Paperwork, a working phone and dry kit are three things you genuinely can't improvise if they're ruined — a soaked ID document, a dead phone or a waterlogged sleeping bag can turn a manageable situation into a much harder one.
We've picked a waterproof notebook for notes and details that need to survive the wet, a waterproof phone case that keeps a phone usable (not just protected) in rain or a river crossing, and a roll-top dry bag for everything else you can't afford to get wet.
A waterproof notebook records grid references, contacts, symptoms and plans that survive rain and sweat — reliable written information when a phone can't be trusted.
Look for synthetic 'stone' or coated paper that sheds water entirely, not just a water-resistant cover over normal pages.
A compact notebook that fits a jacket or pack pocket is one you'll actually carry and reach for in the field.
A tough cover and binding survive being crushed in a pack and soaked repeatedly without falling apart.
Ballpoint pens skip on wet paper and fail in the cold. Use a pencil or a pressurised all-weather pen so you can actually write when it's wet.
A phone is not a reliable record in the wet or when the battery's flat. A waterproof notebook is the backup that keeps working regardless.
An A5 waterproof field notebook with tear-proof stone paper that sheds water entirely, keeping navigation notes, contacts and records legible in any weather.
A floating IPX8 waterproof phone pouch that keeps your phone dry and fully usable through rain, spray and submersion, with a clear touch-through window and neck lanyard.
A roll-top waterproof dry bag with welded seams and an included phone pouch, keeping clothing, sleeping gear and electronics dry through rain, spray and submersion.
A siliconised ripstop dry bag with fully taped seams and a roll-top closure, for keeping documents, a phone, spare layers or a first-aid kit dry inside a pack. It is very light and packs down small, so it earns its place in a grab bag or day pack rather than weighing it down. Lifeventure is a long-standing UK travel-gear brand.
A roll-top waterproof stuff sack from a well-regarded pack maker, made to keep spare clothes, documents or a phone dry inside a rucksack or grab bag. The lightweight fabric packs down to almost nothing, so it earns its place even when you are watching every gram. Reach for it in wet weather, on river crossings, or any time you cannot risk kit getting soaked.
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