Keep it dry -- and handy

If you’re a hardcore paddler, you’re well aware of the products out there that will keep your wallet, cell phone and other small electronics high and dry. Pelican and Otter are the best-known makers of hard-sided boxes of all sizes, some small enough for a single cell phone.

But those boxes, while certainly functional, are clunky. Even the smallest ones don’t fit easily into a pocket, which means you need another place to carry it, which means getting at your stuff is opening a bag, fishing out the dry box and opening that up to get at its contents.

And granted, if you’re in the woods or on the water, maybe the whole point is to be away from your cell phone. But there certainly are times when you want to be out and away, but still connected.

Meet the DryDoc. On first blush it looks like a small zip-lock baggie, but truth be told it’s much more. Made of a thick PVC-free film, the DryDoc zips tightly to keep water, sand, snow and dust away from your delicate electronics. They come with Velcro straps for attaching to a backpack or bike frame, and also a lanyard so you can keep it attached while you’re using the item inside.

The folks at Seattle Sports claim DryDocs are puncture and slash-proof, so we tested that theory with a sharp pocket knife. Turns out it is possible to puncture a DryDoc case with honed steel, but you actually have to work to slash through it even with a knife. Let’s face it, if you’re accosted in the woods by a knife-wielding lunatic, a dry cell phone may be the least of your worries. But up against standard natural materials one might encounter outdoors – sharp sticks, rocks, etc. – this case is close to impervious.

There are two more bonuses to DryDocs: First, you can leave your phone in the DryDoc Digi02 case and still use it. Keypads and touch screens still work when you touch them through the case. As for phone use, people we’ve called with the phone inside the case report that it sounds like we’re calling from inside a plastic bag. Well, gee. We ARE. But the phone is still usable, and the users still audible, in the event that you need to make or take a phone call under wet conditions. Go ahead and try that with a hard case.

Second bonus: Space. I have a small Otter Box that will hold my wallet and smartphone, but nothing more, and it’s too big to fit in a pocket. With DryDocs, it’s possible to stick a phone in one, a wallet in another and a camera in a third and slide everything neatly into your pockets. And depending upon where you buy, you can have 2-3 of these for the cost of one Otter Box or Pelican Case.