Today I'm going to review a plastic bag. A new low, even for me? Maybe, but this is no ordinary plastic bag. It's a bag that has beaten out pretty much every waterproof gadget case i've ever tested, because:
It fits almost every gadget I have It weighs almost nothing. I can keep one in every bag I carry.
The bag is the LokSak, and it's designed to keep your gadgets safe.
The LokSak is a hermetically sealed plastic bag that keeps out 100% of water, air, dust and humidity. It comes in various sizes to fit various items, and they all have two things in common. One is the seal, which is like a regular Ziploc seal only better made. The other is the bag itself, which is absurdly tough, and at the same time flexible and soft.
How tough? Here are some suggested uses (apart from keeping your devices out of trouble): You can keep food and ice inside the LokSak, or put in dehydrated food and add boiling water to cook it, because you can use the LokSak in temperatures from minus 40 to 160 degrees Celsius (minus 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit). I have a few (they're disposable, allegedly, so they come in multipacks) and I've been using them for around a year and a half. They're scuffed, dirty and a little bit hard to see through, but they're still going strong.
I use the bags for a few different things. One is to protect my iPhone from sweat when I keep it in the back pocket of my cycling jersey. I could use a waterproof case (one of the benefits of reviewing gadgets is that I always have cases on hand) but they're bulky and heavy.
I also use the LokSak to protect my iPad mini. You can even stick the Smart Cover on after you've slipped the mini into the bag and it works just fine. And speaking of working just fine, you'll find that the touchscreens of your various iDevices work normally when wrapped in these bags.
My final use is e-reading. You can drop in a Kindle or Kobo and head to the pool or beach and relax, knowing that neither sand nor sea nor splashes are going to make it inside. In fact, the Kindle/Kobo is my favorite way to use the LokSak because the combo is so well-suited to being outdoors, from the reflective e-ink screen to the waterproof cover.
The LokSak solves another e-reader problem, too - reading in the bath. In fact, it more than solves it. With a paper book, you have to use both hands to keep the pages open, and you'll end up getting the corners wet no matter how hard you try not to. Worse, when you fall asleep after drinking one too may Old Fashioneds in the tub, the book will get soaked and puff up as it dries, like your eyes will puff up with the next morning's bourbon hangover. With a Kindle in a LokSak, you can splash and submerge the book, and read one-handed, freeing you up to smoke, drink or whatever else it is you use your hands for in the bath.
The LokSak works just like a Ziploc bag, so why not just use a Ziploc? Because if you're trusting your $700 iPhone to a plastic bag, then you might like to use something that's tested and guaranteed to work. Also, with a three-pack starting at less than $9, LokSaks are still cheap enough to buy in bulk.
So there we are. A plastic bag, reviewed. I'll bet you want one now, huh? Oh, and here's one more thing: If you insist on packing that bottle of local olive oil in your checked luggage on the way home from vacation, you might want to slip it inside a LokSak first. They're designed to keep water out, but they also keep liquids in.
LokSak by LokSak (from $8.39 list)The good: Cheap, tough, totally reliable and ultralight.The bad: Clear plastic scratches and gets less clear over time.The verdict: Pretty much the best way to waterproof your gadgets.Buy from LokSak
Charlie Sorrel is the Reviews Editor here on Cult of Mac. Follow Charlie on Twitter at @mistercharlie.
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