Waterproof and Floating iPhone or iPad Cases for Boating

Keep your iPhone, iPad or Galaxy devices safe on your boat or around water with waterproof and floating device cases from LifeProof or Otterbox

Most boaters don’t go out on their boat without their iPhones, iPads or other smartphone devices on board. We use them to take pictures, we use them for navigation apps, we use them to text, we post updates to Facebook and Twitter and sometimes we even use them to actually make phone calls.

I like to bring my phone into the water and take pictures of our raft-up with friends, or take pictures of the kids jumping off the swim platform (its fun to catch their expressions from the front as they are jumping, rather than from standing behind them on the boat.

boating pictures — Waterproof iPhone cases will let you can take pictures from the water without worrying about dropping it in.

But lately I have become more concerned about my iPhone dropping into the water. I could accidentally drop it in the water – or one of the kids could drop it in. I thought I just needed a waterproof case to protect it, but then I quickly realized that I probably need a floating case so that it also doesn’t sink to the bottom of the river.

Luckily, there are several brands on the market that offer waterproof or floating case solutions that are perfect for boaters… like LifeProof, and Otterbox.

West Marine seems to carry a good selection of both waterproof and floating device cases, and they are detailed nicely in their catalog, but I have also found that many of the same case options can be found cheaper on Amazon. I will include links below will take you to these products on each site and you can choose where to buy.

LifeProof fre and nuud Waterproof iPhone and iPad Cases

LifeProof fre and nuud cases are waterproof and designed to integrate with your devices features – so you can still use the touchscreen, camera, buttons, etc. According to descriptions the LifeProof fre is a thin, light and durable case that totally seals your smartphone or iPad Mini from elements. It also has a scratch protector for the touchscreen.

WHERE TO BUY:

fre Cases – (also available in several colors)

iPhone 5 fre case – $49.45 at Amazon

iPhone 6 fre case – $29.95 at Amazon

iPhone 8 & 7 fre case – $40 at Amazon

iPhone X fre case – $69 at Amazon

Galaxy S7 fre case – $34 at Amazon

Galaxy S8 fre case – $34 at Amazon

iPad Mini fre case – $79.99 at Amazon

nuud Cases – (also available in several colors)

The LifeProof nuud offers the same waterproof protection as the fre cases do, but without the screen protection (which I assume makes it easier to use the touchscreen) and it also has a sound enhancer.

LifeProof LifeJacket Floats for iPhone or iPad

Even if you have a fre or nuud waterproof case on your iPhone or iPad, your device can still sink to the bottom of the water if it doesn’t float. That could be trouble if you boat in water that is not crystal clear.

The LifeJacket Floats are made of soft, buoyant foam and are made to fit over the LifeProof fre or nuud case. Also includes a quick release lanyard or wrist strap.

Otterbox Armor Series Waterproof Device Cases

The Otterbox Armor cases give your iPhone even more protection in the water – able to protect from 30 minutes of water immersion at depths up to 6.6 feet, can even survive 10 foot drops onto concrete. The case maintains full functionality of your iPhone with a built-in screen protector.

Also available in cool colors like arctic blue, neon green or electric orange.

When you think about how you use your iPhone or iPad on your boat, protecting your device (and all its important data) with a waterproof or floating case is worth the extra investment.

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Diane Seltzer

Founder & Editor at My Boat Life

Diane is the founder of MyBoatLife.com as well as the boating lifestyle site for kids BoaterKids.com. Active in the boating industry, Diane is founder of Marine Marketing Tools, a collaborative site for sharing marine marketing best practices. Diane is also the author of the children's book The Amazing Adventures of Boat Girl.