Association Forum - Waterproof case for iPad?

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Waterproof case for iPad?

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

Member Avatar

USA
4479 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/22/2013 : 22:52:17

I bought Rita an iPad 2 for Xmas with the caveat that we'd use it on SL with Garmin's charting software. I'm looking for suggestions for a watertight enclosure that I can mount to a RAM mount (preferably). I like the vinyl pouch we have for my Android tablet, but not sure how I'd mount a similar one for the iPad.

Suggestions?

David
C-250 Mainsheet Editor

Sirius Lepak
1997 C-250 WK TR #271 --Seattle area Port Captain --

Edited by - on

vipermagic
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
69 Posts

Response Posted - 01/23/2013 : 08:00:51

I have a Lifeproof brand case for my iPhone 5, and I love it. They make one for the iPad, but I've never used it.

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
5418 Posts

Response Posted - 01/23/2013 : 21:33:41

I was at the Consumer Electronics Show two weeks ago and stopped at the LifeProof booth. The iPad case is gasketed and waterproof. They had several iPads in cases sitting in fish tanks full of water.
The salesman had his iPhone 5 in a case and had shot underwater movies with it the week before. Then he took the phone and tossed it up about 30 ft in the air. It fell onto the concrete floor and kept on working. Their cases are pretty incredible against water and shock. I bought one for my iPod Touch. Love it.

Edited by - Voyager on 01/23/2013 21:39:03

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

Members Avatar

USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 01/23/2013 : 21:51:46

Just did a bunch of research for my new IPad. Lifeproof is definitely a leader, but I wanted screen protection too. Their product makes a watertight seal against the screen edge but leaves the glass exposed. I decided to go with a water, dust and shock resistant product from Griffin and and add a freezer bag if I feel the need. The back is covered with a snap on hard cover, a silicone wrap goes over that and covers the screen edges, and a hard plastic frame with a screen protector snaps over the front. Otter makes a similar one. P/S just tested several models of actual submersible waterproof

Edited by - Dave5041 on 01/23/2013 22:10:42

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

Members Avatar

USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 01/23/2013 : 21:55:07

The Life Proof cases got some iffy reviews on Amazon, but mostly good ones. I'm liking the Griffin too.

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

Members Avatar

USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 01/23/2013 : 22:19:10

Be careful if you get the Griffin, I bought one at Walmart and it was the older model.. The front cover goes on before the silicone on that one, making removing the front cover a pain. I exchanged it for the newer model with no problem. I checked after that and found that Bestbuy and Amazon also still sell both models

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

Members Avatar

USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2013 : 03:47:54

This is what I purchased to protect our Android phones. [url="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008N04XKC/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_hst_1"]Works really well. [/url]

Paul

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

Members Avatar

USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2013 : 05:55:23

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by britinusa
 This is what I purchased to protect our Android phones. [url="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008N04XKC/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_hst_1"]Works really well. [/url]

Paul
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

We've got the identical cases for our phones, and like them very much. We tested them in the hottub before bringing them on the boat. I'm tempted to get something similar for the iPad, but I'd kind of like to have the hard case.

Edited by - on

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

2272 Posts

Response Posted - 01/27/2013 : 17:57:31

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by delliottg
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by britinusa
 This is what I purchased to protect our Android phones. [url="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008N04XKC/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_hst_1"]Works really well. [/url]

Paul
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

We've got the identical cases for our phones, and like them very much. We tested them in the hottub before bringing them on the boat. I'm tempted to get something similar for the iPad, but I'd kind of like to have the hard case.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Are you still able to place a telephone call with the case on the phone?

I see that Paul posted the one and only review for it on Amazon. Could he be a shill that works for the company?

(I was going to say he's shilling for the company, but in Paul's language that word has an entirely different meaning.

)

Edited by - TakeFive on 01/27/2013 18:01:50

britinusa
Web Editor

Members Avatar

USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 01/27/2013 : 18:00:38

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Are you still able to place a telephone call with the case on the phone?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Yes, they have no negative impact upon the phone features. We even used some of the apps while the phone is 'in the bag', so the clear side allows screen interaction.

Paul

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

Members Avatar

USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 01/27/2013 : 20:35:07

Yep, the only thing you can't do is take pictures while it's in the bag. I've taken phone calls while sitting in our hottub with the phone, and we both play games or surf the web with them. They have built in air bladders on the back side so even if it goes into the drink, it'll float.

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

Members Avatar

USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 01/27/2013 : 20:50:05

Switch to the front camera lens and you can take pics... albeit of yourself!

Paul

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

Members Avatar

USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 01/27/2013 : 20:59:37

Yeah, suppose I could, but I don't sweat taking it out of the pouch for a few minutes to take some photos if the weather's decent. If it's not, it just stays in the pouch & I do without pictures.

Edited by - on

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

2272 Posts

Response Posted - 01/28/2013 : 17:52:47

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by britinusa
 This is what I purchased to protect our Android phones. [url="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008N04XKC/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_hst_1"]Works really well. [/url]

Paul
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I ordered one of these off ebay for $11. I found a white one with slightly smaller knobs on it. Exact same manufacturer, just a slightly different design, so I decided to give that one a try.

