Harmony Paddle Leash Review

Harmony Paddle Leash Review, Paddle Review, Harmony Review
On one of my first canoe trips with my new canoe, I got out of the canoe and asked my son to paddle over to the waterfalls so I could take a picture.  Somehow, my son ended up dropping his paddle overboard and had to back paddle with his hands to retrieve his paddle.  I found a Paddle Leash on the Harmony website and thought this would be the answer to make sure this doesn't happen again (especially in fast moving water).  You can buy the Paddle Leash at Harmony's site for 19.99 plus S&H.  The Harmony site has this to say about their Paddle Leash.

• During high winds, rough seas, and fast currents, a paddle dropped is a paddle gone. A Velcro paddle wrap and Nylon hook allow you to secure your paddle to a deck loop or bungee and ensure your paddle remains within reach.
• Great for securing a spare paddle while paddling
• Allows you to drop the paddle and use both hands
• Ideal for anglers and photographers
• Not designed to secure a paddle on a car top

When you purchase this item, it will come in a net bag as shown below.

The Paddle Leash is basically a piece of nylon tube webbing with a length of bungee cord inside and connectors on each end.  The unstreatched length is about 45 inches.  The final streched length is about 65 inches.

The end that attaches to your canoe or kayak has a clip and the end that attaches to your paddle has a velcro strap that will wrap around the paddle handle.  The knots tied in each end fo the tube hold the bunge in place within the tube.

As with all things I review, I wanted to get a weight of the Paddle Leash.  It weighed in at 4.1 ounces.

This is one of those items that puts me in a quandry.  If you consider everything that goes into making one of these (webbing, bungee, velcro, clips, labor), I think the price is about right.  The thing I struggle with is the fundamental principle of the intended task and I have to ask myself  if a piece of cord would be just as good.  As I went through the thought process of why this product has some of  its features, I realized that I would end up modifying that short piece of cord until it eventually looks like the Harmony Paddle Leash.

Bottom Line:

The Harmony Paddle Leash can clearly do what it is made to do and the features (clips, velcro end, bungee) make it an easy to use product.  I think a product like this is a good thing to have on a river trip.  If there is any question in your mind about the value of this product, try using a simple piece of cord and then I think you will see the benefit of the Harmony Paddle Leash features.

Harmony Waterproof MP3 Player Dry Flex Case Review

MP3 Case Review, Waterproof Case Review, Harmony Case Review, MP3 Player Case Review
In today's world, most people have several electronic devices, with one of the most popular being some type of MP3 (Ipod) player.  These devices are great to have around, but they usually get put away around water sports or activities that involve exposure to the elements.  Harmony has a product that allows you to continue enjoying your music player wether you are on the lake or river, hanging out by the pool, or getting caught in the rain.  Having 3 kids and an assortment of IPod devices, I knew Harmony's Waterproof MP3 Player Dry Flex Case would get a lot of use in my household.  You can find this product at the Harmony site for $25.99 plus S&H.  This review is for the Waterproof MP3 Player Case, but you can see a similar review on Harmony's Waterproof Cell Phone / Pager Dry Flex Case.

When you purchase the Waterproof MP3 Player Case, it comes as shown in the photos below. You can click on a photo and it will bring up a higher resolution photo.

This case is a slimmer case than the Cell Phone / Pager case because it has flat (not sculpted) foam for a backing.

The case is made waterproof by rolling the top down and then clipping it together.

The details of closing the case are covered on the back of the cardboard insert inside the case and shown below.

The next two photos show the case with the top unrolled.

Inside the case is a 3.5mm audio cable that plugs into your MP3 player and the female end is sealed inside the bag as shown.  I looked inside the the end to see if there was any type of o-ring seal, but it looked like a standard plug.

For my first test, I decided to see how waterproof this case may be. I filled the sink about 1/2 full and placed a napkin inside the case. I then sealed the case per the instructions and placed the case in the water. Next I placed one of my dive weights on the case to keep it submerged at about 4" deep and let it stay there for 10 minutes. I figured that if the napkin comes out dry, then this is a worst case test of what may happen with a flip of a canoe, or similar situation. After 10 minutes, the napkin was dry as a bone.

