Must Read: Google Glass jailbreak: Let the evil commence

Topic: Hardware

Protecting my gear when I'm out and about

Summary: Mother Nature can be hard on electronic equipment, but with the right gear, you can take your tablet, smartphone, and camera into pretty much any environment and know it will live to fight another day.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

By for Hardware 2.0 |

 |  Image 1 of 8

(Image: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes)

Introduction

Most people who know me personally quickly learn how hard I am on my electronic equipment. Pretty much everything I own — iPhone, iPad, notebooks, cameras, and so on — usually ends up running the risk of being rained on, washed away, blown away, eroded by Mother Nature, or otherwise trodden on or driven over by careless humans.

In other words, if I don't go to great lengths to protect my gear, it's not going to last that long. And I'm not alone here. Increasingly, people are taking delicate electronics in the form of smartphones, tablets, notebooks, and cameras, out into the elements and expecting them to work, day in, day out.

Since I've got a lot of experience taking my equipment out into the elements, I thought I'd share with you the kit I use to make sure my electronics live to see another day.

It is worth noting that the gear I list here isn't just stuff I've been sent to review in order to try to sell it to you. No, this is the gear that I use to protect my stuff. 

  • Thumbnail 1
  • Thumbnail 2
  • Thumbnail 3
  • Thumbnail 4
  • Thumbnail 5
  • Thumbnail 6
  • Thumbnail 7
  • Thumbnail 8

Topic: Hardware

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Talkback

6 comments
Log in or register to join the discussion

  • Sure is a good thing all your idevices are so light and thin

    I guess if you ever wanted to show off how light and thin your idevices are, you just have to take them out of the thick, heavy cases that they live in.

    Too funny.
    toddbottom3
    Reply 1 Vote

    • It would have been nice to see some cases

      For popular (Samsung, nexus, etc) devices as well.

      I was reading on here that sapphire screens may be coming to smartphones around Christmas time this year. Battery life was the biggest factor choosing my current phone/tablet. Sapphire screen may be next.
      MarknWill
      Reply 1 Vote

      • me too

        If the sapphire screens are as good as they say it will be worth paying extra
        richard in norway
        Reply Vote

  • How about nexus 7?

    Heard you got Nexus 7, any recomend for it?
    Lghost
    Reply Vote

  • Easiest kit ever

    Want to waterproof/scratchproof your smartphone or tablet for the short term? Go purchase ziplock-type freezer bags in a size that'll fit your gadget. A typical sandwich-size bag is great for phones and larger ones work for tablets. Double-seal bags are basically waterproof. I've done this when I wanted to have my phone at hand during painting, at the pool, or in the snow, and the bag plastic doesn't interrupt the touchscreen functions or restrict access to the buttons at all. You can even hear the audio just fine...might have to turn the volume up a tick from normal, but not much.

    Best of all, you don't have to pay much money at all and you can pop the devices in and out of the bags in seconds.
    jeb.hoge@...
    Reply 2 Votes

  • Rugged laptop case too

    Looks as though you like the really rugged cases. You might like this one for your laptops: http://www.sfbags.com/products/sleevecases/sleevecases.php
    and tablets: http://www.sfbags.com/products/tablet-cases/sleevecases-tablet.php
    Let me know if you'd like one for review.
    SFBAGS
    Reply 1 Vote
CNET Join | Log In | Privacy | Cookies Close