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June 23, 2005 at 12:07:00 PM | more stories by this author
What's the point of living in 2005 if you can't swim underwater with an MP3 player? Check out our roundup of waterproof MP3 gear.
If you've ever swum in a pool with underwater speakers, you know how cool it can be to listen to the dulcet tones of your favorite album as you plunge into the water. Aside from the fact that underwater music is just plain fun, there's also the exercise factor to take into account. If you get your exercise in a pool, why shouldn't you be able to use music to motivate you the same way land-based life-forms do? We can't think of any good reason. Here is a selection of the best waterproof MP3 solutions we've seen so far.
Strap the Finis SwiMP3 to your head, and you'll have goggles, earplugs, an MP3 player, and bone-transmitted audio.
Finis SwiMP3 (waterproof MP3 player)
This one's for all the wire-haters out there. It's a self-contained underwater listening apparatus (SCULA gear, in other words) that plays 128MB of MP3 music at depths of up to 10 feet. The "self-contained" part means, in this case, "no wires." The player itself resides comfortably on the back of your head, the goggles sit on the front, and the noise inductors lie flat against your cheekbones. In case you're confused, that last part refers to the fact that this player doesn't output via headphones; instead, it uses a metal pad to bounce the musical vibrations to the bones in your ear via some of the other bones in your head. In case you're worried about the sound quality, don't be; the audio quality was rich, full, and clean. The SwiMP3 is expensive considering that it holds only 128MB, but if you swim laps every day, it could be well worth the price--especially if you don't have an iPod to use with the H2O Audio cases also mentioned on this page.
MSRP: $250
H2O Audio SV iMini, SV iP3G, and SV iP4G (waterproof iPod cases)
When we shot the video that accompanies this story, there was a tense moment when I dropped an iPod into this case. Was I really about to trust my iPod to a piece of plastic and jump into a pool? Would this work? I knew in my mind there was no way H20 Audio would sell something that drowns iPods, but it still felt weird to jump into the water with an iPod attached to me. My fears were unjustified, as I suspected. Not only did I emerge after the test with a functional iPod (the depth limit was 10 feet), but the sound underwater from the headphones was clearly good enough, and the headphones remained securely fastened to my ears, unlike some of the other waterproof headphones we tested. What I like best about this case (other than the obvious fact that it brings an iPod underwater) is that it gives you full access to the iPod's controls and screen, even while underwater. You can spin the scrollwheel to control volume or use the menu, play/pause, fast-forward, and rewind buttons as you would on land. Sweet.
MSRP: $150 (Each)
Oregon Scientific MP120 (waterproof MP3 player)
If you don't want to deal with cases, goggles, or any other hybrid method of achieving underwater audio bliss, go with this Oregon Scientific MP120 (also available in 256MB and 512MB configurations). It's basically a standard flash-based MP3 player that you can submerse up to one meter for up to 30 minutes at a time. The headphones are hardwired to the chassis so you can't swap in your own headphones (but who has waterproof headphones lying around anyway?). Our testing showed that the earbuds can sometimes fall out, so you might have to pick up a neoprene headband to keep them in. Although they're not perfect, they're the bargain of the bunch (FM tuner included).
$90 (128MB), $110 (256MB), or $130 (512MB)
Compare Prices: 128MB, 256MB, or 512MB
RCA Lyra RD2212 (splashproof MP3 player)
The Lyra RD2212 from RCA isn't technically waterproof, but it's splashproof, meaning you could safely use it for biking, jogging, or walking in the rain or skiing or snowboarding in any conditions. RCA may not have the hippest brand in digital audio, but its Lyra line consistently delivers solid, top-selling players such as that old workhorse, the RD1080. The new RD2212 is tagged "splashproof"--a designation we confirmed by splashing it thoroughly at the edge of a pool. It continued playing, so the splashproof label sticks, making it a good choice for wet weather or splashy conditions. As usual, RCA offers nice extras like FM radio and extra-long battery life (50 hours with one AA battery).
MSRP: $120
