Waterproof Pouch or Phone Case? Which to Choose for Swimming and the Beach
9 November 2026
The short answer: both keep your phone dry, but they do different jobs. A waterproof pouch is worn round your waist and holds your phone AND your keys, cards and cash, so it is the one for a day at the beach, a boat trip or a swim with the kids. A waterproof phone case hangs round your neck, holds just your phone, and is IPX8 rated to 100 feet, so it is the one for taking photos in the water. For a long swim, the best place for your phone is in its case inside a tow float.
We sell both, and we get asked which to buy almost every week. Here is how they differ, what fits in each, and how to choose.
What is a waterproof pouch?
A waterproof pouch is a flat, soft bag on an adjustable strap. You put your valuables in, seal the top, and wear it round your waist, across your body or over your shoulder, so your hands stay free.
Ours is 23 cm wide and 16.5 cm high, which is roomy. A large smartphone goes in with space to spare for a bank card, some cash and a set of keys. The top closes with a triple press-seal and a Velcro strip under a fold-over flap, and it is made to keep water out down to 10 metres. The strap adjusts from 85 cm to 118 cm, so it fits adults of all sizes.
The pouches come in two colours, and each has its own job:
- See-through blue. You can read your phone and use its touchscreen through the pouch while it stays sealed.
- Solid black. Nobody can see what is inside, so cards, cash and keys stay out of sight.
What is a waterproof phone case?
A waterproof phone case is a hard-framed, phone-shaped case with a clear window on the front and the back, worn on a lanyard round your neck. It is made for one thing: your phone.
Ours is IPX8 certified to 100 feet (30 metres). IPX8 is the rating for staying underwater, which is why you can take the phone under the surface and still use the touchscreen and the camera through the windows. It closes with a simple snap-and-lock seal that keeps out water, sand and dust, and the lanyard has a quick-release clip. There is room behind the phone for a bank card or a note, but not for keys.
If you already own one of our dry bags or backpacks, you may have one of these already: a free IPX8 phone case comes with every one. (What the different IPX ratings mean is explained in are dry bags fully waterproof?)
Waterproof pouch or phone case: which should you buy?
| Waterproof pouch | Waterproof phone case | |
|---|---|---|
| Worn | Round the waist, across the body or over a shoulder | Round the neck on a lanyard |
| Holds | Phone, keys, cards and cash | Your phone, plus a card or a note |
| Use the touchscreen? | Yes, through the blue pouch | Yes, front and back windows |
| Underwater photos | Not what it is for | Yes, IPX8 to 100 feet |
| Best for | Beach days, boat trips, holidays, swimming with the kids | Photos in the water, paddleboarding, snorkelling |
A simple way to decide: if you need to carry more than your phone, get the pouch. If you want to take pictures in the water, get the case. Plenty of people end up with both, a pouch for the keys and cash and a case for the phone.
Can you swim with a waterproof pouch?
Yes. A waterproof pouch is ideal for a relaxed holiday swim or splashing about in the sea with the kids, and you can swim with it on longer swims too.
For a long swim, half an hour or more, there is a better home for your valuables: a tow float. Put your phone in its case, and your keys, cards and cash in the pouch, then put both inside the float. It is more comfortable than anything strapped to you, and it means nothing is left on the beach. The float also makes you easier to see for boats, jet skis and people on the shore. You can still track your swim with the phone inside, though you won’t be taking photos with it in there.
The full list of what to take, and how to keep it dry, is in our sea swimming kit checklist.
A waterproof pouch for your phone and keys
Keys are the reason most people want a pouch rather than a case. A phone case only takes the phone, but car keys, house keys and a card all fit in the pouch together.
Modern car keys are electronic and have a battery inside, so they need keeping as dry as your phone. Don’t leave them on the shore or tucked in a shoe. Seal them in the pouch with your phone and cards and take them with you.
Will my phone fit?
- The pouch takes a large smartphone with room to spare.
- The phone case fits phones up to 6 inches measured across the screen diagonally. The case itself is 10 cm by 17.5 cm. If you have one of the biggest “Plus”, “Max” or “Ultra” phones, measure it first, or choose the roomier pouch.
How to keep a pouch or case waterproof
- Try it first. Before you trust it with your phone, seal a folded tissue inside and hold it under water in the sink. If the tissue comes out dry, you’re ready.
- Keep the seal clean. A grain of sand in the seal is the most common way water gets in. Brush it off before you close it.
- Close it properly every time. Press the whole length of the seal on the pouch, or check both catches are locked on the case.
- Rinse and dry it. After the sea, rinse it in fresh water and let it dry open before you put it away.
- Double up on the water. Putting a phone in its case and then inside a dry bag or tow float is very good practice, a second layer of protection against the unexpected.
Our waterproof pouches and phone cases
Waterproof pouches, 2-pack — one see-through blue pouch and one solid black, each 23 cm by 16.5 cm on an adjustable strap, with a triple seal. It also comes with RFID-blocking sleeves for your cards and passport, which makes it a good one to pack for a holiday.
Waterproof phone case, IPX8 — the large case, IPX8 certified to 100 feet, with clear windows on both sides, a snap-and-lock seal and a neck lanyard with a quick-release clip.
Waterproof phone case twin pack — two of the same IPX8 cases, one white and one black, each with a matching lanyard, so it’s easy to tell whose is whose on a family day out.
Swim buoy tow float, 28 litre — the best home for your phone and keys on a long swim. It is bright, easy to see, and it is a dry bag too, so your valuables come with you instead of staying on the beach. Like all our bags, it carries our 5 year guarantee.
Heading out in a kayak or on a paddleboard with more than a phone? See our guide to waterproof bags for kayaking and canoeing.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use a touchscreen through a waterproof pouch?
Yes, through the see-through blue pouch. The black pouch is solid on purpose, so you can’t see or use the screen through it. The phone case has clear windows on both sides, so you can use the screen and the camera.
Can you take photos underwater with a waterproof phone case?
Yes. Our case is IPX8 certified to 100 feet, which means it is made to go underwater, and you can use the camera through the clear back window.
Is a waterproof pouch or a phone case better for swimming?
For a short, relaxed swim, either works, and the pouch also carries your keys and cash. For a long swim, put the phone in its case and the keys in the pouch, and carry both inside a tow float.
Do you get a free phone case with a dry bag?
Yes. A free IPX8 waterproof phone case comes with every Ultra Dry dry bag and backpack, and the twin pack of zip-front bags comes with two.