Think Tank Digital Holster 5 V3 vs Waterproof Smart Phone/Digital Camera Pouch: which is safer?
Think Tank Digital Holster 5 V3 is the clear pick. Travelon Waterproof Smart Phone/Digital Camera Pouch carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.
Our pick
Think Tank Photo
Think Tank Digital Holster 5 V3
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleUndisclosed water-repellent coating chemistry
PossibleCoating degradation over time
Travelon
Waterproof Smart Phone/Digital Camera Pouch
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleUnspecified waterproof coating (fluorocarbon or polyurethane volatilization risk)
PossibleMicroplastic shedding from degraded textile coating
PossibleBacterial or mold growth in sealed wet storage
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Undisclosed water-repellent coating chemistry and Coating degradation over time on the Think Tank Photo and not on the Travelon.
- We flag Unspecified waterproof coating (fluorocarbon or polyurethane volatilization risk), Microplastic shedding from degraded textile coating and Bacterial or mold growth in sealed wet storage on the Travelon and not on the Think Tank Photo.
- The Think Tank Photo is Ballistic nylon, weather-sealed fabric, metal hardware where the Travelon is Fabric with waterproof coating, unspecified, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 45 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Think Tank Photo is the one to buy.
Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
More waterproof camera & lens protection cases: see the full ranking