When you’re five miles deep on an elk hunt, nothing ruins a day faster than dust working its way into your gear. Everyone talks about waterproofing, but the truth is that water isn’t what kills your setup. Dust is. Fine silt is the real enemy on any backcountry hunt.
If you’ve ever bounced down a two-track on an ATV, driven through sage cut, or pulled a box out of the bed of a truck after a dry week in the high desert, you know exactly what I’m talking about. That stuff finds every crack and destroys everything. It gets into optics. It settles into ammo. It gums up electronics. It wrecks gear fast.
That’s why a true hunting gear box needs more than water resistance. It needs to be dust tight. And that’s where IP65 comes in.
Weatherproof vs Dust Tight. Why IP65 Matters.
Most storage boxes are built for “light weather.” That means rain protection only. But the first number in an IP rating is one that really matters for hunting.
IP65 means zero dust ingress.
The “6” in IP65 is the highest level of dust protection. That seal blocks out fine silt, grit, sand, and powder. It’s the level you need when your box is riding in the back of a truck, strapped to an ATV rack, or dragged through the timber on a long pack out.
The “5” means it handles water spray from every angle. Not submersion, but full weather exposure.
Most boxes stop at water resistant.
IP65 means dust proof.
Dust proof is the reason your gear survives the hunt.
The 5 Critical Features Every Backcountry Hunting Box Needs
1. A Guaranteed Dust Tight Seal (IP65)
This is the whole foundation. If the box can’t keep dust out, nothing else matters. Your optics, electronics, and ammo need a sealed environment.
2. A Rotomolded, Impact Resistant Shell
A hunting box takes abuse. It gets dropped out of trucks. It gets shoved through brush. It gets slammed on rocks. Rotomolding gives you impact strength that injection molded boxes can’t offer. Deso Dry Boxes
3. Integrated Tie Down Points
You should be able to strap your box to an ATV, UTV, raft frame, or truck bed without worrying about it shifting or bouncing loose. Clean tie down channels keep the box locked in place.
4. An Outfitter Grade Gasket
This is what creates the dust tight seal. A stiff gasket won’t hold up over time. You want something that stays flexible in the cold and still locks tight when the lid comes down.
5. The Right Size for the Right Hunt
For backcountry hunters, two box sizes matter:
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50L for optics and ammo
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70L for base camp and bulk gear
Run both and you cover almost every hunting scenario from antelope to elk camp.
The Deso Gear IP65 Dry Box. Built for the Hunt.
We source our dry boxes for this exact use case. They’re dust tight, weatherproof, and tough enough to handle a full season of abuse without failing.
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IP65 dust tight
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Rotomolded body
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Outfitter grade gasket
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Tie down channels
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Metal hardware
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Sizes for both high country and truck camp hunts
If you want to stop rolling the dice on cheap plastic, this is the setup we trust for the field.
Deso 50L Weatherproof Dry Box
Deso 70L Weatherproof Dry Box
Final Word
Every hunt comes with variables you can’t control. Your gear shouldn’t be one of them. A dust tight dry box isn’t a luxury in the backcountry. It’s mandatory. Keep the silt out, keep your gear protected, and focus on the hunt.
When it comes to gear that survives real use, IP65 is the standard. See why so many hunters are switching to Deso Gear for their next trip.
