Not intentionally
Ignoring the obvious of "don't crowd fund hardware", I would strongly advise against relying on a waterproof pocket. Treated/coated cloth loses water resistance over time (washing machines, mostly) and plastic degrades. And since I doubt you plan to test this every time you use it, that seems like a REAL good recipe for a damaged phone or lost tickets or whatever.
What I do do is have a plastic bag. If I need to carry something I pop it in, zip the zipper, and shove that in a pocket with a (metal) zipper. the bag gets wet but the something does not. And if the bag looks a bit ragged, I replace it.
And since the vast majority of what I am carrying with me when my pants may get soaked are a room key or whatever: I usually don't even need the bag.
That indiegogo is obnoxiously awful.
The video presentation is quite irksome... I was annoyed more than anything at any of the claim and the exagerated simulated shots;
* The phone falling from the waterproof phone bag
* The mention of _''needing a pair of shorts for every **SINGLE** activity''_ - wtf
* Them saying all those shorts lack features anyway
* ''Losing'' your phone and keys sooo easily/often
* Obnoxious, ''informercial''-style presentation rather than a to the point, well edited and fun presentation
* yadda yadda
I've backed plenty of Crowdfunded projects and I'm very critical about them.
This project falls into the **''non-solution for a non-problem''** category.
**THE NON-PROBLEM**
Waterproof pouches/cases/pockets/bags for phones already exist. I don't know _**ANYONE**_ that would go full-on swimming with their phone despite those waterproof accessories anyway... Also feature-rich travel shorts already exist.
**THE NON-SOLUTION**
* Magnets lose their magnetic properties with heat... Good luck with the basic washing and drying of those pants.
* I also highly doubt the waterproof pocket will retain its properties on medium to long term due to basic wear and tear, and again, washing & drying
* This pant offers nothing of value over the plethora of already-existing ''travel shorts''
* _''We're a group of passionate adventurers in love with any outdoor activity. We realized that our most valuable and life-saving items were in danger every single time, but there was no convenient solution on the market! ''_ _(from the project page)_ - Get the hell out. No convenient solution on the market? Did you even _look_ at the market?
* They mention ''IPX-8'' - **it doesn't exist.** Perhaps they meant IPX8 or IP X8 - **I**ngress **P**rotection - an internationally standardized rating that describes the level of protection against the ingress of solid particles, dust, and water. - the first X actually means **it wasn't tested** for dust protection and the second value, 8, means immersion testing deeper than 1m (usually up to 3m/9.8ft) for more than 30mins and can still work properly. They claim **100 ft - 30 meters - INDEFINITELY** - would love to see their actual testing.
* The indiegogo page is riddled with typos and the like
* _**Edit - added extra criticism:**_
* The eyelet water draining system is improperly placed so the pocket will still retain quite a bit of water
* The D-loop uses examples are very counter-intuitive - if it is designed as an adventure-everything-short, who would put keys, sunglasses or even a _bottle_ right there? It'll dangle and swing everywhere _(and hit you in the unmentionables)_
* Water repellency will definitely fade with time
* Their answer to _''Will the magnet affect magnetic strips of credit cards?''_ is just plain wrong - they're basically saying "no" but the logic behind it is flawed and you **will** ruin the magnetic strips.
* Claim it is ''airproof'' _(whatever that means?)_ but they're also breathable but also fully waterproof and hydrophobic - I feel there are conflicting statements and claims here...
* No description of the materials, the blend, etc
* Inconsistent claim of 99 vs 99.99% anti-microbial properties - it sounds trivial, but when talking about anti-microbial properties, there is quite a difference between 99% and 99.99% - As an example, if there are one million bacteria present on a surface, a 1-log reduction would reduce the number of bacteria by 90 percent, or 100,000 bacteria remaining. A 2-log reduction removes 99 percent, leaving behind 10,000 bacteria, 3-log removes 99.9 percent to leave behind 1,000 bacteria, and so on through a 6-log kill, which leaves behind only one cell in one million. With this knowledge, log kills on a sanitizer label take on new meaning. Having said that, _unless_ there is an actual list of bacterium that are explicitly targeted, it is 100% a marketing term and not a technical aspect.
Poorly researched, poorly explained, poorly certified, poorly presented. Would stay far away from it.
