a valve on a tube.
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Interesting — it did not occur to me that kayakers may want air in their dry-bags. I'm always trying (and failing) to squeeze every last bit out!– gerritJul 10, 2017 at 10:13
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Mine don't have valves, but some people I paddle with use those that do and they at least partly replace air bags in WW kayaks.– Chris HJul 10, 2017 at 12:11