What can you use a Dry Box for?

Dry boxes have many uses. Not only for diving or snorkeling but pretty much for anything where you want to protect something from the outside condition.

Using a dry box when you scuba dive or snorkel

What can you protect?

When it comes to diving or snorkeling then you usually want to protect electronics and valuables from the water. This could be your car keys, cell phone, or other valuables and electronic devices you might have.

Many times you can leave those items behind on a boat or the beach so they can’t get wet. It can be a bad idea though to leave your valuables behind specifically when you’re snorkeling and you enter the water from the beach. Unfortunately, it happens more often than we want to believe that valuables get stolen in such a situation.

Do they only keep things dry?

A dry box not only keeps your items dry and allow you to take them with you (at least the smaller ones) but also protects your items from damage through accidentally dropping them on a rock or exposing them to too much UV light. Your valuables in the dry box are safe from such exposure and from breaking on a rock as they are protected.

What about my camera?

You can get dry boxes in all shapes and sizes. Some are very specific for one use, like for example a waterproof case for your GoPro camera. One wouldn’t really think of such housing as a dry box but it certainly is exactly that.

What sizes do they come in?

Others are generic in their shape and not designed for a specific use. You can find small dry boxes that are useful to keep your car keys, cell phone, and cash safe while you snorkel or dive. Others are designed to protect your camera during transport. You will usually have to get specific inserts for your device or get inserts that you can adjust so they fit around your items.

Larger dry boxes can be useful to protect some of your dive gear or larger electronics you might take with you. These larger sizes require you to add foam inserts to fit the box for the items you want to store in it.

Organizing your Dry Box

In addition to foam inserts, you can also use a lid organizer for your dry box. These attach to the inside of the lid of the dry box and offer a variety of mesh pockets that you can fill with small items. This is a great way to maximize the storage space within your dry box while keeping everything organized and neat.

Some dry box brands like Pelican also offer specific dry box dividers. These make it easy to keep your items separated in the dry box while keeping everything neatly organized. The padding also keeps your valuables safe in case you drop the dry box.

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You can practically find a dry box for any size and use you can imagine. If you need anything to be kept safe then you can get a waterproof and shockproof container for it. Larger sizes get harder to move around and many of those have wheels to make it easier to maneuver them.

There are even specific dry boxes for laptop computers and tablets to keep them safe from the sand and water when you bring them to the beach. These work well to keep your computer dry and free from sand while allowing you to use it whenever necessary.

Are dry boxes really dry?

Dry boxes are dry to a certain extent. Most are not qualified and designed to be used for scuba diving. You can usually take them for a snorkel trip but when you dive to deeper depths then your dry box can get leaky and wet pretty fast.

Smaller containers for ID cards, etc. are usually safe to use for a dive. Larger dry boxes simply are impractical due to their size. Never mind that they would eventually let water in.

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All quality dry boxes do a good job of protecting the inside from sand and splashing water and UV rays. Customize your dry box(es) the way you need them to maximize protection for your valuables inside. It often makes more sense to get two smaller dry boxes to separate your valuables instead of getting a large container that holds everything. The smaller boxes are usually easier to handle and fewer items in the box typically keep them safer as they won’t crash into each other!

An alternative to a bulky dry box can also be to use a waterproof bag when you snorkel or dive. These are easier to handle when you’re snorkeling or diving. ​

Should you use a dry box when snorkeling or scuba diving?
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