The problem with going to the swimming pool or to the beach on your own is that you often have to leave your money/wallet and/or your precious smartphone on the sundeck or towel. For loners, this is a horrible inconvenience and there's the constant fear of theft. Knowing that a waterpoof bag for a smartphone or MP3 player would prove useful one of these days, I visited the Chinese online shopping site 360Buy (renamed recently to JD.com) and purchased a Bingo Waterproof Smartphone pouch (which is probably an inaccurate Mandarin translation).
Obviously, I had to use Google Translate to search for the item and input it in the online shopping web site's search engine. Amazon and any other online store in the US carry similar items and there's very little price difference. However, the Chinese site one ups other buying sites by providing charming ads for the Bingo waterproof case with a couple sitting around the pool with the waterproof slip of neoprene (other sites sport a scantily clad Chinese girl at the beach) . Some manufacturers include a compass and neck strap and provide visual instructions on how the sealing mechanism works (you would understand the pictures even if you couldn't understand Chinese characters). My only real requirement was that it wouldn't rupture on my first try.
Now, just like most people, I was concerned about how good the product would be once exposed to the elements of the swimming pool or ocean. The pictures on the buying site are nice and all that but I was unsure if it was watertight. Even my Chinese colleague looked at me doubtfully when I told her I was going to buy one.
"You'd better get ready to buy a new smartphone," she warned with a raised eyebrow. Well, I don't have a smartphone. And I was going to use the waterproof container for my 4th gen iPod Touch.
Litmus Test
I should have ran informal tests in the bath before heading off to the beach or pool, but I was busy with work, confident that the resealable plastic bag that came with my goggles can be used to add an extra layer of waterproofing.
I first tried the product at the pool. I placed my iPod Touch inside the resealable plastic bag and then popped it into the Bingo waterproof case. The bag was designed for much larger devices than my 4th gen iPod Touch so there was plenty of space inside even with the 2nd layer of plastic I added. The construction is fairly simple and at first glance the material seems cheap but I had seen similar products before and pricier items used the same design. The twin hooks on top of the bag seal one end of the fairly thick neoprene similar to what divers use. The basic "trapdoor concept" doesn't compress the bag when you seal it and air can be trapped inside the bag causing it to balloon.
This was actually a good sign - this meant that it was fairly airtight.
I fastened the armstrap to my bicep and without hesitation dove into the pool. The product worked. My iPod Touch was dry and snug inside the bag. However, I knew that swimming at the beach and against the waves was a totally different situation. So I did some laps in the pool. It was awkward having the case on my arm as I executed a free crawl and the iPod Touch/airtight bag throws off your balance when doing a breast stroke but otherwise the bag not only held but it kept my iPod Touch dry even after four laps around the pool.
At the Beach
I brought the bag and my iPod Touch to the beach with the full intention of using the same method with the resealable plastic bag that worked so well at the pool. Unfortunately, my wallet was too big for the bag - thick as it was with receipts and coupons (not money). So, I did the next best thing, I took what little cash I had and stuffed it in the Bingo waterproof case with the iPod Touch. This time, I decided not to use the extra layer with the resealable plastic bag. Looking back, it was a an impulsive and stupid thing to do because if the Bingo bag ruptured due to the sand or waves, I would not only damage my iPod Touch but lose a great deal of travel money. However, I was ready for the first signs of leakage or moisture inside the bag.
The result was pretty fantastic. The velcro strap kept the Bingo bag on my arm the whole time while I frolicked with the powerful waves. I kept touching the bag on my arm just to check if it was still there. The currency I tucked in wouldn't survive the salt water so my concern was valid. I didn't do laps like I did at the pool but 2 hours and more than two dozen powerful waves and several rolls in the sand proved the Bingo bag's resiliency.
Conclusion? The Bingo Waterproof bag worked and I hadn't wasted my money on the non-branded product with the dodgy web ad at JD.com.
Notes
If you don't intend to do laps at the pool and just want to be have your smartphone handy while you're at the pool, the Bingo waterproof case actually lets you use the touchscreen. The web ad actually showed this prominently though I was skeptical because of the current technology of today's touchscreens. When I tried it, however, the touchscreen and the button of the iPod Touch surprisingly worked even through the thick plastic waterproof layer. Obviously, I didn't buy the bag for that purpose but I'm pretty sure smartphone addicts would appreciate that functionality.
As a final note, the release clasps on top of the Bingo bag can be difficult to open after a long swim at the beach. I struggled for five minutes to open the swimming pouch after my swim. Surface tension and the bag's material made it extremely difficult to pull open. No sand seeped inside the clasps so it wasn't stuck in the normal sense. Perhaps if I had waited for 10 minutes for the Bingo pouch to dry it would've been easier - but I was dying for an ice cream cone and my all my pocket cash was inside the nice and dry bag.
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