The Best in Waterproof: Explorers Club’s Flag Expedition & Underwater Research in Menorca Island

by Guest Post, January 20, 2025

Travel

The life of a professional explorer, photojournalist, and documentary filmmaker is full of uncertainty and changes, but we love it! The last time I wrote in these pages I was back from one of the largest salt deserts on Earth, and today I’m just back from documenting underwater archeological research. Meaning of course drastic changes in gear and bags. And a lot of waterproofing!

The Best in Waterproof: Explorers Club’s Flag Expedition & Underwater Research in Menorca Island — *Ciutadella City Hall and the harbor*

I got invited by Trevor Wallace, the Vice President for Research and Education of the venerable Explorers Club, to join the Menorca Shipwreck Project, a “Flag expedition” of the Club in the small Spanish island of Menorca on the Mediterranean Sea. This year the team also initiated the world’s first PADI speciality course in underwater archeology, and after a smooth landing and a friendly pickup at the small airport in Mahón, I met other team members in the late evening while enjoying some very traditional local food.

They explained to me that the harbor of Ciutadella in Menorca is almost like an open water museum full of shipwrecks, some dating back to the Roman era, due to a unique geographic setting: on average every 20 years the harbor is the subject of very strong “Meteo Tsunami” called in Spanish the “Rissaga”, that probably sank ships for millennia in this however beautiful Mediterranean landscape. The team is currently focused on a 300-year-old wreck, in “cala en Busquets”, a small cove near the entrance of the harbor.

As I also prepared recently for a future 15 days of research with daily zodiac boat trips near the Strait of Gibraltar, I decided to share my current EDC and selection of travel bags, as well as a very unique submersible IP68 backpack that I tested recently while planning for future work on assignments in an open water setting. And more or less my own personal selection of the best in waterproof gear and pouches, and lightweight/travel-friendly equipment for photojournalism and filmmaking.

I spent the week following the team conducting underwater archeological research and had the unique opportunity to discuss with the designer of the PADI underwater archeology course, Ret. Colonel Marc Langevin, a member of the Explorers Club and former USMC Colonel with a truly unique set of skills that he is sharing with the scientific research community.

A very personable and humble character, Marc Langevin has however done a lot, and in his own words “from piloting helicopters to jumping from them with Special Operations units”, to working as a technical diving instructor for law enforcement worldwide, generally training them for demanding work in low-visibility underwater environments also presenting risks of entanglement.

The Menorca Shipwreck Project is a multi-year archaeological expedition and each year they organize a field school where participants get the unique opportunity to learn the basics of underwater archaeology.

I must say that after years of documenting expeditions in extreme environments worldwide, this week in Menorca was a real treat, merging amazing discussions with world-class archeologists and Explorers Club members in the beautiful setting of this unique island that has so much to offer in terms of cultural heritage, leisure and food.

But let’s talk a little bit about bags, shall we?

If you follow my work you know that I’ve been using the same duffle as checked luggage for the past 10 years for my extreme expeditions. But I was honestly in need of a more “tourist-type” checked luggage that would still meet some of my requirements in terms of load capacity, durability… and style!

Enter the DAKINE SPLIT ROLLER 85L.

With technical specifications of 5190 cubic inches [85L], dimensions of 30 x 14 x 13 [76 x 36 x 33cm], and weight of 9 lbs [4kg], this sturdy yet lightweight rolling duffel is really what I was looking for. My tripod and other camera gear fit perfectly in the reinforced bottom compartment, and I stacked supplementary clothing on the upper part. It also stands perfectly still during travel and small breaks at the airport and I am sincerely very satisfied with it. I picked this color to feel a little bit more on holiday than usual while traveling, and the wheels were of course a great enhancement from my previous duffle.

My only concern as several people have also pinpointed on the internet is that it has a clamshell opening, and it isn’t therefore possible to open it on your average hotel luggage rack. You’ll need some space to open it completely either on your bedroom floor or on the bed itself. Apart from that it is an above-average piece of luggage for me, that really does what I intended it to. Dakine is well known as a pro surfers brand, and if this wheeled duffle is solid enough for year-long traveling pro surfers it will be sufficient for most of you, even if you are a pro photographer like myself.

