Contents: Protection and IP ratings

Weatherproofing and protection
• IP ratings

Protective cases
• MIL-STD-810
• What to look for in a case

Waterproof bags
• Waterproof bag checklist

Weatherproofing and protection

Regular phones aren’t very robust and often not weatherproof either. Few are designed with outdoor adventure in mind. They will all benefit from a protective case and good waterproofing.  

Some phones are already supposedly waterproof and might survive being dropped in the water or being in the rain for a while.  However, the slightest weakness in a seal may allow capillary action to draw water into the device and kill it.

In theory, an IP68 rated Samsung S10e will keep water out for up to 30 mins whilst submerged to a depth of 1.5 metres. However, on the Samsung website it says “Not advised for beach or pool use. Water or dust damage not covered by warranty.” No test bounces the phone around for 8 hours in a leaky waterproof pocket, in a freezing Scottish hoolie. Manufacturers websites often include so many caveats about their ‘waterproof’ phones it’s a good idea to treat regular phones as if they’re not waterproof, irrespective of their rating.

Here are two solutions…

• Get a basic phone case for some drop protection and add a waterproof bag.
• Put the phone in a protective case that is also totally weatherproof.  

A waterproof bag means no faff. If the weather turns, just drop the phone in the bag and it’s safe. At the end of the day you can just pull the phone out for normal duties. A fitted weatherproof case is neat but will be more time consuming to put on and take off.

Whichever you get, rain can make using the touch screen harder work. Phone screens are ‘capacitive’ and react to electrical changes caused by the lightest touch of a finger on the screen. Water on the screen interferes with this and can make it harder to use. In wet conditions it’s a good idea to wipe away excess water before using the phone.

IP ratings

The most important function cases and bags perform is waterproofing. Is the protection good for half an hour in some drizzle or can the phone be mounted on a canoe and paddled through white water all day?

There is an internationally agreed standard for measuring how waterproof these ‘enclosures’ are. It was developed by the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission). You’ll sometimes see phones and cases rated as IP68 or IPX8 or similar. So what rating should you look for? IP68 or IPX8 or something else?

The IP stands for ingress protection. The first number is a measure of how resistant to solid particles the case is. Things like dust and sand. 6 is as good as it gets, totally resistant, dust tight. The second number relates to how waterproof it is. 9 is the best but unless you plan on being hosed down with a high temperature, high pressure jet-spray, it’s overkill for wet days out walking. Get protection that’s IP68 and it should be good.

IP68 vs IPX8 vs IP6X. The X that you sometimes see in an IP number just means the enclosure wasn’t tested for that category.  So IPX8 has the same waterproof rating as IP68 but no dust rating. IP6X means the case is dust tight but not tested for water ingress.

Dust rating	Description	Water rating	Description
4	Protection against solid objects larger than 1mm (fine tools and wires, nails, screws, larger insects and other potentially invasive small objects)	7	Protected against the effects of temporary immersion in water. Resistant to submersion up to 30 minutes at depths between 15 cm and 1 metre.
5	Partial protection against dust and other particulates, such that any ingress will not damage or impede the satisfactory performance of internal components.	8	Protected against the effects of continuous immersion in water. Resistant to submersion up to a maximum depth of 1.5m underwater for up to thirty minutes.
6	Full protection against dust and other particulates, including a vacuum seal, tested against continuous airflow.	9K	Protection against high-pressure, high-temperature jet sprays, wash-downs or steam-cleaning procedures.

If you want to be confident that your phone will survive a day of terrible weather then don’t skimp on protection. I have seen moisture form on the inside of the screen on my Garmin eTrex 20x (rated IPX7). A long day, it was very wet and I was climbing into cooler misty air. I’d have liked the eTrex to have had a built-in dessicant that day. It was hard to see the little screen through the condensation. It survived with no damage I’m aware of but perhaps on another day I won’t be so lucky.

Protective cases

Almost any case offers some drop protection for a phone. A silicon rubber type case will probably be more shock-absorbing than a snap-on hard shell. A combination of both should be better still. The bulkiest offer considerable protection and waterproofing too. However, whichever end of the protection spectrum you go for, the touch screen will always be vulnerable to being dropped onto a pointy rock.

The Speck ‘Presidio Grip’ case is a basic case. The mechanical protection is minimal but better than nothing. It can stay on all the time as it allows the phone to be used normally and charged wirelessly.  All the ports are accessible, it adds little bulk and there’s nothing over the screen. The grippy rib pattern really helps make the phone less likely to be dropped. The Speck case offers no waterproofing. Any case like this needs a waterproof bag when bad weather arrives.

A phone clad in the pictured IP68 ArmorX case should not require any extra weather protection. These kinds of cases are purpose-built for the phone. If you get a fitted case, check it has an IP68 rating. Manufacturers advertising hype may suggest their cases offer weather protection but they may not be properly waterproof.

The more protection you go for, the more unwieldy the phone becomes and the more likely the phone ports are to become inaccessible. eg Wireless charging may not work in a very protective case. A bulkier case might offer mounting options but you probably won’t want to leave a big case permanently on the phone. Is it easy to add and remove? 

