New watertight box

[Tony Anders]

I found a water tight box at wal-mart the other day. If didn't come with any foam but I figured for $8 I would give it a try

It is an outdoor products brand. It seems that Wally-world is trying to get more backpacking and canoing stuff in stock. They had some dry bags and stuff too.

I will let you all know how well it holds up on caving trips

They had a smaller box for $6 or something but I opted the larger one, since I figured I could put my camera and extra batteries and film in the larger one.

I just hope it isn't to bulky when I get it in my cave pack.

[Brian Roebuck]

Let us know how well it holds up to cave abuse Tony. Some products work great above ground and fall flat in a cave. If you simply want to keep things dry and are not into heavy pack dragging, breakdown flogging caving you can also use kitchen food containers and pack your gear in them using old socks or towels for shock protection. These work well for mild cave trips. The towels and socks also double as clean up rags when you get the contents dirty etc.

Have fun!

[NZcaver]

I keep my camera and a flashgun in a small Seahorse brand suitcase-style plastic box. I carry it on a sling of webbing, and occasionally pack it if I'm doing vertical work. It's lasted me well for the past few years, and I got it cheap (and new) from someone at an OTR gear sale.

For compact cameras, the local Wally-Marts here (in Hawaii) stock the smaller size Pelican cases. I got a 1040 case to use for my caving first aid kit, and as long as you don't stuff these cases too full they should stay waterproof. Plus they're padded.

For keeping non-breakable stuff inside your pack dry, think about small dry bags. If in doubt test them first in the bathtub, and take them back if they leak!

[Brian Roebuck]

NZ mentioned Seahorse cases which is a brand I had not heard of before. So I googled and found this website www.seahorsecases.com/ for those of you who are interested in them. They look like pelicans and are priced competitively as well. If you scroll down the page they offer extreme duty boxes ("if you want them to survive a plane crash") for a few bucks more available in black only.

Nice alternative to pelicans. Thanks to NZ for mentioning them.

[Azurerana]

We're cheap here in wet caving Missouri. Double bagging with heavy mil trash bags, or triple bagging with ziplock bags works just fine. I even bag my camera stuff inside of a Pelican box.
Was on a float trip once where my double trashbagged sleeping bag was the only one to not get soaked-- vs $30-40 dry bags designed for whitewater rafting.

Ok--suspenders and a belt-- but God bless whom ever invented ziplocks!

[NZcaver]

drbeaner said:

NZ mentioned Seahorse cases which is a brand I had not heard of before. So I googled and found this website www.seahorsecases.com/ for those of you who are interested in them. They look like pelicans and are priced competitively as well. If you scroll down the page they offer extreme duty boxes ("if you want them to survive a plane crash") for a few bucks more available in black only.

Nice alternative to pelicans. Thanks to NZ for mentioning them.

Thanks for posting the website. This other website also has Seahorse cases, with a little more detailed pictures and specs. I own the SX-120 (smallest "extreme protective" case), and it is absolutely bombproof! If you need a case for caving, I recommend these as being great value for money.

[Tony Anders]

Well, I was considering bagging my camera(s) as well even inside the box I have found. I hope the little inexpensive box I have here works well. I ran into some dry bags on clearance somewhere in Tennessee I believe when I was buying some backpacking equipment. I like those bags so far inside caves. They have a roll down top and a velcro strip for securing it once rolled up.

Seems to have worked well so far.