Gear ReviewsGo Outdoors

Dry is Good. Outdoor Products Watertight Boxes

posted by gumptiongear April 19, 2013 0 comments

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As the snow fades into the distant memory, and Spring rains begin to fall, the rivers are rising.  You can almost hear the sound of raging waters in the distance.  Your kayak is calling from the garage, waiting to be unleashed.  As you make final preparations to attack the wet outdoors, grab a Watertight Box from Outdoor Products to ensure that there’s a method to your dry-minded madness.

On Performance and Design…
Whether for safety or convenience, there are a handful of items that you should never be without on any adventure.  The Outdoor Products Watertight Boxes, provides waterproof protection for your phone, GPS unit, camera, or other small and medium sized objects.

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As we learned in our review of the Amphibian pack, Outdoor Products knows how to make tough, durable products that keep your essentials dry, and the watertight boxes are no exception.  Made from shatterproof Polycarbonate material, the boxes are available in two different sizes to accommodate an array of trips and gear. The clear urethane box helps with locating gear, so you don’t have to go on a five-minute hunt for some Advil or a bandage.  An O-ring ensures watertight seal while rubber key clip provide secure tethering options for a wide range of activities.

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Worthy of your river exploits, rain forest adventures or trips to Niagara Falls, the value of these boxes reach beyond the realm of water.  Over the winter months, our field team consistently used the boxes on snowshoe adventures where snow always seems to find a way into every crack and crevice available.  Just as on our river expeditions, the Outdoor Products Watertight Boxes kept our valuables and electronics dry and protected.

Notes from the field…
As always, there are a few things to consider if you are in the market for any product that provides watertight protection.  First, consider how you will use the product.  If weight or space are at a premium on your adventures, then be mindful that the watertight boxes will take up significantly more volume in a pack than would a dry bag.

While we enjoy the convenience of being able to quickly spot and locate what we need in a clear box, some might not want a hard object bouncing around on the floor of their raft, canoe, etc.  If you’re looking for waterproof protection in a slightly less bulky form, then Outdoor Products also offers a range of dry sacks and bags in their Dry Storage collection.

In terms of an actual critique, we’d like to see future iterations of the watertight box equipped with a soft rubber case liner to help provide an additional layer of protection from bumps, bruises and jolts.  Our field team also noted that a carabiner would be preferable to the rubber key clip.

Bottom Line…
No one wants to return from their adventure with a water-logged phone, soggy cash or ProBar soup.  Dry is good, and the Watertight boxes from Outdoor Products are the means to the bone-dry ends.

*Gumption Gear Review received the items featured in this review from Outdoor Products at no cost and receives no monetary compensation for this or any related review. The item featured was provided solely in return for our honest views and opinions.