Question - Dry Boxes

[Oxygen Thief]

I'm looking at getting a dry box for multi-use... Underground exploring, kayaking, camping, and various outdoor activities.

It's going to hold all the junk I have strewn around my bag like...

Phone, keys, passport, money
Cooker
Lighters and matches
other firelighting kit
wire saw
paracord
signalling kit
wash kit
bandage and first aid kit
water purifying tablets
spare compass
knife, fork, spoon (or spork), can and bottle opener
etc etc

Now I've done some research and looking at the middle of the road options (not wanting to buy crap or spend too much) then these LOMO boxes look like a good buy...



LOMO small marine dry box

£20 plus postage seems reasonable and if I don't need the space they do smaller ones. The only change I would make is adding two slices of old inner tube to keep the locks compressed, closed and protected.

So my questions is, are there any better options, and why not use a £5 Tesco clip box?

 

[GAJ]

Is that one big enough for all the kit you mentioned? I've always used dry bags as they're not as bulky & you can manipulate the shape more for use in a rucksack. Double them up for extra protection from water ingress & they're still less bulky than a box. In a kayak, however, you may want something sturdier, especially if size & shape aren't important. In all honesty, if you want a box, there's nothing much wrong with the good clip-seal boxes you can get in Tesco etc. as they'll be waterproof & as long as they're the right size they won't be unnecessarily heavy & bulky.

Cavers generally use screw lid tubs as their waterproof container of choice, & these are excellent in heavy torrents of water so may be worth a look too.

Think also about getting a keypod safe so you can leave your car key at your car. That way no matter what else you lose, you can still get home. Give whoever you're with the code so they can go for help in an emergency too if you're out of phone signal.

 

[WildBoyz]

I'd love to see someone try to get all that gear into a tesco clip-seal box lol. : I've only ever seen them sell the small ones, and the larger boxes tend to have shit clips on them. I might be wrong mind, I've not been in a tesco for 6 months or so.

I like the idea of a box though. All my gear sits inside drybags, but it's a fucking nightmare trying to find your shit after a few days. Stuff goes in, but it doesn't always come back out... Where it disappears to is a mystery.

 

[FaZy_UK]

Yeah, the Tesco pop boxes I use for lunch at work... Almost every day at least one clip pops up. Plus I don't think it's a proper airtight seal either.

 

[concreteJungle]

I used to have a Tesco snap box and some foam when I had a smaller camera and it worked perfectly for years despite the usual abuse. There's a couple of types, one type does pop open but the other's fine.

I still use smaller ones for high value items now. It would be nice to throw everything in one like you describe for peace of mind however the bulk kills it for me.

How about a large dry bag and small snap boxes within for valuables?

 

[Speed]

I always think its a good idea if they float but I'm not sure you could make it happen with allthat kit

 

[REEF]

What size are you looking for

 

[Oxygen Thief]

What size are you looking for

Ideally, I'd like one of everything so that I can use the best size for the job in hand.

However, due to cost, I reckon the one I linked to above would cover most scenarios, it measures 260mm x 154mm x 80mm internally.

 

[Squirrell 911]

If it doesn't work at least you have a box for sandwiches.

 

[mattdonut]

thats a cracking bit of kit, when you think of all the electronics in most car keys these days

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0037LI93Y/?tag=networkmechan-21

 

[Oxygen Thief]

I'd rather have the key with me in some sort of waterproof container or pouch?

 

[GAJ]

I leave mine in one all the time, means someone else can move the car too if you get nicked & they don't

 

[The Lone Ranger]

I have a spare zippy tied to the underside of the car, just in case. Sods law I'd leave it at work, drop it down a culvert or loose it on a stroll.

Like GAJ I normally use a dry bag, but also have a large screw-top container (a medicine container) which fits well in a kayak or medium sized haul bag/rucksack. I still put valuable things in sandwich bags just in case it leaks.

 

[Maniac]

Tesco clip boxes are useless, they leak.

Only thing I would say is why not a drybag instead of a box as they can reduce in size to whatever you've actually got in it. This is what I have and shove all my valuables in when underground, boxes are just wasteful users of space unless totally full.

 

[Oxygen Thief]

yeah but everything rattles around in a dry bag, there's no sense of order and there's no protection. I'll buy a box that's the exact size for what I need, the kit I want to put in it is a constant, so there won't be any unusable wasted space.