Previous phone was easy: it was waterproof and relatively cheap, just chuck it in a pocket 😉

What are people using for keeping iPhones alive, unscratched and dry? (FWIW, mine’s an SE.)

If I just chuck it in a pocket it’ll get steamed to death, I sweat loads. Which means I’m after either a waterproof case like this (I’m a little sceptical about how well a £10 case will work given that it also needs to retain touch/fingerprint functionality) or, probably better, some sort of small soft pouch (I had one at home that I thought would do the job but the phone steamed up so I guess it’s more porous than I thought).

I don’t want anything bulky, I don’t need to go scuba diving with it, and I don’t need to attach it to the bike. I just want to be able to drop it in a pocket easily and for it to survive sweat and showers.

Anything better than a ziplock sandwich bag?

Ziplock bag and in the pack when it is wet, just in the pack if it is dry. If no pack, ziplock and jersey pocket.

Anything better than a ziplock sandwich bag?

Not really..

I’ve had iPhones for 10 years, never done anything to protect it, save for a standard leather case (no screen protector etc). Usually have it in shorts or jacket pocket, occasionally in a camelbak. No issues yet…

Erm sandwich bag in the back pack since about 2008

And more recently a worthless but still functional accident-damaged SE

Ziplock bag and in the pack when it is wet, just in the pack if it is dry. If no pack, ziplock and jersey pocket.

This. Breast milk storage/freezer bags are a posher option, better sealed and a good size for an iPhone 5/SE.

Breast milk storage/freezer bags are a posher option

But only suitable for phones on EE 😆

Lifeproof Case!

Makes it a bit chunky but its brilliant…

Cheap pound shop Waterproof pouch, take the lanyard rubbish off, fold over, tuck your pub money in as well and pop and into a jersey pocket. Ridden with one like that for a decade, never had an issue even in pouring rain. Screen works through them too.

Second the Lifeproof Fre case. Not too chunky but really good protection, and waterproof too.

I’ve had a caseless iphone 5 riding on and off road for last 3yrs just been kept in front shorts pocket. Never had issues with it (though it was pretty beaten up when I got it)

I know it’s pricey, but have to also recommend the Lifeproof Fre case.
Keeps it bone dry and the finger Id thing still works fine.

this thing

I’ve also busted 2 iPhones while riding. One from smashing into a tree which very few cases would survive (i wasn’t using the case then) and one from moisture.

I’ve been using a Ziplock sarnie back since I got my iPhone 5 as it wouldn’t fit into fold over cash bag I used for my previous phones and have had no problems. No shock protection though unless it’s wrapped in a spare layer on chilly days.

I recommend the small green Ikea ones, one for phone, one for Jelly Babies and you’re set.

Ikea do some heavy duty, double-sealed ziplock bags and these are my goto waterproof bags for cycling. Or, at least, they were until my wife used them all for the kids’ sandwiches. Grrrr.

edit: Snap! Same as the green ones mentioned in the post above 🙂

The Lifeproof is expensive at £50 but it’s paid for itself more times than I care to think about now.

Their CS is also great and they sent me a new one under warranty no questions when my last one cracked on the camera lens.

It’s great for cycling as its always on and you don’t have to faff with plaggy bags to take photos or use it. Also great when not on the bike and I dropped it in the dogs water bowl 😯 by accident.

….. and makes your iPhone an underwater camera

I know it’s pricey,

I normally don’t comment on stuff like this, as y’know people idea of expensive if different for mine, but for this I’ll make an exception

It’s 70 bloody quid!!

I need a sit down

Life proof FRE case here too for 2.5 years. It just stays on the phone.
Biking with phone in pocket in the wet. hot tubs. canyoning with it on inside pocket of life jacket on my stag do all no bother. All resulting in good pictures.
One thing i will say is the screen part of the FRE case is prone to getting scratched and does make the screen ever so slightly less responsive. They are pricey but they work well. I found mine for £45 but they were a lesser known name 2.5 years ago.

Lifeproof Nuud on the 5, the 6 and now the 7.
Warranty perfect when something has happened.
Mattbee’s 5 went through the wash
TWICE!
Nuud case meant its still perfect.

