6 Best Waterproof Phone Pouches (2023) to Keep Your Phone Dry

By Madison Flager

When summer rolls around, vacation plans tend to involve the water. Maybe you're headed to a Caribbean beach, or to chase waterfalls in a state park. Perhaps you are dusting off your water sports skills for afternoons on the boat, in a kayak, or balancing atop a paddleboard. Or maybe you're just taking photos close to the shore and don't want to worry about your phone falling in or getting splashed by a wave. Wherever you go, if you're bringing your cell along, you'd be wise to invest in a waterproof phone bag.

Unlike a waterproof phone case, these pouches protect your device and give you a way to stay hands-free, usually in the form of a lanyard. The best waterproof phone pouches even float, so if it gets knocked into a deep body of water (or even the deep end of a pool), you won't be scrambling to find it.

Ahead of last year's summer season, I tested out a slew of waterproof phone bags and pouches to find out which will really keep your phone dry. I went through a few rounds of testing for each bag: first, with a tissue inside, to ensure there was no immediate water damage. Then, with an old (and small) Apple phone. Lastly, I put my iPhone 13 Pro Max inside of each one to see how it fit. With each round, all of the pouches were tossed into a pool or ocean. I'm happy to report the cell phones (and tissues) all came out unscathed, but still, some pouches proved better than others. In the year since, I've continued to put these pouches to the test while traveling, and added a new model from Case-Mate into the rotation.

Read on for my reviews of each one, and to find the best waterproof phone pouches to bring on your next beach trip, cruise, or rainy day hike.

This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

This Pelican pouch is the clear favourite, largely for its ability to float. While the point of the lanyard is to keep your phone from dunking into the water without you, accidents happen, and knowing this bag will stay afloat offers peace of mind. It's also cushioned, protecting your phone from drops on a hard surface, too. Other pros: he lanyard is detachable in case you want to swap out the lime green one it comes with, and it was easy enough to still use my phone while inside the case to take photos. Per Pelican, which puts its pouches through even more rigorous testing, the case is proven to stay dry in one metre of water (3.3 feet) for 60 minutes.

This size was a little tight for my phone, and the cushion (which is what allows it to float) meant typing was just a bit more annoying – I had to press down harder than normal – than with the thinner ones. Also worth noting: with all of these pouches, FaceID can be a bit finicky, so be prepared to enter your lock code in manually.

In the year since I first reviewed this pouch, I've brought it on several more trips, and have been happy to have it with me on a cruise, kayaking outing, and waterfall excursion.

These waterproof fanny packs were a surprise favourite. An order comes with two bags, each with an adjustable strap to wear around your waist or across your chest. They have both a Velcro closure and a triple lock seal, which means it's not a quick in-and-out to grab your stuff, but also that everything inside is safe and secure.

It's great to have these bags on solo beach outings – they’re fully submersible, so you can keep them on while you wade into the water – and while on cruise ship excursions where you're carrying more than just a phone (while not as big as a dry bag, a credit card, sunscreen, and other valuables could easily fit in here). To note, this one is not meant for touchscreen use, so you will need to take your phone out if you want to take a photo or otherwise use it.

Case-Mate's pouch is definitely the most aesthetically pleasing of the bunch – it comes in colours like sand dollar and citrus splash, and has a puffer-like texture that reminds me of Calpak's Luka collection – and gets bonus points for floating in water and having a detachable lanyard. However, I had some difficulty seeing my screen while using it (granted, it was quite a sunny day on the first try), in part because of air bubbles that formed on the surface. While my iPhone 13 Pro Max fit inside, the front camera was obstructed; with an iPhone 13 Pro, though, this wasn't a problem, and typing was easier. I'd recommend it for phones of a similar size to the 13 Pro (6.1").

Another solid pick: this Joto phone pouch; the touchscreen worked easily and the camera was especially clear. That said, this one isn't floatable, and the open/close mechanism was confusing at first (you have to loop the prongs through the top of the case once your phone is inside). An order comes with two cases and two lanyards, and you can choose between a few colours (black, clear, aqua blue, pink). I'd take this one snorkelling or to a water park, and recommend it to anyone taking a lot of photos or videos, as it's easy to use your phone while it's in the case than it is with the floating options.

Made by Nite Ize, the same brand behind another editor-favourite outdoor item (former travel bookings editor Meredith Carey's go-to bicycle phone mount), this pouch has been tested to stay dry in one meter of water for 30 minutes. It comes with an adjustable lanyard, has a super easy-to-open zipper, and a touchscreen that works seamlessly. There’s also a loop to clip it onto a belt or backpack.

Worth noting: it feels counterintuitive, but you'll want to put your phone in upside down if you plan to take photos while it's still in the case (otherwise, the camera will be obscured by the black portion up top). This one was also a bit snug on my phone, though for anyone with an Android or iPhone that is smaller than the Pro Max, you should be good to go.