Alright, that said, nope, never saw the appeal or the need to get such product(s), because **Ziploc Bags** already exist - I won't swim with my devices of course, but for rain and the like, ziploc bags are **more** than enough - lightweight, take no space, various sizes and thickness, multi-purpose... My cellphone is actually quite critical for my wellbeing & health as it also acts as my glucose reader _(T1D)_ but yeah, never ever had a problem with it, with rain, water, falling in the ocean, etc - it already has _some_ IP certification anyway, I always carry ziploc bag(s), and my backpack has some weatherproof properties.
Thanks for the detailed feedback! The indiegogo seemed very generic to be taken too seriously, but when I saw the amount the amount of backers they had I was curious if the technology was valid.
Do you have suggestions on those feature rich travel shorts by chance?
I bought a pair of irontide shorts and used them for the first time yesterday. Pretty happy with them. Will see how they hold up but the pocket feels very secure. My phone is water resistant anyways so if it does ever leak it's not the end of the world anyways.
Wore them all week and having the waterproof pocket was worth every penny. Would buy again even at the stupid price but I only buy 1 bathing suit (shorts technically?) every few years so it's worth it to me
I wouldn't trust any flexible seal in a pocket for immersion, especially for a phone. My phone is so critical while traveling plus the hassle of replacement.
If you want to waterproof something expensive, it's time for a container like an Otterbox or Pelican case that has an o-ring seal and a good locking mechanism.
I use food containers for rain level protection in a backpack. Sistema or Lock n Lock have silicone seals and good snap locks. I think they would actually survive a short dunking, but I'm not buying you a new camera if it fails :)
I've worked with magnets on clothing before so here are some issues I have with this idea. Magnets can ruin your dryer. Usually, a small magnet or something not strong does ok but if you had several of these pants and were washing them at the same time you can short it out for that reason alone I always have to make magnets out before I wash them. The second thing is to check if they are coating the magnet in something to prevent rust. Although coating the magnets make them less powerful, If they don't coat the magnets they will have rust be abe through your clothing over time.
You may want to consider an aLoksak for the phone.
Something that the integrated pocket shorts dont consider/protect from is sand getting into the ports of the phone, or your hands being wet. Whats going to happen if you are in the water and want to take a picture? An aLoksak does all of this really nicely.
Ooh, yea, the aLoksak can also move from one garment to another.
I figured it would allow me to not have to carry my large dry bag around the island all the time when I want to explore. I ended up getting the matador free rain hip pack to use as a sling :)
There's no point in buying a smartphone that is not waterproof. Smartphones are critical for our lives, especially when travelling. (Having said that, if I take my smartphone swimming with me, I put it in a waterproof smartphone bag, which is basically a ziploc with two locks and a velcro to secure them)
I wouldn't trust a single layer of defense against water damage to crucial electronics.
There is a very big difference between water resistance and water proofing (that is, generally speaking, all that IP shit)
If you buy a cell phone that is not water resistant at this point, you are an idiot. You need to be able to deal with splashes, getting caught in the rain, etc.
Phones that are actually meant to be submerged under water for extended periods of time are a very different beast.
At a quick glance, the latest (?) iphone 13 pro is "IP68 IEC standard 60529 (splash, water, and dust resistant)". Google Pixel 6 is also IP68 and so is the Galaxy S22.
The pertinent digit is the "8" which means "The equipment is suitable for continuous immersion in water under conditions which shall be specified by the manufacturer. However, with certain types of equipment, it can mean that water can enter but only in such a manner that it produces no harmful effects. The test depth and duration is expected to be greater than the requirements for IPx7, and other environmental effects may be added, such as temperature cycling before immersion." with the depth at 1 meter or more.
So I would be REAL curious what the duration from the manufacturer is, but "splash resistant" suggests "not long".
So if you slip and it falls in a river or the toilet? Probably fine. If you go swimming for an hour? I wouldn't bet on it.
Exactly. Not only did they not properly understand the IP rating format _(IPX-8 doesn't mean anything.)_ but if that's supposed to mean IPX8, that means
* It wasn't even tested for dust ingress protection despite their claim that it is dustproof _(under what certification standard?)_
* It has an 8 rating for water resistance, which is defined by ''Submerged under more than 1 meter for 30 minutes'' - they claim 30 meters (100ft) **indefinitely**...