With this confidence behind me, I put my son's Ipod inside and headed to the swimming pool. I tossed it in, then pushed it under the water. It popped back to the surface and floated without a problem. Just as with the napkin, his Ipod was completely dry when I removed it from the case.

Next was to test how well his Ipod would work inside the bag. I was able to use the touch screen just as if it were not inside the case.  When I plugged in the head phones, they also worked like a champ.

The last thing I wanted to do was get a weight of the bag.  The waterproof MP3 player case weighed in at 3.35 ounces which is not much weight for the protection of your investment.

Bottom Line:

I'm impressed with Harmony Waterproof MP3 Player Case. The price you pay for the case is nothing compared to the price you may pay for replacing an Ipod.  The case allows active people to continue their enjoyment of listening to music while not jeapardizing their electronic device.  If I were to say anything negative, it would be that the case is a little bulky for a single Ipod. The advantage to this is that technology is tending to go with slightly larger screens and this may be the better case for some of the newer cell phones and PDAs.

Harmony 60 Liter Waterproof Barrel Review

Harmony Waterproof Barrel Review, Dry Storage Review, Waterproof Drum Review
If you are an outdoor enthusiast, you're eventually going to face water issues.  The issues could be from a lake, river, or rain storm, and there is nothing worse than wet gear and food.  In the past, I have always used a collapsible dry storage bag that has worked well for many situations.  One of the problems with using a dry storage bag is that the food tends to get smashed so that the sandwiches and chips are less appealing.  Another issue with a dry storage bag is they usually have a small roll up top and are deep which makes finding things more difficult.  When I came across the Harmony Waterproof Barrel, I thought this may be the better storage solution.  Harmony actually makes two barrels, a 60 liter and a 30 liter.  Since I'm a believer that bigger is better, I ended up getting the 60 liter barrel.  Really, I decided to go with the larger barrel because my past river trips have always worked out that I'm responsible for all the gear and food and I would rather keep it all together.  Someone else could argue that two smaller barrels would be better.  Since this is a review of the Harmony Waterproof 60 Liter Barrel, I'm going to focus my attention on this barrel and then you can decide if this one is too large for your circumstance.  You can find the 60 liter barrel today at the HarmonyGear.com for $79.99 plus S&H.

If you go to the Harmony website, they list the following for the description of the product.

• Expedition proven many times over.
• Rugged polyethylene construction absorbs and shrugs off impact, protecting the contents within.
• "Pop-top" lid is secured by a galvanized clamp/band that ensures an airtight, watertight and odor-proof seal, which eliminates nocturnal visits from raccoons and bears.
• Featured side mounted carry handles and makes a reasonable camp seat.
• Size: 15.5" x 24" (39 cm x 61 cm)
• Capacity: 3650 cu. in. (60 L)
• Color: Blue

I will admit that when I opened the box, the 60 liter barrel looked big.  I wasn't too worried because I know how bulky towels and snacks can be.  The photo below shows the barrel out of the box.

There are three main pieces to the barrel assembly.  You have the barrel, lid and band clamp.  The barrel also has a small piece of metal that you can slide into place to keep the band clamp from accidentally being knocked open.  The clamp is very secure and I would be surprised if something could knock it open, but better safe than sorry.

The barrel also has a red tab that you remove after receiving the barrel.  I believe this tab may be to allow an air passage so that air pressure can equalize during shipping.

The barrel ended up weighing in at 7.43 pounds empty which I thought was surprisingly light when considering it's size.

The measured overall height was about 24 3/4" and the diameter was about 15.5" just as Harmony advertised.  I did a rough calculation ignoring the tapers on each end and feel like it is at least 60 liters.

The barrel has a handle on each side that will fold down and lock into place.

The next thing I wanted to test was the capacity of the barrel.  Since there are 5 people in my family and we often do things that require 5 towels and an assorted selection of junk food, I decided to test pack these items.  This probably looks like an add for Kroger and Cheez-it, but I'm only trying to be as real as possible.  As you can see, 5 towels, two bags of chips and one box of crackers will take up a big hunk of volume.  If I were to throw in more food and some dry clothes for a whitewater trip or some other outing, this barrel would be full.  If it were an overnight tip, I would want even more space or another barrel.  For my general outings, this 60 liter barrel is exactly what I need.  If you were to pack for two, I would bet you could get by with a 30 liter barrel for a day trip, but for an overnight trip, the extra space of the 60 liter barrel would always be welcome.

