# Are iPods waterproof? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 21, 2007, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ipods-waterproof/412674 "2007-07-21T16:05:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ipods-waterproof/412674/1 "2007-07-21T16:05:41Z")
Probably a dumb question but i want to take mine swimming, is that possible? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ipods-waterproof/412674/2 "2007-07-21T16:21:03Z")
From the [iPod user’s manual](http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/iPod_User_Guide_(color_display).pdf): > [@](#): > > **Avoid Wet Locations** > > _ **Warning** _ To reduce the chance of shock or injury, do not use your iPod in or near water or wet locations. So that’s a no. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ipods-waterproof/412674/3 "2007-07-21T16:29:05Z")
You can get [waterproof MP3 players](http://www.advancedmp3players.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?products_id=995) though, for swimming. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ipods-waterproof/412674/4 "2007-07-21T16:43:48Z")
Also, companies like [H2O Audio](http://h2oaudio.com/) make waterproof cases + headsets for iPods. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ipods-waterproof/412674/5 "2007-07-21T16:44:11Z")
Or get a [waterproof](http://www.caseclub.com/ipod_case.htm) case for your iPod. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ipods-waterproof/412674/6 "2007-07-21T16:49:55Z")
Note that it’s a truism that it’s not a matter of IF a waterproof case will leak, but WHEN. So if you’re going swimming with your iPod, buy a cheap shuffle, not a high-end video model. ---
**Author:** ![xiix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/d6d6ee/32.png) [@xiix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xiix)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ipods-waterproof/412674/7 "2007-07-21T19:00:10Z")
the waterproof cases work very well I bought two Otter Boxes and they were perfect and supremely reliable. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2007, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ipods-waterproof/412674/8 "2007-07-22T05:27:11Z")
I swam nearly every day for a year with my H2O audio case and other than one side of the headphones conking out (those are replaceable anyway), it worked flawlessly. My iPod Mini is still in fine shape. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2007, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ipods-waterproof/412674/9 "2007-07-22T10:01:31Z")
A year ago my buddy gave me a bottle of his home-brewed beer. It leaked a tiny little bit on my iPod, not even enough to make the rest of the car seat wet. I had to replace that sum-bitch. ---
**Author:** ![MrFantsyPants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@MrFantsyPants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFantsyPants)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2007, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ipods-waterproof/412674/10 "2007-07-22T12:23:01Z")
I put my iPod Shuffle through the washer and then the dryer. It works mostly fine, but the battery is shot (I would guess from the heat) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2007, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ipods-waterproof/412674/11 "2007-07-22T18:58:05Z")
Better yet: swim without one. Believe it or not, you don’t die if there’s no music in your ears at all times. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2007, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ipods-waterproof/412674/12 "2007-07-22T19:03:48Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] Better yet: swim without one. Believe it or not, you don’t die if there’s no music in your ears at all times. [/QUOTE] Oddly enough, you don’t die if you do, either. So, what’s your point? ---
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2007, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ipods-waterproof/412674/13 "2007-07-22T22:15:16Z")
[QUOTE=Khadaji] A year ago my buddy gave me a bottle of his home-brewed beer. It leaked a tiny little bit on my iPod, not even enough to make the rest of the car seat wet. I had to replace that sum-bitch. [/QUOTE] You had to replace your buddy for spilling beer on your iPod? Condolances. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2007, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ipods-waterproof/412674/14 "2007-07-23T13:23:21Z")
[QUOTE=Finagle] Note that it’s a truism that it’s not a matter of IF a waterproof case will leak, but WHEN. So if you’re going swimming with your iPod, buy a cheap shuffle, not a high-end video model. [/QUOTE] I agree with this truism, _however_ IME leaking occurs due to a lack of proper care. A grain of sand on the gasket, and it leaks. I have a few otterboxes and they work fine, as long as you treat them well. [http://paddling.about.com/od/equipmentreviews/fr/ipodcase.htm](http://paddling.about.com/od/equipmentreviews/fr/ipodcase.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2007, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ipods-waterproof/412674/15 "2007-07-23T13:53:30Z")
[QUOTE=DigitalC] Probably a dumb question but i want to take mine swimming, is that possible? [/QUOTE] An ignorant’s question: Aren’t there any sounds worth listening while mine swimming? Is that something like scuba diving in a cave? I think I would like to hear the natural sounds at least the first couple of times (until I get bored of the hissing and bubbling) ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2007, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ipods-waterproof/412674/16 "2007-07-23T20:01:28Z")
[QUOTE=Khadaji] A year ago my buddy gave me a bottle of his home-brewed beer. It leaked a tiny little bit on my iPod, not even enough to make the rest of the car seat wet. I had to replace that sum-bitch. [/QUOTE] Sugary drinks (like the beer that leaked onto your iPod, I presume) are pretty darn bad for electronics; the sugar doesn’t just short things out, it dries and gets all sticky and gummy in there, making it harder to clean out. I’ve heard that people with movement disorders often drink diet soda around computer keyboards and the like, because aspartame, at least, is nonconductive and doesn’t do as much damage. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ipods-waterproof/412674/17 "2007-07-24T17:39:38Z")
[QUOTE=Khadaji] A year ago my buddy gave me a bottle of his home-brewed beer. It leaked a tiny little bit on my iPod, not even enough to make the rest of the car seat wet. I had to replace that sum-bitch. [/QUOTE] Yeah, that’s why most people keep their iPods somewhere that beer isn’t like to be spilled on them, like in their cars. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ipods-waterproof/412674/18 "2007-07-24T19:04:40Z")
[QUOTE=vetbridge] I agree with this truism, _however_ IME leaking occurs due to a lack of proper care. A grain of sand on the gasket, and it leaks. I have a few otterboxes and they work fine, as long as you treat them well. [http://paddling.about.com/od/equipmentreviews/fr/ipodcase.htm](http://paddling.about.com/od/equipmentreviews/fr/ipodcase.htm) [/QUOTE] Well, yeah, but a beach isn’t a clean room. You’d be hard-pressed to find a place where you’d be \* more \* likely to get sand on the gasket. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ipods-waterproof/412674/19 "2007-07-25T14:28:33Z")
[QUOTE=Sapo] An ignorant’s question: Aren’t there any sounds worth listening while mine swimming? Is that something like scuba diving in a cave? I think I would like to hear the natural sounds at least the first couple of times (until I get bored of the hissing and bubbling) [/QUOTE] Hmm… maybe im being wooshed but i meant i would like to take my iPod when i go swimming, in the pool, at Ballys. Thanks everyone for the responses, ill check out those waterproof cases.