Built for Water, Rock & the Way Out.
Waterproof storage and field guidance for protecting phones, electronic keys and critical small valuables through wet slot canyons, pools, swims, rappels and abrasive terrain.
Canyoneering equipment varies dramatically by route. Waterproof storage does not replace helmets, harnesses, ropes, exposure protection, navigation, emergency equipment or the technical skills required for a specific canyon.
A wet canyon asks more of gear than an ordinary hike.
One section may be dry and sandy. The next can involve a pool, waterfall, rappel, swim or narrow slot. Your main canyon pack may become soaked, scraped against rock or compressed in tight terrain.
That makes the storage problem two-dimensional: keep critical items dry, then protect them from impact and abrasion. Phones, electronic keys, IDs and emergency electronics deserve their own protected layer inside a broader route-specific canyon system.
Separate critical dry items from technical canyon gear.
Some equipment is expected to get wet. Other items may be essential for navigation, communication or simply getting back into your vehicle after the canyon.
Phone / GPS
Plan for full submersion on wet routes and protect the device from crushing and repeated rock contact as well as water.
Electronic Key
If you need it to get home, give it dedicated waterproof protection before entering pools, swims or wet sections.
ID & Critical Electronics
Keep cards and small electronics isolated from wet ropes, clothing and general pack moisture.
Technical Gear
Ropes, helmet, harness, exposure protection and emergency equipment belong in a route-specific canyon system.
Slot canyons add rock, grit, compression and abrasion.
A waterproof seal protects against water. It does not make a phone crush-proof or make a bag immune to damage. Placement and physical protection matter when gear is scraping through narrow canyon terrain.
Give the items that cannot afford to fail their own protected space.
Phone. Key. ID. Separate from the wet gear.
The SKÖ Waterproof Crossbody is designed for waterproof and submersible protection when its waterproof zipper is properly closed and sealed. Its approximately 1.14-liter capacity is suited to small valuables that need their own protected compartment.
SKÖ manufactures this product. A compact crossbody does not replace a canyon pack, technical dry-storage system, protective equipment or route-specific safety gear.
Wet canyons demand both water protection and physical protection.
A product can keep water out and still be the wrong solution if it is poorly positioned, damaged against rock or carrying more than it was designed to hold.
A dry slot and a swim-heavy canyon are not the same packing problem.
Current route conditions, remoteness, water depth and the amount of critical dry gear should determine how many layers of protection you use.
Know the route before packing. Canyon conditions can change. This page is about waterproof storage strategy, not technical route planning. Check current conditions and use route-specific information, equipment and expertise.
Go deeper on packs, waterproofing and slot-canyon systems.
SKÖ has a dedicated canyoneering content library, so this hub can link to genuinely canyon-specific supporting content rather than generic water-sports articles.
Slot Canyoneering: The Complete Guide to Gear, Skills & Waterproof Packs
Start with the full guide to canyon gear, waterproof versus drainage packs, route types and wet-canyon preparation.
Best Canyoneering Packs 2025
Compare waterproof day packs and fast-draining multi-day canyon packs built around very different route needs.
SKÖ Gear vs. YETI Panga
Compare two waterproof backpack approaches for rugged wet adventures where submersion and durability matter.
Best Waterproof Backpacks of 2026
Compare waterproof backpacks for hiking, canyoneering, kayaking and other environments where serious water protection matters.SKÖ Gear vs. Sea to Summit
Understand the practical difference between airtight zipper-sealed packs and traditional roll-top dry-bag storage.
Why Won't My Dry Bag Roll-Top Seal Properly?
Learn the packing mistakes that weaken a roll-top seal before that dry bag becomes part of a wet-canyon system.Inspect what the rock, water and grit did to your gear.
Canyoneering adds mechanical wear that a normal beach or paddling day may not. Pay particular attention to closures, seams and surfaces that contacted rock.
Clear
Remove sand and grit from zipper tracks, sealing surfaces, straps and hardware before opening or storing waterproof gear.
Inspect
Check for abrasion, cuts, punctures, damaged closures or other wear before relying on the gear for another wet route.
Dry
Rinse when appropriate, allow gear to dry and follow the manufacturer's care instructions before extended storage.
Canyoneering & waterproof gear FAQs
What is the difference between canyoning and canyoneering?
The terms generally describe the same broad activity: traveling through canyons using combinations of hiking, scrambling, downclimbing, rappelling and sometimes swimming. “Canyoneering” is especially common in the United States, while “canyoning” is widely used internationally.
How do you keep your phone dry while canyoneering?
If swimming or full immersion is possible, use waterproof storage intended for that exposure, fully seal the closure and position the phone where it is less likely to be crushed or repeatedly scraped against rock.
How do you keep car keys dry in a canyon?
Put electronic keys into dedicated sealed waterproof storage before entering wet sections. Do not depend on a normal pack pocket to stay dry during pools or swims.
Do you need a dry bag for canyoneering?
Wet routes require reliable dry protection for items that must stay dry. Small valuables can use dedicated waterproof storage, while clothing, emergency gear and other larger dry items may require a broader canyon-pack dry system.
Waterproof pack or drainage pack?
They solve different problems. A waterproof pack aims to keep water out. A drainage pack intentionally lets water enter and then drain quickly, so dry-sensitive contents need separate protection inside it.
Is water-resistant enough for canyoneering?
It may be adequate on a dry route with limited exposure, but it is not the right assumption for critical electronics when pools, swims or full immersion are possible.
Is a waterproof crossbody a replacement for a canyon pack?
No. It can provide dedicated storage for a phone, electronic key, wallet and ID, but technical equipment, water, food, clothing and emergency gear require an appropriate canyon pack and route-specific system.
Explore by activity.
Protect the gear that cannot afford to fail.
Explore waterproof storage for phones, electronic keys and critical small valuables, plus SKÖ's larger waterproof and drainage-pack systems for canyon adventures.