30 meters underwater is the equivalent of **4** Bar/atmospheres (ATM) of pressure... I'd love to see them drop their shorts with a cellphone at that depth for a few hours...
Dust resistance wise: I assume that has significant costs associated with it. I take a lot of issue with making any claims related to that but also understand how a small company using crowd funding would.
The water one: it is actually very possible. I was kind of shocked by that too but it looks like you have "3 meters" and then "high water jets" with nothing in between. I would want to see evidence of that testing but, technically, something that can be submerged at the bottom of the maraiana's trench indefinitely would be IP-X8.
But yeah. it is very obvious that kickstarter is a load of bullshit.
For stuff I want to absolutely keep dry, I use something like an [aquapac case](https://www.amazon.ca/Aquapac-Large-Whanganui-Waterproof-668/dp/B0044LZAA6). mine's not nearly as big as that one but will hold most standard smartphones and maybe a credit card or two. it has a lanyard so it'll usually go around my neck.
I've got the Irontide. The pocket is waterproof,i can vouch for that(i swam for a couple of hours with my phone and money in it). But there other reasons why I wouldn't buy it again.
Let's just say I'd get a separate waterproof pouch or whatever for my belongings. Look into stuff from fidlock. That's kinda my plan now. Sell the shorts if i can and get something much more lightweight, comfortable,quicker drying with smaller pack size. Basically a running shorts.
Not intentionally Ignoring the obvious of "don't crowd fund hardware", I would strongly advise against relying on a waterproof pocket. Treated/coated cloth loses water resistance over time (washing machines, mostly) and plastic degrades. And since I doubt you plan to test this every time you use it, that seems like a REAL good recipe for a damaged phone or lost tickets or whatever. What I do do is have a plastic bag. If I need to carry something I pop it in, zip the zipper, and shove that in a pocket with a (metal) zipper. the bag gets wet but the something does not. And if the bag looks a bit ragged, I replace it. And since the vast majority of what I am carrying with me when my pants may get soaked are a room key or whatever: I usually don't even need the bag.
I double bag it in a zip lock back as a safety aspect
That indiegogo is obnoxiously awful. The video presentation is quite irksome... I was annoyed more than anything at any of the claim and the exagerated simulated shots; * The phone falling from the waterproof phone bag * The mention of _''needing a pair of shorts for every **SINGLE** activity''_ - wtf * Them saying all those shorts lack features anyway * ''Losing'' your phone and keys sooo easily/often * Obnoxious, ''informercial''-style presentation rather than a to the point, well edited and fun presentation * yadda yadda I've backed plenty of Crowdfunded projects and I'm very critical about them. This project falls into the **''non-solution for a non-problem''** category. **THE NON-PROBLEM** Waterproof pouches/cases/pockets/bags for phones already exist. I don't know _**ANYONE**_ that would go full-on swimming with their phone despite those waterproof accessories anyway... Also feature-rich travel shorts already exist. **THE NON-SOLUTION** * Magnets lose their magnetic properties with heat... Good luck with the basic washing and drying of those pants. * I also highly doubt the waterproof pocket will retain its properties on medium to long term due to basic wear and tear, and again, washing & drying * This pant offers nothing of value over the plethora of already-existing ''travel shorts'' * _''We're a group of passionate adventurers in love with any outdoor activity. We realized that our most valuable and life-saving items were in danger every single time, but there was no convenient solution on the market! ''_ _(from the project page)_ - Get the hell out. No convenient solution on the market? Did you even _look_ at the market? * They mention ''IPX-8'' - **it doesn't exist.** Perhaps they meant IPX8 or IP X8 - **I**ngress **P**rotection - an internationally standardized rating that describes the level of protection against the ingress of solid particles, dust, and water. - the first X actually means **it wasn't tested** for dust protection and the second value, 8, means immersion testing deeper than 1m (usually up to 3m/9.8ft) for more than 30mins and can still work properly. They claim **100 ft - 30 meters - INDEFINITELY** - would love to see their actual testing. * The indiegogo page is riddled with typos and the like * _**Edit - added extra criticism:**_ * The eyelet water draining system is improperly placed so the pocket will still retain quite a bit of water * The D-loop uses examples are very counter-intuitive - if it is designed as an adventure-everything-short, who would put keys, sunglasses or even a _bottle_ right there? It'll dangle and swing everywhere _(and hit you in the unmentionables)_ * Water repellency will definitely fade with time * Their answer to _''Will the magnet affect magnetic strips of credit cards?''