I’ve posted here in the past about my much beloved (and sometimes bemoaned) Kyocera Brigadier smartphone. It have never hesitated to clip it on, and slip it into a PFD pocket. Rolling, swimming, raining or snowing, it didn’t matter and never had any problems.
There are a few things I really like about this phone that I haven’t seen matched by a modern contender:
Lanyard connection point, like what you’d find on a camera (remember those?)
Physical dedicated camera shutter button - needed for underwater shots, but much easier than I’ve ever found a touchscreen button to be, especially with gloves on!
Durable without needing 2x the thickness of the phone for a case
Compact - if I want a big screen, I’ll use my laptop.
I’m a rare duck who has never had data on their cell phone plan, but have decided that it’s time to go through the temporary pain of changing up something that was working just fine. Unfortunately it doesn’t look like I’ll be able to use this on any local carrier’s data plan because it’s a US (Verizon) phone and was partially locked to that network. I can use it just fine for voice and text but not data apparently.
So, your best suggestions for modern paddler-friendly phones. At this point I’m not interested in bags, boxes or cases. I also don’t want to spend an insane amount of money, which means I’d be looking at something used and a few years old probably.
Something else I’ve considered is to just upgrade to the same sort of phone that most people are sporting these days, and keep the Brigadier for paddling only. I’d still be able to use it for GPS, maps, pictures, and emergency calls even though there’s no SIM in it (in theory - I’ve never actually tested this).
Reconditioned phones sold by the manufacturer are a good option to consider. Purchased my used/reconditioned iPhone directly from Apple. New battery, same warranty as new and most important, I wanted an unlocked phone and didn’t trust the offerings on eBay, etc.
While my iPhone is touted as waterproof to a certain depth, I still keep it in an Aquapac bag when paddling.
I never worry about a genuinely waterproof phone.
It is typically in the glove box of my truck; at the put in, or take out.
There is seldom coverage on the rivers where I paddle, and I never paddle solo anymore; so it’s excess baggage.
The only time I always have my phone is when I’m riding one of my motorcycles.
It’s in a ziplock plastic bag, inside my gas tank bag.
I will add, after reading the comments so far, that I almost always paddle solo these days. I do carry a PLB, but I’d like to think I’m reserving the activation of that for it’s intended use - grave or imminent threat to life or limb. Having a cell phone along (in places where it works, which are ever increasing) is that in-between ground.
No advice here. Where I paddle a cell phone is a toy brick… As those who post here are in various parts of the country ( I am in 1x data country with 1 bar at home) you may not get very good consensus… Places where cell phone service are not ever increasing when mountains are involved. I asked Verizon that… when will my service get better. They looked at a topo map and said “never”
@Sparky961 said:
I will add, after reading the comments so far, that I almost always paddle solo these days. I do carry a PLB, but I’d like to think I’m reserving the activation of that for it’s intended use - grave or imminent threat to life or limb. Having a cell phone along (in places where it works, which are ever increasing) is that in-between ground.
That’s precisely the reason I bought a VHF/DSC radio. Carry a PLB and a cell phone, but one day last summer I discovered there’s no cell service in one of my favorite places to paddle on Lake Michigan. A place where I have never seen another boat; not even a sail boat in the distance. That day really defined “solo” for me.
I like my Galaxy XCover. It is IPX68 rated AMD swims well. I still carry it a waterproof bag but I have not always done so and on occasion keep it unprotected (including immersions).
The reasons for keeping in a bag:
-the touch screen works a lot better without water on it
while immersed speakers get waterlogged and volume decreases until the water is out. Still useable but if I have to make an emergency call in conditions I might not be able to hear. I assume the mic gets similarly waterlogged.
Same issue with my VHF radio.
Coming to an upgrade point…Will check out the Kyocera.
I would love a genuinely waterproof smartphone as well. I have an iPhone Xs which is billed as waterproof (well, IP68; I think the iPhone X is IP67) but I have had the definite impression that any bit of moisture (perhaps salt water specifically) getting into the charge port can interfere with it’s proper function and cause the charge cables to become inoperative or sporadically so even after they are bone dry (due I suspect to corrosion or some sort of film on the cable’s conductive parts). To minimize that issue, I have cut the end off of an old lightning cable and plug it into the port before putting my phone in it’s dry bag. Hopefully this will seal the port well enough to keep anything out.
On another point, even when I am away from towers and have no cell or data reception, I find my phone useful for pictures, for written and audio note taking, as a GPS w charts (I prefer it to my Garmin other than the fact I have to keep the phone under wraps as per above), for the tide table app I use, and a few other items. It’s really a misnomer anymore to call these things phones as they do so much more.
As a bit of an aside, I recently found (at the John Pennekamp State Marine Park gift shop) what I think is my favorite waterproof bag yet for electronics. It’s the GoBag which uses small embedded magnets to close the top and seal it up. I’ve only used it a couple of times but it seems to be very effective based on the fact that it releases no air even after several hours, and I enjoy not fiddling with latches or zip locks and so on. You just fold the opening over and it seals itself. trektechblog.com/2016/09/gobag-review.html
@Monkeyhead said:
I have an iPhone Xs which is billed as waterproof (well, IP68; I think the iPhone X is IP67)
The difference between IP67 and IP68 is undefined. I would call it a marketing choice, rather than a real difference.
IP67 is defined with clear requirements. 1 meter water depth for 30 minutes.
IP68 is defined as “better than IP67”. As far as I know, there are no requirements of how much better.
So 1.01 meter for 30 minutes could be called IP68 if the manufacturer decides to do so, even though 99% of the IP67 devices out there could probably also pass that test.
In other words: When something is called IP68, first take a look at which water depth and duration, the manufacturer claims that it can withstand.
The fact that everyone treats their “waterproof” phones means either they aren’t, or they’re too expensive to risk it. Probably both and neither are of much interest to me. I was really hoping my Brigadier would get me through to the point where truly waterproof phones were commonplace. And ADD A LANYARD CONNECTION POINT DAMMIT!
Sparky, XCover4 is truly waterproof and not too expensive at this point. There are next to new refurbs available for like a 150 Canadian.
The reason I like it in a bag is an extra layer of protection (as well as the quiet speaker problem). Things happen. The phone has an integrated case with a removable back panel. If you drop the phone hard in a small percentage of cases the back door may get knocked out of position a little. Easy to overlook, but it will let the water in. Other than that the phone swims fine. I shot underwater videos in a pool more than once. Also the touch screen works way better in a case.
It has a lanyard attachment point.
@Sparky961 said:
And ADD A LANYARD CONNECTION POINT DAMMIT!
Try a PopSocket but use a waterproof adhesive. I have one on my waterproof LifeProof case and plan to tie a lanyard to it as a lifeline in case I drop the phone. https://www.popsockets.com/
@Sparky961 said:
The fact that everyone treats their “waterproof” phones means either they aren’t, or they’re too expensive to risk it.
Not me. I have a Caterpillar B30. I do frequent rolls and rescue training.
I even treat that phone worse than if I would just wear it unprotected:
I wear it in a plastic pocket with a small hole in it. So, when I come out of the water, the pocket is partly flooded, and I often don’t even bother to open it up to let it dry when I come home.
The phone just works.
Anyway, that is a dumbphone. I wanted something with buttons. The successor, B35, is apparently some hybrid between a dumbphone and a smartphone.
