Water: it’s something we all need to survive. Yet, just like the Wicked Witch of the West, it spells certain death to any smartphone. This is where the Dry Case by Dry Corp comes to the rescue. There are waterproof cases out there that are custom fitted to your exact model of smartphone, but the problem is that many people tend to replace their smartphones every year or two. This means all those custom-fitted cases won’t work with your new phone. The Dry Case, however, doesn’t have that problem. It can fit pretty much every smartphone that exists on the market. A great example of this is when I upgraded from my iPhone 4S to my iPhone SE I was able to keep using the same Dry Case instead of having to reinvest in a new underwater housing for my new phone.
Now, you might be thinking to yourself, “I’ve seen some waterproof smartphone cases out there that are a fraction of the cost.” Well, you are absolutely right. There are cheap waterproof one-size-fits-all waterproof smartphone cases out there. The problem is that you get what you pay for. Trust me you don’t want to take your expensive smartphone that you paid an arm and a leg for and trust it in a cheap case. If you skimp on quality and your iPhone gets damaged (which even one leak will do), then it will be much more expensive to replace your iPhone than it would have been to buy a reliable Dry Case in the first place. I don’t know about you, but I sure don’t feel comfortable with the possibility of destroying my iPhone.
The inherent problem with all these custom-made cases and the generic “one size fits all” waterproof cases is that it’s nearly impossible to tell if you have a good seal on the O-rings. You are left to cross your fingers as you slowly dip your fancy smartphone underwater to see if the water stays out. I’ve played that game, and it’s not fun at all. The Dry Case solves this by incorporating a mini vacuum pump system that sucks all the air out of the Dry Case. Then you wait 10 min. to see if it re-inflates. If it doesn’t, then you know you have a good seal.
Another advantage of the Dry Case over pretty much every competing waterproof smartphone case is that it’s effective down to a depth of 100 feet. The competition is lucky if can make it down to even 20 feet. With the Dry Case, the need to have to keep track of or worry about accidentally going too deep underwater essentially disappears, leaving you free to relax and focus on having fun shooting awesome photos and video.
Each Dry Case comes with a buoyant armband and a mini hand air pump, which is used to vacuum the air from the Dry Case. I found it’s just as easy if not easier to just suck the air out using your mouth. Then, you don’t have to carry around the pump. There is also a 4-pin pass-through speaker/microphone jack/port that allows you to still be able to hook up your favorite pair of headphones or other various speaker accessories. While I was testing it in a pool, I discovered that the music I was playing transmitted quite well out of the Dry Case and through the water. Dry Corp also offers two different models of waterproof headphones for use with the Dry Case. This allows you to keep listening to your tunes while you take a dip.
The Dry Case provides the wonderful ability to take photos and video while underwater. I tested mine while on a trip to Hawaii, and it held up great while snorkeling and getting tossed around in the surf. It allowed me to capture many fun and exciting moments underwater. Just make sure you take off your thick protective case from your iPhone before putting it into the Dry Case. If you don’t, I found that the airspace created around the iPhones camera when used in the Dry Case creates optical distortion when underwater but not when above water. Some thin protective iPhone cases will work with the Dry Case without distorting the camera view. Just make sure you test them thoroughly before your next major underwater adventure.
To sum things up, I think the Dry Case has been designed quite well and performs superbly under a wide variety of wet rugged conditions. If you don’t want to buy a new underwater housing every time you get a new phone, then the Dry Case is definitely the top dog in that class. With an operational depth of 100 feet, it’s one of the deepest rated smartphone cases currently on the market. I highly recommend the Dry Case for any smartphone users who want an easy to use, reliable, high quality (but not high priced) waterproof case to be able to shoot some fun underwater photos and videos with any current or future smartphone without having to buy a dedicated camera to do it.
Pros:
- Take photos & video deep underwater
- Great for scuba divers
- Protects your smartphone/gadgets from water & sand
- Comes with buoyant armband
- Listen to music or record audio underwater
- Vacuum pump verifies good seal
Cons:
- Awkward to carry at times compared to custom fit waterproof housings
- Vulnerable to puncture & tears after extended use
- Offers little to no impact protection
- Image become distorted when used with protective cases on your smartphone
- Touchscreen unusable underwater (all waterproof cases have this problem)
- Internal headphone cable gets in the way sometimes (not a bid deal)
- Doesn’t fit iPhone 7/Plus or other large smartphones
Designed and tested in U.S.A
Made in China
Price: $39.99
For more information please visit the following web-link: www.drycase.com
The Tech Examiner 