We’re high and dry about DryCase (Review)

Water may be necessary for organic life, but for our electronics it is enemy number one. Many have tried, but only one we’ve tested has succeeded in create a truly waterproof case for your smartphone, phone, MP3 player, or any other gadget you can fit. While others companies like Lifeproof claim to be waterproof, upon closer inspection you’ll find a sea of astericks and fine print warning users that it isn’t 100% foolproof or waterproof. There are, of course, some who have come up with crafty solutions such as putting your smartphone in a Ziploc bag, or attempting to wrap your phone in plastic wrap. The reality is, however, that old wives’ tricks may work on household chores, ailments, and cooking, but when it comes to high-dollar, highly sophisticated items like electronics, science rules.

DryCase made a splash (pun intended) this year at CES when the debuted their all new, 100% waterproof case that allows users to still operate their touchscreen devices. The DryCase wowed attendees with their claim that it can keep water out of your gadgets at depths up to 100 feet, far more than the average consumer will ever need. So how does DryCase keep the water out while still being able to use your touchscreen devices? Again, in this world, science rules and for the DryCase it’s the science behind high quality plastics and the use of vacuum sealing technology. Water or any liquid, by its very molecular structure, is designed to displace air. Here’s a little experiment, take a small Ziploc bag, and blow it up. Seal the bag and then take the smallest sewing needle and puncture a tiny hold anywhere on the inflated bag. Drop it into your sink full of water and watch how the water in your sink will squeeze through even the tiniest hole, displace the gas or air inside of the bag, and eventually fill the entire bag with water.

The only way to keep water out is to create a perfect seal around your device that doesn’t allow water to come in, or go out. The DryCase does exactly this. When first opening the DryCase’s packaging,  the contents presented are the actual DryCase bag itself, a white bulbous pump, a neoprene arm band, and a carrying loop (like the one found with most point-and-shoot cameras). The DryCase itself is made of very thick plastic, and includes a port on the side where air is pumped out as well as a sealed 3.5mm headphone port on the outside connected to a 3.5mm cable. Simply plug this cable into your device’s headphone jack, and then plug any headphones into the open port on the bottom of the DryCase to listen to your favorite music no matter the activity. With the DryCase, anything from surfing to water skiing with your favorite music playing is possible.

Sealing your device into the DryCase is a simple and speedy process. Simply turn the two clips at the top of the DryCase to the open position so the bag will open, place your device inside of the DryCase, and then close the same clips back to the closed position. Then all that’s left is creating the vacuum seal, which is accomplished by attaching the white pump to the nipple on the side of the case and pumping a few times. While pumping, air will be removed from the bag, and the plastic will form tightly around your device. Finally, remove the pump and seal the nipple with the attached cover and you’ve got a 100% waterproof gadget. DryCase does recommend waiting at least 10 minutes before submersing your device to make sure the vacuum seal was made (if it isn’t air will fill up again in the bag).

So does it work? Absolutely. I used my own personal iPhone 5 with the DryCase and my kitchen sink (sorry folks, it’s 30-something degrees outside here, I’m not down for jumping into a pool or the ocean!). After sealing my iPhone 5 in the DryCase, I filled my sink up with water and was ready to go. Admittedly I was nervous, but I took the plunge (again, pun intended) and put my iPhone 5 into my sink under water. When I removed it, I found my DryCase was wet on the outside, but my iPhone 5 was high and dry on the inside. I was even able to unlock the device using the touchscreen while it was still in the DryCase. Simply put, the DryCase worked as promised. Removing my iPhone 5 took some work, mostly due to the vacuum seal was so tight I had to work down the inside of the case to separate the plastic. However, I’ll gladly take a few extra minutes of work over having to replace an iPhone.

With testing complete, I can say that the DryCase is a great buy for anyone who brings their smartphone near water. That just doesn’t mean actually going into the water either. Taking your smartphone fishing or on a boat? We’d recommend a DryCase just in case while struggling to hook “the big one” you don’t wind up with an empty hook and a broken iPhone. The DryCase is $39.99 and can be purchased at many major electronics and outdoor sports retailers. Check out the gallery below for photos from our testing.