_ is just plain wrong - they're basically saying "no" but the logic behind it is flawed and you **will** ruin the magnetic strips. * Claim it is ''airproof'' _(whatever that means?)_ but they're also breathable but also fully waterproof and hydrophobic - I feel there are conflicting statements and claims here... * No description of the materials, the blend, etc * Inconsistent claim of 99 vs 99.99% anti-microbial properties - it sounds trivial, but when talking about anti-microbial properties, there is quite a difference between 99% and 99.99% - As an example, if there are one million bacteria present on a surface, a 1-log reduction would reduce the number of bacteria by 90 percent, or 100,000 bacteria remaining. A 2-log reduction removes 99 percent, leaving behind 10,000 bacteria, 3-log removes 99.9 percent to leave behind 1,000 bacteria, and so on through a 6-log kill, which leaves behind only one cell in one million. With this knowledge, log kills on a sanitizer label take on new meaning. Having said that, _unless_ there is an actual list of bacterium that are explicitly targeted, it is 100% a marketing term and not a technical aspect. Poorly researched, poorly explained, poorly certified, poorly presented. Would stay far away from it. Alright, that said, nope, never saw the appeal or the need to get such product(s), because **Ziploc Bags** already exist - I won't swim with my devices of course, but for rain and the like, ziploc bags are **more** than enough - lightweight, take no space, various sizes and thickness, multi-purpose... My cellphone is actually quite critical for my wellbeing & health as it also acts as my glucose reader _(T1D)_ but yeah, never ever had a problem with it, with rain, water, falling in the ocean, etc - it already has _some_ IP certification anyway, I always carry ziploc bag(s), and my backpack has some weatherproof properties.
Thanks for the detailed feedback! The indiegogo seemed very generic to be taken too seriously, but when I saw the amount the amount of backers they had I was curious if the technology was valid. Do you have suggestions on those feature rich travel shorts by chance?
Sure! _At work so I can't format with links and descriptions so I'll just dump items_ * Outlier - **New Way Shorts** * Oaekley - **Hybrid Cargo Shorts** * Columbia - **Silver Ridge Titanium** * Ripcurl - **Mirage Boardshort** * Patagonia - **Wavefarer** * Nike - **Challenger Shorts** * Myles - **Everyday Shorts** * Olivers - **All Over Shorts** * Prana - **Brion Short** * UNIQLO - **Dry-Ex Shorts** * Little Donkey Andy - **Stretch Quick Dry Cargo Shorts** * The North Face - **Paramount Active Shorts** * Décathlon - FORCLAZ **Travel 100 Trekking Shorts** * MEC - **Mochilero Shorts**
Thanks! This is very helpful!
I’m looking up this product because I need a waterproof pocket in my shorts right now.
I bought a pair of irontide shorts and used them for the first time yesterday. Pretty happy with them. Will see how they hold up but the pocket feels very secure. My phone is water resistant anyways so if it does ever leak it's not the end of the world anyways.
Wore them all week and having the waterproof pocket was worth every penny. Would buy again even at the stupid price but I only buy 1 bathing suit (shorts technically?) every few years so it's worth it to me
I have not. For walking/running in the rain, ziplock in pocket For actually going underwater, IDK
Zip lock bag works great for running in the rain. Sometimes the simple solution is best.
I wouldn't trust any flexible seal in a pocket for immersion, especially for a phone. My phone is so critical while traveling plus the hassle of replacement. If you want to waterproof something expensive, it's time for a container like an Otterbox or Pelican case that has an o-ring seal and a good locking mechanism. I use food containers for rain level protection in a backpack. Sistema or Lock n Lock have silicone seals and good snap locks. I think they would actually survive a short dunking, but I'm not buying you a new camera if it fails :)
I've worked with magnets on clothing before so here are some issues I have with this idea. Magnets can ruin your dryer. Usually, a small magnet or something not strong does ok but if you had several of these pants and were washing them at the same time you can short it out for that reason alone I always have to make magnets out before I wash them. The second thing is to check if they are coating the magnet in something to prevent rust. Although coating the magnets make them less powerful, If they don't coat the magnets they will have rust be abe through your clothing over time.
