Whether you’re off to a wet and wonderful vacation in some tropical locale or you’re just trying to weather the flash floods and storm surges hurricane season brings, a waterproof pouch is an easy way to protect your phone from electronics’ biggest enemy: water. IPX8 cases are widely prevalent, come in many styles, colors, and sizes to accommodate phones both big and small, and since they’re usually big enough for a driver’s license and some cash, they easily go from unitasker to waterproof mini-purse. Whatever you’re looking for in a waterproof pouch, you can probably find it in one of these.
Family pack pouches
Mpow Universal IPX8 Waterproof Phone Pouch (3-pack)
Mpow’s cases are by far the most prevalent and popular waterproof pouches on the market. The set comes in different colors so the whole family can tell their phones apart, and they should last several days so long as you’re careful not to rip the plastic when getting your phone in or out of it. This pouch can fit phones with up to a 6-inch diagonal screen, though for phones on the larger end of that scale, you may need to remove their case before you put them in.
$11 at Amazon
Most popular
JOTO Universal Waterproof Case
JOTO’s cases have over 20,000 reviews on Amazon and still have a 4.5-star rating. These pouches have colored borders, both sides of your phone are fully visible inside the case. The color options here aren’t quite as sexy as the Mpow or CaliCase, but they get the job done. The JOTO pouch can fit phones with up to a 6-inch diagonal screen, though for phones on the larger end of that scale, you may need to remove their case before you put them in.
$8 at Amazon
Affordable floaters
Mpow Floating IPX8 Waterproof Phone Pouch (2-pack)
This multipack of Mpow pouches is 2 instead of 3, but these pouches are floaters! While not ideal for divers or snorkelers, floating dry bags like these are great for a weekend of fishing or boating, making sure your phone doesn’t sink to the bottom of the river/lake/ocean but stays afloat and easily retrievable should it go overboard.
$11 at Amazon
Upgrade pick
CaliCase Waterproof Floating Case
CaliCase is double-layered, floats (except the clear version), comes with a lockable carabiner to keep it strapped to your lanyard/belt/backpack/kayak, and some versions even glow in the dark! The American-made CaliCase comes in a bevy of cool colors and has a Lifetime Warranty. While you can get the normal-sized one from Amazon easily, you’ll need to buy the extra-large version directly from Calicase unless you want hot pink.
$15 at Amazon
A few notes about using a waterproof phone pouch with your Android phone:
- You can’t use a fingerprint scanner through a waterproof pouch. Be prepared to unlock your phone via password or PIN, or use Smart Lock to keep the device unlocked.
- While most newer pouches allow you to use your touchscreen to an extent, it doesn’t work well (or at all) while you and your pouch are completely submerged. If you’re going to be taking photos underwater, set your camera to use the volume buttons to take pictures.
- Most waterproof pouches are secured to a lanyard using a “Quick Release” mechanism that will detach the pouch if someone yanks it or it gets caught on something. If you don’t want that, get yourself a durable paracord carabiner you can snap onto your belt instead.
Got a favorite waterproof pouch for your Android phone? Do you want a floater or a sinker? Do you prefer a bright color or is black fine so long as it keeps your phone dry? Let us know which one you use in the comments.
Updated September 2018: We’ve replaced the Fitfort with a floating Mpow multi-pack and updated the pricing and links for our other choices so that you can keep your phone dry through flash floods and hurricanes.
