Taking phones underground

[Jhowarth1]

Hi!
I enjoy capturing the odd photo whilst on a trip underground.
At the moment I do this using a Gopro, but this involves having to stop dig through my bag and then snap a photo. I find the GoPro is great at video but it's photos aren't great.
I'd like the option of using my phone like I do above ground of just pulling it out of my pocket and snapping a photo as it involves a lot less faf and doesn't slow the trip down.
I have tried hard cases but there is still quite a process involved of taking it out and putting it back in. I have also used one of those waterproof pouches but that left the phone fairly vulnerable to bumps.
Has anyone come across some what of a halfway house of a waterproof and protective hard case that still allows fairly easy access to the phone for taking a quick photo. Or a hard case that has a more slim line design.
I'm using a Google pixel 7 phone.
Cheers !

 

[marsrat]

I use a sandwich zip lock bag and a old man leather case on my phone. I stick it in my pocket.
Haven't had any issues.

 

[Jackal]

I've used a waterproof moulded phone case designed for my model of phone before, the only issue is that grit and mud tends to find it's way into the seal and if you don't clean the case very thoroughly after trips this can introduce gaps and let water in (happened to me about a month ago and phone hasn't acted right since).

I'd agree that waterproof diving-style pouches seem to be inadequate for cave use, a fellow caver had an imperceptible puncture in his which led to his phone breaking (ironically in the same Swildons sump 2 trip where mine suffered, perhaps a bit silly taking valuables through sumps).

Besides them not being fully waterproof, I've found both methods have plastic that can either fog up or easily scratch leading to poor photos anyway. Better the faff of a hard case than either of these options I'd say.

 

[BigDyl]

Hi!
I enjoy capturing the odd photo whilst on a trip underground.
At the moment I do this using a Gopro, but this involves having to stop dig through my bag and then snap a photo. I find the GoPro is great at video but it's photos aren't great.
I'd like the option of using my phone like I do above ground of just pulling it out of my pocket and snapping a photo as it involves a lot less faf and doesn't slow the trip down.
I have tried hard cases but there is still quite a process involved of taking it out and putting it back in. I have also used one of those waterproof pouches but that left the phone fairly vulnerable to bumps.
Has anyone come across some what of a halfway house of a waterproof and protective hard case that still allows fairly easy access to the phone for taking a quick photo. Or a hard case that has a more slim line design.
I'm using a Google pixel 7 phone.
Cheers !

I use a £1 phone holder from a charity shop that I wear around my neck. it keeps my phone dry, and I haven’t had any problems with my phone getting smashed (have done some pretty tight and grim caving with it).

 

[ism]

Use an old phone without a SIM card (one of your own or buy 2nd hand), just for the camera. Access the snaps via WiFi or computer wired connection.

 

[Jhowarth1]

Use an old phone without a SIM card (one of your own or buy 2nd hand), just for the camera. Access the snaps via WiFi or computer wired connection.

I'm not sure a bare phone would last very long, I seem to find myself rolling around in puddles offen.

 

[pwhole]

I use the Nokia XR20, which is a 'rugged' smartphone, and is fairly slimline too, though not exactly tiny in acreage. But it's waterproof and can take massive shock impacts, and I haven't broken the glass - in fact they'll repair it for free if you do break it, they're so confident you won't. The only weak spot, as with all of these things, is the charging port - get mud in that and you do have problems, as I did, for a few weeks, until I'd managed to knock it all out. But if you remember to tape over that before you go in there's not many other holes to let anything in. It takes decent photos too, for the price, including in RAW if you fancy it.

 

[tras2]

I've been taking my iPhone 13 underground pretty much since I got it. I was very worried about it on my first trip, taking a ~£1k phone underground didn't (and still doesn't) feel like a sensible decision (but I also cave and most of my friends think that's not a sensible decision!)

I protect it inside a Inglesport T3000 Waterproof Box. It's attached (via a tiny snapgate) to the zip of my over-suit and I keep the case inside my oversuit pretty much under my right armpit. It's not given me much issue and I'm still able to cave in tight spaces and SRT without any hinderance. Getting the phone out quickly and safely is done with relative ease and the photos the phone produces are nice to look back on after the trip - which makes the risk of loss/damage to an expensive phone worthwhile to me.

