by Tom Mangan
How's this for contrast: one technology for getting water into your body, and another for keeping it out of your favorite gadgets.
Both are novel twists on established products: The Geigerrig hydration system uses air pressure to improve fluid flow, while Dry Corp.'s Dry Case adds a vacuum seal to a waterproof dry case to protect devices like cameras or the iPhone.
The Dry Case
The guys at the Dry Corp booth have been casually tossing an iPhone into an aquarium throughout Outdoor Retailer and pulling it back out only to recharge the batteries.
The Dry Case uses a waterproof vacuum seal: just slide in your device, lock the closure, and squeeze air out of the case with the hand pump until a tight seal is formed around your contents.
The pouch is waterproof to 100 feet and crystal clear for taking photos (remember to expand your camera lens before vacuum sealing). You even can use the headphone jack to listen to music.
This video shows how it works:
A number of companies make soft waterproof cases — and many of them were at OR — but none are quite like the Dry Case, which retails for $39.95. Dry Corp. also makes a waterproof Folio for Apple's iBook for $59.95.
Geigerrig hydration system
Geigerrig's motto is irresistible: "You'll never suck again."
Its hydration system pressurizes a hydration bladder so water flows freely past an open bite valve: You can spray your dog, spray yourself, or simply take a drink without having to pull deeply on a hydration hose. Adding an optional inline water filter makes it more versatile.
The bladder system uses a small bellows like those often used to measure blood pressure. Pumping the bellows inflates a bladder that surrounds another bladder that holds the water. A valve on the pack lets the user control the water flow.
Prices range from $110 for the Rig 700 to $140 for the Rig 1600.