As I mentioned I didn’t bring the next backpack for this expedition as it was intended to be used during a 10-day-long zodiac boat trip campaign that has been postponed to next year, but it is so unique that I couldn’t resist sharing it.

This masterpiece is the HPA IP68 – INFLADRY HD 50 backpack, that was primarily developed and designed for some very demanding customers: French Combat Divers. I was lucky enough to meet its designer and get the backpack in its original full black military configuration as they still sell the remaining deadstock on their website, though they also developed a very similar model for rescue divers for the French coastguard in a more flashy safety orange color.

It is both waterproof to an IP68 rating and submersible! Meaning that French Combat Divers can remove all the air inside thanks to a side valve, to leave their gear at the bottom of the sea during a mission, or inflate the whole bag to make it a floatation device for both your gear and yourself. I must say that as a photographer in extreme environments this looked a little bit like the Holy Grail for open-water photography, either on a small or larger boat, and I wasn’t disappointed. Not only does a Pro ICU Large from f-stop fit perfectly inside it – something quite mandatory for a photographer – but it also offers excellent resistance to abrasion thanks to its innovative design.

You can indeed find a lot of good IP68 waterproof bags on the market, but in this case the TPU fabric waterproof part is encapsulated inside a Cordura Nylon 1680D shell that acts as a second skin against abrasion. The best of both worlds if you wish.

WATERPROOF and ELEMENT-PROOF Bags and Pouches

As I’ve been planning several “water-based” expeditions in the coming months, including this one in Menorca, I dug a little bit to prepare my next trips and bring you the best in waterproof or weather-resistant pouches and some carry systems with unique specificities:

These are some of the highlights for me, in alphabetical order as I only curated some of the very best available that I’ve been using for some time since my first expedition in the Arctic Ocean 10 years ago. Here are my top three:

AQUAPAC: Since I have one foot in the documentary filmmaking industry, I’ve known this UK-based company for a decade as they produce unique professional waterproof pouches for VHF radios or even for microphones, but they also make all sorts of waterproof and generally floatable pouches for all your electronic devices.

LOKSAK: This USA-based company produces some very amazing yet minimalist waterproof pouches that are also used by US military and law enforcement:

Certified waterproof to 200 feet/60 meters
100% protection from water, sand, humidity, and snow
All touch screen electronics work 100% while protected in the aLOKSAK

Since my Arctic Ocean expedition in 2013, I always bring a couple of Loksak bags in various dimensions, either to quickly “waterproof” or “sandproof” some equipment, or to bring back sand or soil samples, or even to carry my homemade sandwiches! They also make some neat and affordable “portable Faraday cages” that will protect your passport, smartphone, or any RFID-containing items while traveling.

NITE IZE: This Colorado-based company is quite famous in the EDC world for their carabiners line, but they also make some great waterproof pouches, including the RunOff, an IP67 waterproof pouch that can also be used to carry your essential small liquids containers in a carry-on bag.

Below are some of the waterproof or weatherproof pouches and bags that I currently use during my professional travels. It is a mix of “production bags” used generally in the filmmaking industry, military-level gear, and/or highly technical brand products.

AQUAPAC – Easy to use and reliable waterproof bag for your electronic devices
GOBAGS NEO1 – Affordable production bags with waterproof zipper
SAPX Special Applications Pouch – Next-level X-Pac pouch, sturdy and super useful
Black Ember TKS Sling / Tech Pouch – An “origami” tech pouch that can transform into a slick sling, sign me up!
Black Ember Dopp Kit – Another clean design from Black Ember!
LOKSAK: Shieldsak Phone Bag – A portable Faraday cage to protect your phone against external radio intrusions.
LOKSAK: aLOKSAK – Element-proof storage bags (in several dimensions)
MATADOR Base Layer – A functional and unique camera baselayer
GOBAGS – Affordable and functional production zipper bag
MY MEDIC MYFAK Mini – Not waterproof but another essential item that I bring for all my expeditions
NITE IZE: RUNOFF 3 in 1 Pouch – For smooth crossing in customs and then using it on the beach to protect your phone!
An old Vuarnet glasses case that I use alternatively for my sunglasses or to protect SD cards or small devices (like AirPods) on the go; regularly part of my EDC.

