I'm working in the rain
In my last post I mentioned waterproof cases - and how the subject of using devices in the rain is a frequent question and concern for people in construction and field work. I had a look at what the market has to offer, and here are my observations of two offerings....
Preamble
Undertaking Audits, Inspections and Assessments is not always an easy life for a tablet.
Quite apart from the hard knocks, you can be assured that just when you think your day can't get any worse, it rains. There are situations where inundation is a known hazard rather than a random weather issue.
It may be that you do fire-sprinkler inspections, or work in marine, or generally damp conditions.
In all these circumstances you will need some form of waterproofing.
As we discussed in the last post you could always get a ruggedised device. However a more cost effective approach may be to get an off-the-shelf unit (such as a Samsung Tab S) and protect it against impacts and being dropped by using an Otterbox or similar. You can then waterproof it using one of the products reviewed in this article.
The Gear
For this review I am using a Samsung Tab 2 10.1 and the trusty Tab 3 in its Otterbox. The cases for review are the Proporta Beachbuoy, and the DiCAPac waterproof 10inch tablet case.
Proporta waterproof case for 7 inch tablet, and DiCAPac case for 10 inch tablet.
Proporta Beachbuoy
The initial impression getting this out of the wrapping is of a well made, robust product. The edges are double seamed, and the main material appears to be a waterproofed cloth.
Close-up of the seam around the edges of the Proporta Beachbuoy
I trialled the 7inch tablet size and was able to fit my Tab 3 in its Otterbox Defender case into the case with no issues. If you have a Tab 2 in an Otterbox then it probably won't fit as the Tab 2 is wider than the Tab 3.
Clarinspect have a client that uses Samsung Tab S in Otterbox, and the next size up Proporta waterproof case. It fits very easily.
With any case or case being used for Audits, Inspections or Assessments, the camera and flash (if you have one) need to be visible - and I have seen a number of cases where these are obscured.
The Proporta has a clear front and back (they are identical - so take your pick!). The Tab 3 camera was clear and worked well - the case did not add any odd visual artefacts to the images taken.
Proporta Beachbuoy. Front and back with Samsung Tab 3 in Otterbox.
You can see from the photos above that this Tab 3 was also fitted with a Hand-e-holder. The attachment ring did not cause any issues with getting the device into the case.
Using the touchscreen was not impeded by being in the waterproof case. The Tab 3 was equipped with a screen protector, an Otterbox screen protector and still using the touch screen worked fine through the clear screen of the waterproof case.
Waterproofing-wise the Proporta uses a double zip-lock, rolling collar and velcro seal. it is listed as IP57 / IP58 approved and is guaranteed down to a depth of 5m. So it will work in NZ West-Coast rain storms!
The top of the Proporta has two zip-lock closures, it then folds over 3 times, and velcro to hold shut
My only gripe would be the lanyard - I would prefer something more robust, so you may want to think about attaching an after-market neck strap.
DiCAPac waterproof case
The initial impression of the DiCAPac material is that it feels like a beach ball. This case is targetted more for pool-side reading of eBooks, or tablets having an adventure than industry. However it keeps a tablet dry - which is our goal when out and about.
Tab 2 10.1 fitted very well in the DiCAPac. Note de-bubbling card in lower right corner.
The Tab 2 10.1 was fitted into the waterproof case without any other protective casing such as the Otterbox. The clear screen material sticks to the screen in exactly the same way as when fitting a screen anti-scratch protector.
If you have ever fitted an anti-scratch screen cover then you will know about the little card provided for removing bubbles when fitting the cover. I used one of these (see image above) to smooth out bubbles. This adhesion also meant the tablet was secured within the case.
The DiCAPac comes with a good lanyard, and also a handle for the rear face - both essentials for work in the field. The handle was a bit flimsy, but the attachment for the hand-strap to the case was very strong.
This type of case has a clear strip on the rear side that caters for cameras and flash.
Rear face of DiCAPac. You can also see the lanyard and attachment points.
The case came supplied with very good double-attached lanyard. Attachment points will always be the weakest link here, but these were not flimsy. However - don't want them too strong, else the loop around the neck becomes a hazard!
Using the touchscreen presented no issues through the waterproof case, even though the Tab 2 was also fitted with an anti-scratch cover.
Waterproofing-wise the DiCAPac uses a single zip-lock, and three folds secured with two velcro strips.
A zip-lock, then a three-fold collar, held in place with two velcro strips.
The rating for this is JIS IPX8 which means submersible up to 10m for at least 30 minutes. So again, suitable for NZ weather - even Fjordland.
If you have a Tab 8.4, or a smaller device in a protective case then you may not be able (or want) to use the waterproof cases designed for that size. You can always fit such a device into a larger waterproof case.
As indicated earlier one Clarinspect client is using the Proporta 10inch format for their Tab S devices in Otterbox Defender cases.
Tab 3 in Otterbox in DiCAPac case
This arrangement is actually quite useful. You can hang the smaller tab comfortably from the neck strap. The tab is in the case with Camera aligned to the clear strip. To use it you then just lift it into view.
You also have access to the hand-holder on the back - the best of both worlds.
Post-amble
The Proporta case felt more 'industrial' - good seams, and woven material edges, and less like a beach ball. The downside was the lanyard provided was a piece of string - I would replace with with something more robust and less likely to cut into my neck.
Both cases reviewed had great sealing mechanisms, and were rated to international standards. Not that rating for submersion is too important for rain protection.
I would use the Proporta large for 7inch/8inch Tab 4/ Tab S in protective cases - the larger waterproof case allows the device and hard-case to fit.
These cases are not intended for industrial environments really, and you can imagine how if you swipe the screen with gritty hands that you would easily scratch the clear plastic surface. However, we use these cases to protect the expensive device inside, so if you work in a dirty/gritty environment then buy many inexpensive cases!
Lastly, if you have your device in such a waterproof case with a lanyard or hand holder you may want to ask the question - do I need a hard case as well?
In some environments you may need this as well - for example you may gather data, then put the device down. In other use-cases, where the inspector has the device always on the lanyard whilst working, you can see that a hard protective case may not be needed - just the waterproof one.
Even more lastly - a big thank you to mobilefun whose customer service staff replaced a lost delivery, and shipped it FedEx to get to me safely - a great customer experience!