WORDS Rebecca Evans
Summer is around the corner, the sea temperature is slowly rising, and it will soon be time for us to start taking full advantage of our Island home and getting wet and wild in the water that surrounds us. For the Splash issue I’ve tirelessly researched the most fun and functional waterproof gadgets on the market.
THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S8
Anyone who has ever dropped their mobile phone into a glass of water, the sink, or worse, the loo, will have dreamed of the day that ‘phone manufacturers made water resistance as much of a priority as screen resolution. Well that day has arrived, and the Samsung Galaxy S8 boasts an IP68 dust and water resistance rating, or in layman’s terms, 30 minutes water resistance in a depth of up to 1.5 metres, making it one of the most waterproof handsets on the market right now and a weight off the mind of butter-fingers everywhere.
The peace of mind alone might be worth the asking price, but of course the S8 comes with all the bells and whistles you would expect from a modern smartphone. The 5.8 inch screen offers edge-to-edge HD+ display, and the 64GB standard storage can be boosted up to 256GB via MicroSD. A full battery apparently lasts for up to 20 hours of Talktime, but probably more relevant these days is 12 hours of 4G internet use, or 44 hours of MP3 playback.
Proof if more were required that Samsung have moved with the times, the 12MP rear facing camera comes complete with ‘food mode’ and the 8MP front facing version has a ‘wide selfie’ option, whatever that is. Fast charging and face recognition security complete the round up of broadly appealing functions on the S8.
Of course there is still no Facetime on the Android operating system, but now there is a ‘phone that can safely be used whilst bathing or performing other ablutions, I’m not sure that’s such a bad thing.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 is £549 from Sure Jersey.
Monthly Plans available.
MAHINA MERMAID MERFIN
Not strictly a gadget, but I couldn’t resist sneaking the Mahina Merfin in, entirely on the basis of the attention it will grab down ‘Brelades on a Summer’s Day. Made with recycled rubber, Mahina fins are eco-friendly, soft, flexible and will give any swimmer the speed and agility of a fish, or indeed a mermaid. Once all your Ariel fantasies have been achieved, the quick release ankle strap transforms you back into a landlubber. If only she had it so easy.
The Mahina MerFin is £69.99 from www.amazon.co.uk
YAMAHA RDS200 SEASCOOTER
Love snorkelling but find that those magical peaceful underwater scenes just drift past too slowly? What you need is the Yamaha RDS200 Seascooter, which will have you whipping past those fish at a heady 2mph. Designed for recreational divers and enthusiastic snorkellers, the Seascooter can provide up to an hour of propulsion per battery charge. Weighing a little under 6kg, divers will appreciate the removable buoyancy control chamber, and the capability to operate down to 65 metres below the surface.
The Seascooter is powered by a sealed lead acid battery, which will require some occasional maintenance, but surely that’s a small price to pay for such sub-aquatic swiftness? Assuming that you’ve also bought the Kit HD action camera based on my recommendation to the right, you’ll find a mount included on the Seascooter, so you can capture every moment of your hasty journey through the H20.
The Yamaha SeaScooter is £399.99 from www.seascooteruk.com
KIT ESCAPE HD5 WATERPROOF ACTION CAMERA
If the ‘Water Wonderful World’ feature on page 34 has inspired you to whisk the family off to a water park this summer, you’re going to want to capture the moments of joy and jeopardy as they happen. The Kit Escape HD5 is a petite and practical waterproof action camera, which will provide more modest results than the better known Go-Pro brand, for a significantly lower price point, making it ideal to grab holiday memories without having to splash out.
Waterproof up to 30m, this little camera provides video up to 720HP and stills at 1.3MP. Unlike the majority of action cams, the Kit Escape features a 1.5 inch colour LCD screen, allowing the user to frame the perfect shot, before reviewing photos and videos stored on the micro SD card. A wide range of accessories and mounts are available to suit all circumstances and sports, and several are included to get you up and running (or swimming, or diving, or sliding).
The Kit Escape HD5 Waterproof Action Camera is £39.99 from the Powerhouse.
FINIS DUO UNDERWATER MP3 PLAYER
Whether you’re smashing out lengths at Les Quennevais pool, drifting around a pool atop an inflatable unicorn or powering across the water on a paddleboard or kayak, sometimes a little music is required.
The Finis Duo Underwater MP3 Player offers the ideal solution. Waterproof to 3 metres and providing up to 7 hours of playback, 4GB of storage provides space for up 1000 songs, whilst iTunes compatability offers all of the music, podcasts or audiobooks that you could wish for. Bop to the Beach Boys as you backstroke, or listen to Water For Elephants whilst you wakeboard.
The sleek two piece design employs bone conduction technology to provide crystal-clear sound, in or out of the water, without the requirement for ear buds. This allows those in the water to use earplugs if required, and those above the waves to hear what’s going on around them. A simple 4 button interface makes switching track or function simple to navigate, and the MP3 Player is supplied with a magnetic USB connection for easy charging and transfer of files.
The Finis Duo is £70.82 from www.wiggle.com,
with free delivery to Jersey