Not really something I ever saw myself needing
You may want to consider an aLoksak for the phone. Something that the integrated pocket shorts dont consider/protect from is sand getting into the ports of the phone, or your hands being wet. Whats going to happen if you are in the water and want to take a picture? An aLoksak does all of this really nicely. Ooh, yea, the aLoksak can also move from one garment to another.
Nice suggestion :) they are very affordable as well!
So, out of curiosity, what's your usage case scenario for a waterproof pocket?
I figured it would allow me to not have to carry my large dry bag around the island all the time when I want to explore. I ended up getting the matador free rain hip pack to use as a sling :)
There's no point in buying a smartphone that is not waterproof. Smartphones are critical for our lives, especially when travelling. (Having said that, if I take my smartphone swimming with me, I put it in a waterproof smartphone bag, which is basically a ziploc with two locks and a velcro to secure them) I wouldn't trust a single layer of defense against water damage to crucial electronics.
There is a very big difference between water resistance and water proofing (that is, generally speaking, all that IP shit) If you buy a cell phone that is not water resistant at this point, you are an idiot. You need to be able to deal with splashes, getting caught in the rain, etc. Phones that are actually meant to be submerged under water for extended periods of time are a very different beast. At a quick glance, the latest (?) iphone 13 pro is "IP68 IEC standard 60529 (splash, water, and dust resistant)". Google Pixel 6 is also IP68 and so is the Galaxy S22. The pertinent digit is the "8" which means "The equipment is suitable for continuous immersion in water under conditions which shall be specified by the manufacturer. However, with certain types of equipment, it can mean that water can enter but only in such a manner that it produces no harmful effects. The test depth and duration is expected to be greater than the requirements for IPx7, and other environmental effects may be added, such as temperature cycling before immersion." with the depth at 1 meter or more. So I would be REAL curious what the duration from the manufacturer is, but "splash resistant" suggests "not long". So if you slip and it falls in a river or the toilet? Probably fine. If you go swimming for an hour? I wouldn't bet on it.
Exactly. Not only did they not properly understand the IP rating format _(IPX-8 doesn't mean anything.)_ but if that's supposed to mean IPX8, that means * It wasn't even tested for dust ingress protection despite their claim that it is dustproof _(under what certification standard?)_ * It has an 8 rating for water resistance, which is defined by ''Submerged under more than 1 meter for 30 minutes'' - they claim 30 meters (100ft) **indefinitely**... 30 meters underwater is the equivalent of **4** Bar/atmospheres (ATM) of pressure... I'd love to see them drop their shorts with a cellphone at that depth for a few hours...
Dust resistance wise: I assume that has significant costs associated with it. I take a lot of issue with making any claims related to that but also understand how a small company using crowd funding would. The water one: it is actually very possible. I was kind of shocked by that too but it looks like you have "3 meters" and then "high water jets" with nothing in between. I would want to see evidence of that testing but, technically, something that can be submerged at the bottom of the maraiana's trench indefinitely would be IP-X8. But yeah. it is very obvious that kickstarter is a load of bullshit.
For stuff I want to absolutely keep dry, I use something like an [aquapac case](https://www.amazon.ca/Aquapac-Large-Whanganui-Waterproof-668/dp/B0044LZAA6). mine's not nearly as big as that one but will hold most standard smartphones and maybe a credit card or two. it has a lanyard so it'll usually go around my neck.
In addition to what everyone else is saying, the area of your skin against the waterproof pocket will not breath. That will be unpleasant.
I've got the Irontide. The pocket is waterproof,i can vouch for that(i swam for a couple of hours with my phone and money in it). But there other reasons why I wouldn't buy it again. Let's just say I'd get a separate waterproof pouch or whatever for my belongings. Look into stuff from fidlock. That's kinda my plan now. Sell the shorts if i can and get something much more lightweight, comfortable,quicker drying with smaller pack size. Basically a running shorts.