Been using Topeak ridecase & stem mount for a few years with no problems. An SE fits the 5/5s case.

Ikea ziplock bags are the nuts and touchscreen works fine. Put a spare one in your pack and win friends and influence people. Just get a box of each size next time you’re numbing your brain in that place and you’ll live happily ever after. And if you can’t be arsed going loads of people sell them with a markup on ebay (called ISTAD) cos ISTR Ikea online delivery is priced for kitchens and sofas.

Lifeproof case, usually in allegedly waterproof zip pocket on backpack (or in jacket pocket if really just nipping out).

Back when my iPhone 5 was shiney and new I went crazy and bought a PocPac phone case for it but soon realised I’d basically paid £10 for a smaller, branded sandwich bag.

I’ve used sandwich bags since.

If you wanted to impact proof the phone and stuff then maybe an OtterBox might be worth considering although they’re ugly and make your phone twice the size.

It’s 70 bloody quid!!

I need a sit down

Mental I know, but I picked mine up for £35 which still was expensive but more acceptable.

Yep, another Lifeproof Nuud here. First in a 5s then on current SE. It’s been washed at 30 dog & survived, dropped 5 metres onto concrete, bashed about in a pod bag on my work harness, phone is absolutely perfect underneath.
£70 May seem expensive but how much is the phone worth?

I’ve always had mine in simple slightly rubbery cases with enough of a front lip to usually protect the screen. And then it goes in my pack most of the year or my shorts front pocket when it’s hot and I’m riding packless. I’ve put in a plastic bag a few times when it’s been chucking down but that’s rare.

Life proof versus phone insurance was my thinking… my last life proof case saved my phone when I dropped it in the bucket of water I was using to wash my bike… didn’t realise until I threw the bucket of water away over the patio and my phone bounced across the slabs.. it was fine no damage at all.

Caddy Sack, but my old one is iPhone 5 sized and doesn’t fit my 7 properly, but it still does a decent enough job (it goes in the rucksack anyway).

I’ve always just had mine in front pocket of shorts (screen to soft squidgy thigh in case of crash). Never had a problem, though it often comes out of my pocket pretty moist. It’s a 5s and I’m not too precious about it though.

For a long time I used a smaller ortlieb roll top passport bag.

Works really well.

+ whatever for the Lifepfoof case. Expensive – buy direct from Lifeproof to avoid fakes – but totally waterproof, not too bulky, decently tough. Phone goes in the jersey pocket on the road or the top pocket of a pack off road and you just forget about it. You can still break the screen with a direct impact on something pointy, but mostly there’s enough of a lip that it just bounces.

Phone design is absurd. If there’s one thing you can guarantee will be dropped, it’s a mobile, but they make them out of glass. Ridiculous.

Look up “case boss” on Facebook…..I’ve had one of these cases for my iPhone 5/6 and 7…..really slim and light and no water/shock damage as yet.
Takes a while to arrive but well worth it.
Some sort of “postage only” deal on ATM as well.

Or even:

https://www.case-boss.com/collections/all-iphone-cases/products/ultra-premium-waterproof-case

Lifeproof NUUD

I’ve Mous but not sure if they do one for the SE.

[video]https://youtu.be/XpzzliGHjtQ[/video]

Got an otterbox defender for my SE that I use while DIYing /gardening. / bike fettling. It’s not waterproof.

Have also got a topeak ridecase for riding with. I suspect this is global thermonuclear war proof. I had one fall off my KTM on the m6. It was still running, in the central reservation several days later.

General usage the Apple leather cases are awesome for the SE.

Pipiom, thanks for that. I’ve got a lifeproof but got one of those for the girlfriend as a massive case wont do for her and it comes in Gold!

I like the quadlock case for cycling.

Shop Ride

+1 for Lifeproof, but look out for fakes. I got mine from a shop, but it’s leaking around the home button.
Not 100% sure it’s genuine.

I got a nice waterproof pocket from Pedalcover last week. Totally free and out of the blue.

The Lifeproof cases are very good, but budget for them lasting 2yrs or so. Thats with my Mrs and she’s very careful with it.