MIL-STD-810

The advertising blurb for some cases will use phrases like ‘military grade’ and mention MIL-STD-810, which is a US military standard of ruggedness. It’s worth paying attention to the detail of manufacturers claims.

Taken from this Wikipedia article on MIL-STD-810…
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U.S. MIL-STD-810 is a flexible standard that allows users to tailor test methods to fit the application. As a result, a vendor’s claims of “…compliance to U.S. MIL-STD-810…” can be misleading, because no commercial organization or agency certifies compliance, commercial vendors can create the test methods or approaches to fit their product. Suppliers can — and some do — take significant latitude with how they test their products, and how they report the test results. When queried, many manufacturers will admit no testing has actually been done and that the product is only designed/engineered/built-to comply with the standard
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That suggests we need to take any MIL-STD-810 claims with a pinch of salt. I don’t suppose any drop tests include landing the screen centre on a pointy rock but perhaps those MIL-STD-810 cases will be more protective than a basic rubbery sleeve.

What to look for in a case

Look at makes like Armor-X, Lanhiem, OtterBox/Lifeproof, PunkCases, Speck, Spigen, UAG (Urban Armour Gear).

Here are some things to consider.

• Ideally, a waterproof case should be IP68 rated.
• Beware a metal case. It may block GNSS signals from reaching the phone.
• Avoid magnetic clasps which can affect both traditional and electronic compasses.
• Is there good bumper protection around the edge and on the corners of the phone?
• A ‘grippy’ case will help prevent drops.
• Do you want a neck lanyard, karabiner clip or other mounting options?
• Do you want any ports to remain accessible?
• Are covered buttons still easy to use?
• Are there raised bezels to protect the screen and camera/s?
• Do you still want the microphone and speaker to work OK?
• Can the phone be charged in the case with the regular cable?
• Can the phone be charged wirelessly whilst still in the case?
• Is there any screen protection? (useful if you frequent dusty or sandy environments).
• A battery case could provide extra power and protection in one.

Waterproof bags

If you haven’t gone for a waterproof case and can afford a proper waterproof bag, then don’t hesitate to get one. Well designed bags are easy to use, much better than polythene food bags and genuinely waterproof. A good one can last for years.  

The touch screens work through these bags and to my surprise, the phone can still be used for phone calls with the bag on.

Waterproof bags all have the same basic design. A transparent flexible bag with a mechanism at the top that seals the bag. Typically, sliding or rotating levers force a seal tightly shut. Those seals should be kept away from anything that might spoil the seal, like grit or sand.

Inside an IP68 rated waterproof bag, your phone can still get wet. If the bag cools, any water vapour trapped in the bag may condense to form water droplets. Aquapac recommend putting a dessicant sachet in the bag to help with this issue. I’ve never bothered and haven’t had a problem yet, but it’s obviously a good idea. I’d expect waterproof phones and those with a hydrophobic coating (waterproof!) over the electronics to be less vulnerable to this kind of condensation.

The Overboard and Aquapac bags I’ve owned seem virtually airtight and offer a little extra protection for the phone. Out of curiosity, I sealed my Aquapac bag with some air inside and placed a half kilo weight on it to pressure the bag. I know how to have a good time. Two weeks later, if it had lost any air, it wasn’t obvious. Once closed, the waterproof seals are good and robust.

Don’t buy a bag that’s too snug a fit. If it’s hard to drop the phone in, you might not manage it with numb fingers in a winter storm. The sealing mechanism is also vulnerable to damage. The bag material can be ‘clingy’ on the phone screen making it harder to slide in and out. A bag that’s too big might not look cool but it works fine.

A big bag can also have room inside for a case-clad phone, a phone-sized 10,000mAh powerbank (and connecting lead) and a folded map printout. Mine doubles as a map case. I will print 1:50k mapping which I can fold to fill the bag.

The bags usually come with a neck lanyard. That makes the phone easy to carry and impossible to drop. Slipping it inside a coat pocket, or under your coat, stops it flying around.

Some bags are available with mounting options. Aquapac will supply a bag with a moulded clip built into the bag. A range of matching mounts mean that the bag could be snapped onto a rucsac shoulder strap one day and bike handlebars the next.

Aquapac claim that their bags use material that remains flexible down to minus 40 deg C. Cheaper materials may crack in the cold. They also promise that the material won’t yellow or become brittle through exposure to sunlight either. Mine is still going well after a few years use.

Some bags have an opaque border that frames the main window for the phone. I’d be wary of getting one of these as our phones usually have screens that go close to the edge of the phone. Important controls might get hidden. A plain transparent window across the full width of the bag is best.

If you’re hoping to take pictures in the rain, make sure the bag has a suitable transparent section that lines up with your phone camera.

Waterproof bag checklist

• Check that it’s waterproof rating is IP68.
• Err on the large side. Might it have to hold a battery case-clad phone or power bank?
• Check your phone screen won’t be obscured by any opaque panels in the bag.
• Do you need a transparent panel for photos?
• Do you need a neck lanyard or other mounting options?
• Will the material remain flexible in freezing weather and be immune to UV damage?