Think about water proofing your phones out on the trail.

[Float Pilot]

Usually I am over in the shooting and flying forums since that is what I do for a living.

But, I was just involved in another search for a missing snow-machiner who went out on his own and got himself into the ultimate trouble.


All the facts are not in yet, but nobody could raise him on his cell phone and he apparenly could not call out. It looks like he may have gone through some thin ice at an overflow and really dunked himself.

A cell phone that has been under creek or pond water will not help you much even if you are only a mile and a half away from civilization.

But thinking about water proof bags is more of a boating thing than a snow-machine thing.....

I started to think that I am always pulling my phone out of the water proof bag to answer calls from my wife and then stick it right back in a shirt pocket. Since I am usually flying my plane off of lakes, that is also a sure fire way to make sure I can't use it when I need it.

Anyway, just a thought for this yime of year when you guys are running over partially frozen ponds and creeks.

[JOAT]

Good stuff. I also tend to keep survival items, such as matches and spare GPS batteries, packed in vacuum sealed bags before packed into the snowmachine. Resealable waterproof pouches are great for those items that you need to have access to periodically.

[Vince]

and one more reason for the sat phone in a pelican case.... How often do you REALLY have cell serivce.. up here it is 1/2 mile off the road. and not much further in most places people play.. IF any at all..

[kenairmk]

I second that! Last summer, I tipped my wheeler over in a creek. Everything I had in a ziplock bag got ruined (and I mean everything), cell phone included. To say the least, I am dissapointed, they work great for food, that's it. I highly recommend a "waterproof" or dry bag. I also use a pelican case for my sat phone and my cell phone.

[Mr. Pid]

A sat phone in a hard case will almost certainly not be on you when you need it most. I carry mine in my chest pocket. Sea to Summit has very light and thin Ultra Sil waterproof bags. So do other manufacturers. I don't receive calls on my sat phone so I have no reason to remove it unless I need it. The chest pocket also keeps it warm so the battery is ready for action. That's very important if you want your phone to work for more than a minute or two in cold outside temps.