Yes, bring your phone, but bring it the right way: sealed in a waterproof pouch or case, and worn on your body rather than stowed on the board. The phone is your best way to call for help, check conditions and take photos. It only does those jobs if it stays dry and within reach after you fall in.

This guide covers where to carry it, how to test a pouch before you trust it, how a phone compares with an action camera, and what to leave ashore when you take a lesson.

TL;DR

• Carry a phone on every paddle. The U.S. Coast Guard lists a waterproof cellphone as one way to call for help, and recommends carrying two waterproof ways to communicate.
• Keep it on you, in a waterproof pouch worn around your neck or in a life jacket pocket. A phone in a dry bag strapped to the board is out of reach if you separate from the board.
• Test any pouch with tissues and a few minutes underwater before you head out.
• A phone suits intentional photos and short clips. An action camera suits hands-free footage, and it does not replace the phone for calling for help.
• Charge it fully, set your route or recording before you launch, and look up from the screen.

Table of Contents

• Why the phone belongs on your board
• Where to carry your phone
• How to choose a waterproof pouch or case
• Test it before you trust it
• Keeping your phone from sinking or drifting off
• Phone or GoPro: which one do you need?
• Before you launch: a short checklist
• Our perspective on phones, lessons and the water
• Learning the skills that make a phone matter less
• Learn on the water with an instructor
• FAQ
• Sources

Why the phone belongs on your board

A paddle board is quiet, low and easy to lose sight of from shore. If wind pushes you offshore or you get separated from your board, a phone is often the fastest way to reach someone.

The Coast Guard’s guidance for paddlecraft users, published on June 28, 2025, is to carry two waterproof ways to call for help. Its examples are a VHF-FM radio, a personal locator beacon and a waterproof cellphone. The same release recommends a properly fitted Coast Guard-approved life jacket, a float plan, a check of forecasts, tides and currents, and a label on your craft to help rescuers.

A phone does more than call. It gives you your location, lets you update someone if plans change, and holds the forecast. That is why a waterproof case is standard on safety checklists for paddleboarders.

One practical note: batteries drain faster than you expect when you use GPS, record video and sit in the sun. Charge to full before you leave. If you rely on your phone for navigation or filming, a pocket-size backup battery is worth having. Rules for lithium cells matter here, so it helps to know which power bank safety standards apply before you pack one next to your phone in a sealed pouch.

Where to carry your phone

The rule is simple: the phone has to be on your body.

The RNLI, the UK’s lifeboat charity, advises keeping your phone in a waterproof pouch on you, for example in a buoyancy aid pocket or around your neck. It points out that a phone in a dry bag attached to your board is no good if you become separated from the board. See its stand up paddle boarding safety advice.

That advice is from a British charity, but the physics is the same in Hawaii, Florida or Lake Tahoe. A board that drifts away at wind speed takes everything attached to it.

Your four main options

The trade-off is access versus protection. A mount keeps the phone visible but exposes it to spray and immersion. A sealed dry bag keeps it dry but means stopping to use it.

Most recreational paddlers do best with a hybrid: the phone in a pouch on their body, plus a dry bag on the board for the car key, a snack and a spare layer.

How to choose a waterproof pouch or case

Ask three questions: does it fit your phone, can you use the touchscreen through it, and does it float?

Condé Nast Traveler’s tests of pouches looked at water protection, fit and touchscreen use, and noted that some pouches float. Floating matters because a phone that sinks is gone. A phone in a floating pouch can be recovered from the surface.

A few practical points:

• Fit. Your phone should sit flat without being squeezed. A thick protective case inside a pouch can make the seal hard to close.
• Touchscreen. Try unlocking, calling and opening the camera through the pouch. Face unlock can be unreliable through plastic, so know your passcode.
• Lanyard. Choose one long enough to wear across your body but short enough to stay out of your paddle stroke.
• Clear back. Camera lenses need an optically clear window if you plan to shoot photos.
• Case versus pouch. A hard waterproof case fits one phone model closely. A pouch fits many phones and is easier to share between family members.

Test it before you trust it

Do this at home, not at the launch ramp. Condé Nast Traveler’s method is simple: fold a few tissues, seal them in the pouch, submerge it for a few minutes, then open it with dry hands and check that the tissues stayed dry.

Then repeat the test the way you will use it:

1. Seal the pouch with the tissues, exactly as you would with your phone.
2. Submerge it in a sink or tub for several minutes, pressing it down to check the seal under pressure.
3. Dry your hands and the outside before opening it.
4. If the tissues are dry, put your phone in and repeat a quick dunk in shallow water before paddling out.
5. Check the seal and any cracks in the plastic again before each season and after any hard knock.

A pouch that passes once can still fail later. Salt, sand and sunscreen wear on seals. Rinse the pouch in fresh water after each salt-water session and let it dry open.

Keeping your phone from sinking or drifting off

Assume you will fall in, and prepare for it. One paddling guide advises using a waterproof case and, or, a float or tether before you take the phone out on the water, and testing your setup in shallow water first.

If you take the phone out of its pouch to record and drop it, do not go in after it. The RNLI warns that you may not be able to get back on your board. A phone is replaceable. Your safety is not.