Can you believe that someone wants $94 for this thing on [url="http://www.sears.com/dry-pak-cell-phone-case-white-4inch-x/p-SP102A17981S5834171509?prdNo=4&blockNo=4&blockType=G4"]Sears marketplace[/url]?

Edited by - TakeFive on 01/28/2013 19:41:03

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

Members Avatar

USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 01/28/2013 : 19:39:26

Wow, there's an even better deal on the "Also available from these sellers", only $118.95 + $5.95 shipping! Quite the deal.

$11 is pretty good, I think I paid $14 for mine, but I think it might have been through woot.com and it was a 2-pack, but don't exactly remember it was a few years back.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

Members Avatar

USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 02/18/2013 : 13:54:07

I decided to go with the Griffin, mostly because it was the one I could find at a local Walmart. It must have been payday or something there, the electronics shop was swamped and they had the Griffin enclosures hanging on a "secure" display rail, the kind you need a tool to remove, or in my case, impatience and a sharp knife. Rita didn't like it at first, but has grown to like it, especially the little kickstand that allows her to view it at a good angle both in landscape & portrait (not as secure, but still works OK). Since it's not 100% waterproof, I also picked up a dry bag (actually a map case) for it at REI a couple of days ago. The trick was finding one that the entire enclosure would fit into. An HP medium map case fit really nicely, has a roll down water enclosure similar to a dry bag and you can operate the iPad directly through it.

I also found that T-Mobile has a deal for month to month 3G service with a 90 day grace period for $25 / month w/ 1.5GB of data. You can let the SIM sit idle for up to 90 days and then simply top it up online to start using it again. Perfect for over the winter when I don't really need the data plan, then turn it back on when we start sailing again. The closest AT&T has is over twice that amount per month, plus T-Mobile couldn't care less what device I use it in, so I can use the same SIM in both Rita's iPad for data when we're sailing, and in my new-new Samsung tablet (I have two now, one is wifi only the other is a "phablet" or "phoblet". It was given to me by a friend because it didn't work any more. I took it apart, found out the battery was dead (which is what the previous owner suspected in the first place), bought a new battery & voila, a new (somewhat larger) tablet, that's also a phone (albeit a giant one). Not bad for about a $50 investment for what's about a $500 tablet. The old owner doesn't want it back (he got it for free from Samsung as a test device), so now I've got a tablet I can use as a phone when I travel overseas (as long as I don't mind looking ridiculous with a 7.7" tablet to my ear).

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
5418 Posts

Response Posted - 02/22/2013 : 18:45:06

I got the Life Proof case for my iPod Touch 5 and I can do everything with it and can take it everywhere. I can use the front and rear cameras, the microphone is excellent, the touch screen is perfect, the 8mm earphone plug is gasketed and the speaker sounds better in the case than out. I haven't dropped it (yet) but the case is very rugged and will protect the device. But that's not all…
I just got my son an iPhone, but his previous iPhone 3 had shards of glass literally held in place together with a screen protector. I went on Amazon and they had the right version for $44.00. I did not tell him I ordered it but it showed up at his place and he started using it. Now I see him on facebk raving about his Life Proof case. He did not share a photo but told everyone on FB that he now uses the phone in the shower.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 02/25/2013 : 09:56:48

Great minds and all that... I just bought one of these: http://www.bobjgear.com/ for "shockproofness" and one of these: http://ca.binnacle.com/product_info.php?products_id=2862 for waterproofing. I have an Asus transformer tablet, and while I like th etablet, finding accessories for it is really a pain.

Together they came out clost to $100 with the shipping and all. Better work. My plan is to stuff the tablet in the case, and then into the drybag and velcro the whole shebang onto the bulkhead. The bag is huge though, so I may find myself crafting a holder of some sort.

Although the listing doesn't say it, the touchscreen is supposed to work through the bag - at least according to the sales dude. It all just shipped today so I'll give a review once I get my hands on the bits and bobs.

Edited by - on

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

2272 Posts

Response Posted - 02/25/2013 : 10:26:09

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Prospector
 Great minds and all that... I just bought one of these: http://www.bobjgear.com/ for "shockproofness" and one of these: http://ca.binnacle.com/product_info.php?products_id=2862 for waterproofing. I have an Asus transformer tablet, and while I like th etablet, finding accessories for it is really a pain.

Together they came out clost to $100 with the shipping and all. Better work. My plan is to stuff the tablet in the case, and then into the drybag and velcro the whole shebang onto the bulkhead. The bag is huge though, so I may find myself crafting a holder of some sort.

Although the listing doesn't say it, the touchscreen is supposed to work through the bag - at least according to the sales dude. It all just shipped today so I'll give a review once I get my hands on the bits and bobs.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
There is one potential problem to using both at the same time. These dry bags mostly seem to be made of "grippy" vinyl film. So if your shock case is also "grippy" rubber, it may refuse to slide into the dry bag. If the bag is big enough it might work, but I have my doubts. Let us know how you make out.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 03/05/2013 : 13:07:39

Thanks for asking Rick - it fits fine, even with the grippy-ness of both the bag and the silicon-esque protector.

The touchscreen works through the bag, but it is a little more difficult.

the bag has attachment points so I should be able to bungee it to the boat - somehow.

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.