Raise your hand if you’ve ever cracked, soaked, run over, or otherwise damaged your expensive smartphone. Anyone out there? Let’s face it, we are our own worst enemies when it comes to keeping our smartphones intact.
I bring mine everywhere, so there are infinite number of ways to trash it while in the outdoors. For me it’s the less obvious moments that will get me. Case in point: my iPhone survived a four-pitch rock climb, accessed many times from my outer pants pocket over the abyss, but I cracked it while having lunch at the base. For the adventure-prone among us, the E-Case iSeries Waterproof iPhone Case helps eliminate the risk of waterborne iPhone disasters.
Last fall, I entrusted my iPhone 5S to the E-Case iSeries Waterproof iPhone Case on a fall float down the Snake River outside of Jackson Hole, WY. It was great to not have to worry about my iPhone getting splashed by the oars or riffles, or dunked into water at the bottom of the boat. To my surprise, even though the fishing was slow, I managed to catch a few nice cutthroat trout, which I of course then had to document (“oh my god, I caught a fish!”) along with the red and gold fall foliage. Having my iPhone in the E-Case meant I could have it out and ready to go at a moment’s notice. The touchscreen worked perfectly through the clear urethane window of the case, and the photos came out totally clear. If I floated the river more often, I would probably have attached a cord to the lash points on the corners of the E-Case to give me more options for securing it to the boat, or around my neck.
The E-Case is simple to use, so it’s a no-brainer to bring along on adventures. The SealLock zipper works like a hi-tech Ziplock to seal out water, and opens and closes with a reasonable amount of effort. I keep my iPhone 5S in a “slim” hard plastic case, and there is enough space in the E-Case iSeries Waterproof iPhone Case to keep it on (internal specs: 3.1” x 5.6”).
On a weekend backpacking and fishing trip in the Gros Ventre Range I suffered no accidents (probably because the E-Case reminded me to be careful with my iPhone) but did bravely test the case in some shallow water at the stream side. My fishing license was inside the case as well, so I could detect any moisture. After about 10 minutes, I retrieved and inspected my iPhone and license: totally dry, as promised. Each E-Case is individually tested to be submersible in a meter of water for 30 minutes. At 4.1” x 6.9” on the outside, the E-Case iSeries fit in my pack just fine but only in my larger jacket pockets.
Other adventures calling for the E-Case iSeries Waterproof iPhone Case include mushroom hunting on the southern Oregon coast during rainy season. Torrential, drenching rain from the coast would come at us in sheets as we pursued delicious matsutakes and chantrelles. Having my iPhone in the waterproof case was great for FaceTiming to confirm the identity of mushrooms. I found the audio quality on the call to be fine (just a little muted), considering I was speaking through urethane. The E-Case has also been handy for skiing on powder days or wet days at the village, a clear step up from the Ziplock bags that many of my friends use. It even works with my touchscreen-sensitive liner gloves, so my hands don’t get cold while texting on the chairlift. Even if it doesn’t rain or nuke powder, the E-Case also keeps out coffee spills, dust, and other things harmful for iPhones.
The E-Case iSeries Waterproof iPhone Case is available in Black, Midnight Blue, Cool Gray, Olive, Mandarin Red, and Cosmic Purple and fits the iPhone 5 and earlier models. For larger-screened smartphones including the iPhone 6 and 6S, check out the E-Case eSeries 9 and 9.5 cases. E-Case also makes versions with headphone jacks and for tablets.
Bottom Line: Protect your smartphone from the elements (and yourself) with this easy-to-use waterproof case that retains functionality.
Manufacturer’s Site: www.cascadedesigns.com/e-case/
$20 – 30, shop at Amazon.