Talking about EDC, this is my current setup with some slight changes depending on the destination and laws of the countries I’m visiting (mostly regarding knife carry and GPS communication systems policies). Once again from left to right and top to bottom:

GOAL ZERO Flashlight with solar panel: a perfect emergency flashlight with integrated solar panels
BENCHMADE PSK: an amazing survival knife with a Cerakoted MagnaCut steel blade, specially designed to create more sparks with a ferro rod, super smooth one-hand opening mechanism, probably the knife of the year for me.
AUDIO-TECHNICA ATH-S300BT: Bluetooth noise canceling headphones with up to 90 hours of continuous use on full charge for long-haul flights, that I can also use with the audio cable for audio monitoring during filmmaking. The best of both worlds.
Bach Ho White Tiger Balm. To get rid of headaches and tension after training or long hours carrying my camera. A reminiscence of my past martial arts journey
BAGJACK GN LEASH COBRA BLACK: Gun Leash Cobra from Bagjack that I now use in sync with my Benchmade PSK
VSSL COFFEE KIT: Off-grid fresh coffee everywhere with this stylish pour-over portable setup, what else?
GOAL ZERO: VENTURE 75: a waterproof powerbank from GOAL ZERO
LOOP GEAR SK03 PRO: A very useful waterproof flashlight, with a detachable magnetic support that also contains a small blade and bottle opener.
FIELD NOTES SPACE PEN: I guess the name says it all: SPACE PEN & FIELD NOTES
VSGO Airblower & Camera cleaning set: Because I like to take good care of my camera gear
Black Ember Microbiner (orange)
IRIDIUM GO: GPS communication and tracking almost everywhere on Earth
Field Notes waterproof notebook: the waterproof version of the awesome Field Notes notebook that everybody loves.
memobottle A6 Bottle: I think the design speaks for itself, a sustainable and stylish way to stay hydrated during the day.

CAMERA RIG & GEAR FOR SOLO DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING & PHOTOJOURNALISM

I’m also always on the lookout to reduce my carry load while enhancing at the same time my versatility for lightweight filmmaking and photography in extreme environments, and this is my current setup:

I use my Audio-Technica headphones but with the cable for audio monitoring, and my NIKON Z7II with a SmallRig cage with several SmallRig accessories including the truly amazing manual Follow Focus system and NATO Quick-Lock side handle, and for run and gun interviews I’m using an Audio-Technica camera mount wireless system and microphones.

Talking about camera gear, one of this year’s amazing releases for me was also the CRANE 4 by ZHIYUN TECH, a super smooth Gimbal dedicated to heavy loads.

The company also released a very interesting light for photography and filmmaking, the CINEPEER CF100, though unfortunately the device isn’t really travel-friendly with its non-removable battery.

Finally, last but not least in the camera section, this SmallRig carbon fiber tripod AD-50 is a great add-on for lightweight travel filmmaking and photography.

LAPTOP CONFIGURATION

I’ve switched recently to a more lightweight and carry-on-super-friendly LENOVO ThinkPad T 14 GEN 6 14’ Snapdragon.

ThinkPads are a favorite for myself and many of my Explorers Club colleagues, with their MIL-STD 810H ratings, and this new Snapdragon version is even more lightweight with more than 30 hours of battery life unplugged, and most importantly for me, as a press photographer, Photoshop and Lightroom work flawlessly and in native mode with the Snapdragon configuration.

My current laptop setup also includes a T-FORCE M200 portable SSD with great performance, a “killer” design, and two-meter drop resistance.

But for me the best news recently was certainly the release of the ClouZen TAINER, a “Portable All-in-One Backup Solution”: A stand-alone portable SSD with dedicated slots for SD cards, XQD, and CFexpress memory cards that lets you make copies of your photos and footage on the go even without a laptop, that you can also use as a standard SSD drive. A must-have for extreme and remote expeditions for photographers and filmmakers.

I still use my SEGMENT SUPPLY laptop sleeve in X-Pac with my new laptop.