The next test was to determine the waterproof capability of the barrel.  I decided to head to the swimming pool and have my son hold the lid submerged underwater at a depth of about 6 inches for 5 minutes.

At the end of 5 minutes, I pulled the barrel out of the water and opened the top.  The inside of the lid and the barrel were bone dry just as they should be.  I have no reason to believe that it would not be waterproof for any outing I can imagine.

One of the last claims I decided to test was it "makes a reasonable camp seat".  I'm 6' 2" and 215 lbs and had no concern about sitting on the lid.  I also feel like the barrel is rugged enough to take some external abuse during outings.

Bottom Line:

This Harmony Waterproof Barrel review has shown that this product lives up the the manufacturers claims.  If you are looking for a way to keep your gear and food dry, I would recommend this product.  Since it does come in two sizes, you should consider carefully how much storage you actually need for your type of outings.  This will be an item that goes on most of my outdoor adventures.

Harmony Waterproof Cell Phone / Pager Dryflex Case Review

Cell Phone Case Review, PDA Case Review, Waterproof Case Review, Dry Bag Review

In today's world, you probably carry a cell phone everywhere you go.  If you are in the younger crowd, you may also have an MP3 player or other electrical device.  If you are into canoeing, kayaking, boating, hunting, fishing, outdoor sports, the beach, or anything else that may put you near water or in the rain unexpectedly, you need to prepare for the worst.  Harmony has some products that can protect your electonics in those situations.  The Harmony website is directed more towards kayaking and canoeing, but their dry storage bags can be used for any situation where water poses a threat.  This review is for the Waterproof Cell Phone / Pager Case.  You can buy it from the Harmony site for $25.99 plus S&H.

When you purchase the Waterproof Cell Phone / Pager Case, it comes as shown in the photos below.  You can click on a photo and it will bring up a higher resolution of the photo.

You can see that the case has sculpted foam on the inside to protect your device if dropped.  That also helps maintain an air space for flotation.

The next two photos are of the advertising card inside of the case.

The back page shows directions on how to roll up the top to make the case waterproof.  Also notice that the back of the card say "not intended for prolonged submersion".  During my review I put this to the test.

The next two photos show the case with the top unrolled.  To seal the case, basically you press the two peices together the roll the top down three times then clip the buckle together.

For my first test, I decided to see how waterproof this case may be.  I filled the sink about 1/2 full and placed a napkin inside the case.  I then sealed the case per the instructions and placed the case in the water.  Next I placed one of my dive weights on the case to keep it submerged at about 4" deep and let it stay there for 10 minutes.  I figured that if the napkin comes out dry, then this is a worst case test of what may happen with a flip of a canoe, or similar situation.  After 10 minutes, the napkin was dry as a bone.

With this confidence behind me, I put my cell phone inside and headed to the swimming pool.  I tossed it in, then pushed it under the water.  It popped back to the surface and floated without a problem.  Just as before, my cell phone was completely dry when I removed it from the case.

Next was to test how well a phone would work inside the bag.  I had my daughter put her phone in the bag and then I called her.  I didn't have any problem hearing her while she was talking through the case and she could hear me as well.  Overall the case didn't hurt the communication aspects of the phone, but it did muffle the speaker on the phone slightly.  My daughter also checked out the touch screen usage through the case and was able to use the screen without a problem.

The last thing I did was checkout the weight of the case.  It weighed in at 2.9 ounces.  In the big scheme of things, this is a very low weight penalty for the protection you get.

Bottom Line:

I'm impressed with Harmony Waterproof Cell Phone / Pager Case.  The price you pay for the case is nothing compared to the price you may pay for a ruined cell phone or PDA.  If I were to say anything negative, it would be that the case is a little bulky.  The advantage to this is that you could place two phones inside if needed.