If you're interested, most of the photos on https://www.morleycavers.org.uk/trip-reports/ were taken by me or another club member (with their iPhone)

 

[Space Doubt Caver]

I go though phones like they are choccy bars, but I do 99% of my caving in Wales and Derbyshire which are both renowned for the mud, so i use a ziplock bag in a dry bag in my top pocket, but they still eventually break.

personally when picking a phone for caving photos i go to cash converters and buy something in the £100 range, usually great android phones with good cameras, and you don't risk your day to day family and business phone.

the only tip i'd give as far as taking phones or cameras is don't take something your not prepared to lose or break, but if your wanting to take beefier things like a real camera buy a small peli case, or a towel inside a darren drum.

 

[Tim Pickering]

If you go down the route of picking up a phone without sim, try the iPhone SE 2020. That's my current phone. No need for a waterproof case. I use a cheap, silicone drop-protector style case and those screen protectors that you apply directly to the screen. I've ran out of the latter so to the untrained eye it does look like my screen is in a state, as the protector has taken a fair old battering. It's a bloody brilliant phone, and takes pretty good pictures.

 

[Cantclimbtom]

If you don't drink the Kool Aide of Apple there are IP69 rugged Android phones out there, best value seems to be from a relatively unheard of company in Europe "Doogee", should get a very good spec phone for low £200s. Not a very English centric company though, for example one of their phone models is named S Punk

 

[Jhowarth1]

I've been taking my iPhone 13 underground pretty much since I got it. I was very worried about it on my first trip, taking a ~£1k phone underground didn't (and still doesn't) feel like a sensible decision (but I also cave and most of my friends think that's not a sensible decision!)

I protect it inside a Inglesport T3000 Waterproof Box. It's attached (via a tiny snapgate) to the zip of my over-suit and I keep the case inside my oversuit pretty much under my right armpit. It's not given me much issue and I'm still able to cave in tight spaces and SRT without any hinderance. Getting the phone out quickly and safely is done with relative ease and the photos the phone produces are nice to look back on after the trip - which makes the risk of loss/damage to an expensive phone worthwhile to me.

If you're interested, most of the photos on https://www.morleycavers.org.uk/trip-reports/ were taken by me or another club member (with their iPhone)

I have been looking at the Inglesport t3000 box that you speak of. How well does it fit your phone? I have been looking for something just the right size and not to bulky on the outside.
Being Mendip based and not heading north for a while it would be good to know before ordering one.
Amazing photos too !!! Impressive!

 

[afraidofthedank]

I have been looking at the Inglesport t3000 box that you speak of. How well does it fit your phone? I have been looking for something just the right size and not to bulky on the outside.
Being Mendip based and not heading north for a while it would be good to know before ordering one.
Amazing photos too !!! Impressive!

I bought one of those boxes for my phone and barely use it now - I found it too bulky, annoying to open and cumbersome to drag around. In the end I just went with a standard aquapack style thing and I just wear it round my neck. It (usually) works through the aqua pack although you’d have to take it out for decent photos. Frankly I’ve stopped taking it after I nearly dropped it taking a selfie on the entrance pitch in Eldon Hole. That and I don’t like handling it with muddy hands.

*Edited to add that it fits the phone in it quite well, although it’s a bit too big for my phone (iPhone 11) so I have to pack it out with something.

 

[tras2]

I have been looking at the Inglesport t3000 box that you speak of. How well does it fit your phone? I have been looking for something just the right size and not to bulky on the outside.
Being Mendip based and not heading north for a while it would be good to know before ordering one.
Amazing photos too !!! Impressive!

The T3000 has a thin foam inner and putting my iPhone 13 Pro (in it's Apple case) has the foam inner being compressed slightly, but this means it fits snugly with no wriggle room.

For additional information, the T3000 case is waterproof enough, but I personally wouldn't take a non-IP rated phone underground and only rely on the T3000 to keep water out