Sick of your surf wear rolling round in your day van? Whether it’s surf wax, sun cream or a rash vest, you’ll need surf backpack to keep it all organised.
Our guide to the best surfing backpacks includes on the best brands, and considers online reviews, size, quality of the materials used and design.
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Rip Curl F-Light Surfing Backpack
Crafted with 100% polyester, the F-Light bag from Rip Curl is the best surfing backpack on our list. It’s ultralight, durable, and has a ton of handy storage compartments.
You’ll get an easy to access pocket in front, and a further two organizational panels to stash kit to keep it safe, whether that’s sun cream, or your smart phone. The first panel has clips for your keys and slots for smaller items, while the other has capacity for larger items like laptops.
Other storage space on offer is suitable for wax, sun screen, as well as bungees that are perfect to carrying spare fins. Better still, there’s a top wet rolling film, keeping stuff like your wetsuit separate after your surf.
With breathable and quick-drying wide shoulder straps and perforated back panels,the Rip Curl F-Light is one of the best surfing backpacks available.
Pros
- Dedicated compartments for storage of items, enabling you to keep wet and dry kit separate
- Ultra-light and durable
- Large 40L capacity
Cons
- Not suitable if you’re not a fan of hard shell bags.
Model Specs
Bag Capacity: 40 liters
Bag weight: 14.4 ounces
FCS Mission Surfing Backpack
With a unique “wet zone” that comes with drainage holes, the FCS Mission surf pack is designed specifically with surfing in mind. It comes with a number of dedicated pockets and features a storable polyester waterproof cover for those wet, windy and rainy days. And on the days it’s not raining, it’s useful to keep wet kit separate from dry and clean gear.
The front pocket is small but gives you enough space to store essentials, and is lined with an internal mesh sidewall to keep these essentials dry and protected.You’ll get a separate compartment for dry gear.
We’ve marked this as one of the best surfing backpacks in terms of comfort, thanks for the foam shoulder straps, aluminum-reinforced back support, and a set of padded hip protectors.
Think the FCS surf bag is for you? You can grab it here.
Pros
- Easy to keep kit dry thanks to drainage holes
- Comes with a multipurpose waterproof cover
Cons
- Not as durable as other surf backpacks
Model Specs
Bag Capacity: 43 liters
Bag weight: 4 pounds
Dakine Point Wet & Dry Backpack
Looking for one of the best surfing backpacks on a budget? The Dakine Point surf pack is the one for you. You’ll get a waterproof wetsuit pocket, mesh side pockets, and a multipurpose strap at the front.
Compared to others, this surfing backpack is a bit small, but still gives you ample room to fit your wetsuit in. It also features a separate (but small) pocket in front of the bag that is perfect for smaller accessories and a fleece-lined pocket that is great for storing and protecting sunglasses.
If you have more stuff, don’t forget the strap on the front of the bag. With a simple but elegant design, this affordable surf backpack will not only sort your surfing trip but also looks great, so is a great casual backpack too.
Pros
- Multipurpose strap on the front
Cons
- Limited capacity compared to the FCS surfing backpack mention above
- No exterior pockets which are useful for small wet items like t-shirts or rash vests
Model Specs
Bag Capacity: 29 liters
Bag weight: 1.3 pounds
O’Neill Psycho Surfing Backpack
Featuring an easy to access roll-top design, the O’Neill Psycho surfing backpack is made of 100% high-grade polyester. And that means it will stand the test of time.
The design makes this one of the best surfing backpacks to stash wetsuits after a surf. Yet, you’ll get plenty of other storage pockets for essential dry items.
Towards the back, it has a 15-inch padded side entry suitable for gadget space and a small panel that is perfect to keep your wallet safe.
Moreover, the straps on the Psycho surf bag can be adjusted, giving you that perfect and comfortable fit. With a study design and extra-large storage compartment, the O’Neill Psycho delivers and all-round functionality, including protection and comfort for those long days on the beach.
Pros
- Spacious wet compartment to fit large wetsuits
- Sturdy and durable
Cons
- Lacks padding on shoulder straps
- The dry compartment isn’t very useful if you don’t pack your wetsuit in the wet compartment compactly
Model Specs
Bag Capacity: 40 liters
Bag weight: 2 pounds
Dakine Cyclone 32L Wet/Dry Surfing Backpack
Designed to offer an extra spacious wet compartment, the Dakine Cyclone 32L Wet & Dry surfing backpack comes with tough seams that ensure durability.
With a water bottle pocket and two waterproof accessory pockets underneath the outside flap of the bag, this surfing backpack will never let you fall short of storage. And that’s why it’s made it’s way onto our list of the best surfing backpacks.
The Dakine Wet & Dry is made of a coated rip-stop covering material called Cordura, which is extremely durable and resists water when needed. You’ll also get a reinforced back panel and a strap that can be attached to your surfboard bag’s handle, meaning you don’t have to make multiple trips to your van to get your gear.
Sturdy, comfortable, and practical, the Dakine Cyclone is more expensive than most, but a perfect pick for surfing.
The standard model is 29L, however, there’s a 36L model available.
Pros
- Durable
- A unique strap to combine the backpack with a surfboard bag
Cons
- Water resistance is something to be desired
- Slightly heavier than other surfing bags considering its capacity is only 29L
Model Specs
Bag Capacity: 29 liters
Bag weight: 2.2 pounds
Surfboard Backpack Buying Guide
Looking for a surfing bag, and don’t know where to start? Our quick-fire buying guide has got you covered!
Capacity
Capacity is the main thing you need to be looking out for. Personally, I use nothing short of 30L (my Berghaus).
But, a surf specific backpack? You’ll probably want something closer to the 35L-40L range in my opinion. If it’s any smaller than this, you’re not going to fit in your wetsuit and bits and bobs like phones, sun screen and sun glasses.
Weight
Surf backpacks aren’t exactly heavy, but some are 1lb heavier than others. It’s worth going for a lightweight backpack if you’re comparing two and one is heavier than the other.
Material
Different surfing backpacks are made of different materials. Choosing the right material is important as it determines the durability and water resistance capability of your bag.
Generally, these materials are cotton, nylon, Cordura, and/or Polyester. All of these materials serve different purposes.
For example, cotton gives a bag a soft feel whereas Nylon makes a bag lighter. For extended durability, Cordura is ideal while a Polyester crafted bag helps with water resistance.
Pockets/Compartments
A good surfing backpack always has the right balance for both dry and wet compartments. And, it also has dedicated pockets for accessories and gadgets.
What’s Next?
Thanks for reading my guide to the best surfing backpacks.
Like what you’ve read? Make sure you bookmark this page and pop back soon, we’re constantly adding new surfing product reviews.
Ready to read something else now? Check out our guide to the best surfboard for beginners.
