Wetland Shotgun Case by Watershed

Wetland Shotgun Case by Watershed

Editor: Johnny LeMaster

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Just the facts:

Whether you hunt in water or carry a gun on raft trips for bear protection, no case gives you peace of mind like the Watershed Wetland Shotgun Case. So-called “floating” gun cases will still allow water to flood your gun if dropped in the drink; ours floats and keeps firearms bone-dry in all conditions.

• Rugged carrying handle
• Adjustable shoulder strap
• We recommend using a padded gun sock or sleeve for extra production
• Available Colors: Black, Coyote, Orange, & Multicam – **(MULTICAM IS A TRADEMARKED, MTP FABRIC AND HAS A 25% UP CHARGE; ITS AVAILABILITY CAN CHANGE)**

Specifications:

Dimensions Rolled: 50” Height x 13” Width x 7” Depth (Tapers to 13.5” x 4.5”)

Capacity Rolled: Firearms 46”-50”

Closure Type: ZipDry

Opening Size: 9.75”

Weight: 1.5 lbs.

My Story:

If you are like my friends and I, hunting is a way of life.  Being in the Pacific northwest, waterfowl hunting holds a special place in our hearts.  Every year as soon as archery season ends I am eagerly chomping at the bit waiting for waterfowl season to begin.  Whether you are hiking in to your favorite honey hole, or racing across the water in your boat to get your spot the most important piece of gear you have is your shotgun, and keeping in protected is the number one thing you can do to ensure a good day in the blind.

The Wetland Shotgun case is one of the most waterproof shotgun cases on the market.  The polyurethane-coated fabric combined with the ZipDry closure make this case absolutely waterproof.  You never have to worry about your shotgun getting wet and dirty until you are ready to use it.  For years my group of hunting buddies have tried all different types and styles of shotgun cases from many of the leading brands to keep our guns protected.  The one I personally have I have used for many years.  It isn’t perfect but it had built in padding to protect my gun from getting knocked around and the fold over end kept most of the water off of it as long as it didn’t get dunked.  It claims to float, but I will be honest with you I never wanted to find out if it really worked or not.  I also found myself spending a little extra time and energy to keep the gun in the case out of the water as it was only water resistant and not water proof.  The Wetland Shotgun case is the first case I have used that I knew my gun would stay dry no matter what situations I found myself in.

The Watershed dry bags and gun cases are built in America and designed by a whitewater rafting guide.  They’re life revolves around the water and they wanted to be surrounding by the most reliable waterproof drybags and gun cases possible.  They wanted to make sure they created a system that would be tough, waterproof, flexible, and could perform under pressure, quite literally.  The US Navy requested Watershed to create a line of products for military application that can stand the abuse and perform to the top standard.  These cases are tough and provide waterproofing unlike anything I have ever used.

The ZipDry is unlike most gun case closures.  Must cases I have used rely on folding the end over rand securing it with snaps, Velcro or buckles.  The Wetland closure is more like a beefed up Ziplock bag.  The ZipDry closure seals the bag air tight locking air into the case giving the case flotation, and locking water out keeping your gun dry as a bone.  The closure is incredibly easy to seal closed, but it took me some time to figure out how to open the case the first time I used it.  Luckily Watershed planned for this.  They included two finger loops, one on either side of the opening for prying open the ZipDry closure.  I really wanted to ensure that this case lived up to the hype.  While out hunting I decided to see it did exactly what Watershed claimed.  Now I did not sink it to 300 feet below the surface of the water to make sure the seams and ZipDry held up, but I did hold my gun under the water while in the case, and let it float around  in the shallows while I set up my decoy spread.  When I retrieved the case and pulled my Browning Silver out, there wasn’t a drop of water on it.

This case is great!  For the first time ever I know my gun will stay dry and keep afloat should the unthinkable happen during a hunting trip.  The case provides protection in the water and on land.  The urethane-coated fabric with multi layered seams provides a very durable abrasion resistant protection when on the way to the blind.  Many places I hunt I find myself wadered up, 4 dozen decoys on my back, my blind bag and shot gun in two.  Trudging through the thick brush near the water for hundreds of yards the last thing on my mind is making sure my gun is protected.  My mind is concentrated on getting to the blind without tripping.  I don’t want to have to worry about making sure my gun case doesn’t get snagged and torn on every limb I brush by.  I will say the one thing that I do wish this case had was built in padding.  The air trapped in the case do provide some padding if things are dropped on it while it is laying in the bottom of the blind or boat, but it does little to protect the gun if it is dropped, falls, or isn’t caught when being tossed while loading up the boat.  Watershed does recommend using a padded gun sock in conjunction with the case which solves the issue, but does create and extra step when putting the gun away or getting it out.

If you want to have a case that you know will keep your gun dry not mater what, and keep it floating should an accident happen this is the case for you.  It is tough, waterproof, and reliable.  Giving you the freedom to worry about more important things like what snacks to pack for your day on the water.

Find It Here:

https://www.drybags.com/product/wetland-shotgun-case/

What Can Be Done Better:

The only thing I would like to see done different would be to have an option with built in padding.  I do like that the bag can fold up and be packed up small when not in use, but I like to make sure that my shotgun has the most protection it can have.

I give this product 4.5 stars.