LowePro TerraClime 10

Nothing that extraordinary, but still a neat little pouch. It belongs to a friend, but since I’m really into the design and construction of pouches, I had to check it out and take some photos.

 The exterior dimensions are 10 cm (3.9") Wide X 4.2 cm (1.7") Deep X 8.5 cm (3.3") High.

 Belt loop on the back.

It’s a pretty cool design in and of itself, but the big selling point is that it’s “eco-friendly”. The fabric is 100% post-consumer Cyclepet. This model of their Terraclime line uses 21⁄2 recycled 16 oz. PET bottles. Not sure how the material measures up to Cordura, but it’s touted as being water and abrasion resistant. Seems quite similar anyway.

I dig the proprietary closure buckle that LowePro came up with. It’s quiet and very low profile, securely closes the flap and holds on until you want to disengage it. And it’s also made from recycled plastic.

The two short grey lines in the corners are for clipping an optional shoulder strap into. Can’t show it since my friend can’t find where it is.

Memory card pocket. 

Slightly easier to see it when the pouch is turned inside out.

The interior dimensions are 9.5 cm (3.7") Wide X 4 cm (1.6") Deep X 8 cm (3.1") High.

If all the reused plastic bottle/material doesn’t do enough to give you the warm and fuzzies, a portion of the proceeds from each pouch goes to Polar Bears International to help in efforts to save polar bear habitats from the impact of climate change. 

Perfect for a tiny camera like a Nikon CoolPix or a Samsung ES70 .

LowePro TerraClime 10

Rainbow Over Water

The new camera I got has a weird aspect that certain pictures, depending on how the camera is angled and where the sun is located, puts a rainbow in the photo. Always on the bottom right. Kind of odd, never experienced it with my other camera. It’s only happened a few times, but makes for a neat effect though.

GSI N-Case 840

I received this GSI N-Case 840 at Xmas last year.

Made of Lexan and weighing 77 grams (2.7 oz.), it’s approximately 14cm (5½") by 6½ cm (2½") by 3 cm (1¼").

There is a spot at the top to attach a lanyard, around the peg...

...and one at the bottom through the hole.

The lid is closed with a secure latch. I tested it out in the tub and everything inside stayed bone dry. It behooves a user to inspect that seal often though. If it’s being used to keep safe an expensive piece of electronics, make sure that the gasket hasn’t degraded, and that no debris is lodged in there that might affect the seal.

The case comes with two lanyards. One is a ribbon, with a small ball that has a hole in the center. The ball slides to adjust the lanyard to the desired length and also serves as a breakaway. It’s fairly secure, but real force would rip it free. Of all the breakaway lanyard systems I’ve seen, this is the one I like most. It’s secure enough for most day to day use, but an unusual circumstance like getting it caught would rip it loose.

It attaches around the peg at the top and can be worn around the neck or slung over a shoulder. 

The other lanyard it comes with is a length of elastic cord with a small plastic clip at one end.

This part attaches through the bottom hole. If the case is worn across the body, it can be clipped to a belt loop to avoid it swaying to and fro.

Of course the user is free to devise whatever system works best for them.

The fact that the case is made from Lexan makes it very strong. While anything can be broken, reasonable day to day wear and tear won’t destroy it or the contents within. The seal is very water resistant. I don’t know how it would hold up to extended dives at depth, but an unexpected dunk, a rain shower, or going for a swim at the beach with your ID and money inside will be just fine.

What excited me was that it is a perfect fit for my new Samsung ES70 camera. Like it was made for it. No rattling or anything. Perfectly snug fit.

If you’re going on vacation and want a case that you can keep your hotel key, credit cards, cash, etc. in when you’re playing in the surf with your kids, if you’re a canoeist that wants to protect a camera from a potential dunk or bumping, if you’re a cycling commuter in the Pacific NorthWest and want to protect your cell phone from constant rain, this is a great container. Several means of attaching it to oneself or to a bag, capable of protecting against jostling, bumping, dunking, soaking, and rounded corners to carry comfortably in a pocket. All in all I’m very happy with this case and I think others will be as well.

You can read a follow-up review here.