This is also why a leash matters. A leash keeps you connected to the board after a fall, though the RNLI notes the type must suit the water: flowing or tidal water can call for a quick-release waist leash instead of an ankle one. We cover fit and habits in our guide to paddle board leash use.

Phone or GoPro: which one do you need?

The answer depends on whether you want a way to call for help, a way to record, or both.

One guide to paddleboard photography says a phone in a waterproof case works well for intentional photos and short clips, while an action camera suits hands-free, movement-heavy footage. You can mount it on the board or wear it for point-of-view shots.

The safety guidance, though, is about calling for help, and a camera does not do that. The RNLI’s advice on filming yourself says to carry a phone, VHF radio or other means of calling for help in addition to your recording gear.

So the answer for most people is: phone in a pouch on your body for safety and the occasional photo, and an action camera only if you want serious footage.

Before you launch: a short checklist

• Charge the phone. Boating safety groups advise leaving shore with a fully charged phone, since batteries may not last a long day of use.
• Set the route or recording first. If you use a mount, start navigation or video before launch, add a firm mount and a floating tether, and look up rather than staring at the screen. Looking down reduces your awareness of traffic, wind and changing conditions.
• Tell someone your plan. A float plan is a short note on where you are going and when you will be back. The Coast Guard recommends one.
• Wear a life jacket every time. The Coast Guard advises it, and a jacket with a pocket gives your phone a secure home.
• Dress for the water. The same Coast Guard guidance recommends a wetsuit or dry suit when water is below 65°F, because cold-water shock can happen quickly. In warm water such as Hawaii’s this is rarely a concern, but check the temperature wherever you paddle.
• Pack a backup. A dry bag on the board holds spare items and a second layer of protection for anything you can leave behind.

Our perspective on phones, lessons and the water

We have taught people to surf and paddle in Waikiki for over 30 years, and the question about the phone comes up on almost every first lesson. Our answer depends on what you are doing.

If you are heading out alone on a rental or your own board, bring the phone, sealed and worn on your body, and let someone ashore know where you are going. That is the habit we want every paddler to build.

If you are taking a lesson, we think your attention is better spent on your instructor, your balance and the water around you. Our approach is built on individual attention and on getting you riding waves in your first lesson, and that goes best when your hands are free and your mind is on the board. Our instructors are professional surfers who know the conditions, so you do not need to navigate or check the forecast yourself.

If you want pictures of your first ride, we offer optional on-water photography and video packages, so you can keep the memories without risking your phone.

Johann

Learning the skills that make a phone matter less

A phone is a backup. Good technique and good habits are the main safety system. If you are new to the sport, a few basics make falling in less stressful:

• Learn where to put your feet with our guide to paddle board stance, so you fall less.
• Read our overview of how to SUP before your first session.
• Practice getting back on your board in calm water, with the phone sealed and secured before you try.
• Keep a firm grip on your paddle and know how to stay with your board if you fall.

If you will be paddling out in surf rather than flat water, our guides to reading waves and the paddle out technique explain what to check before you go.

Learn on the water with an instructor

If you would rather learn with a pro than figure it out alone, we teach stand-up paddling on Oahu’s North Shore, with group lessons from $100 and private lessons from $150. Our 90-minute Waikiki format is described on our page about SUP lesson safety in Waikiki. Equipment is included, and our instructors are experienced local and professional surfers.

See all stand-up paddle and surf lesson options, or look at our SUP lessons in Waikiki. If you already have the basics and just want a board for the day, boards are $60 per day through our Waikiki surfboard rentals.

FAQ

Can I take my phone paddle boarding without a waterproof case?

We would not. Water damages phones, and a phone that goes in the water unprotected may not work when you need it. A waterproof pouch or case worn on your body is the standard answer, and the Coast Guard lists a waterproof cellphone as one way to call for help.

Is a dry bag enough for my phone?

A dry bag keeps your phone dry, but if it is attached to the board and you get separated, you cannot reach it. Keep your emergency phone on you and use the dry bag for backup items.

Is a waterproof phone case better than a GoPro?

They do different jobs. A phone in a waterproof case is for calling for help, navigating and taking intentional photos. An action camera is better for hands-free footage but does not replace the phone for calling for help.

How do I know my pouch is really waterproof?

Seal folded tissues inside, submerge it for a few minutes, then open it with dry hands. If the tissues are dry, the seal held. Repeat the test whenever the seals look worn or after you have used it in salt water.

What if I drop my phone in the water?

Let it go. Do not jump in after it, because you may not be able to climb back onto your board. If it was in a floating pouch, it may stay recoverable from the surface.

Sources

• Coast Guard urges paddle craft safety (U.S. Coast Guard)
• Paddleboarding safety checklist
• How can I stay safe when stand up paddleboarding? (RNLI)
• Paddleboarders: Get tips on filming yourself safely (RNLI)
• Best waterproof phone pouches (Condé Nast Traveler)
• Capturing content while paddleboarding
• Phone mounts for paddle boarding and kayaking

Recommended

• How to SUP – Surf Lessons in Waikiki, Oahu
• Paddle Board Leash Use: Types, Fit and Safe Habits
• How to Prevent Surfing Injuries: A Beginner’s Safety Guide
• Paddle Board Stance: Where to Put Your Feet and Stay Up