Mission Darkness Dry Shield tote 15L review

What it is

Mission Darkness calls the tote a military-grade Faraday dry bag, designed for forensic investigators and armed services and also used for executive travel and personal data security. The page says its large interior can fit multiple laptops, radios, cell phones, tablets and accessories.

It has a 15-liter capacity, and the usable interior when closed is 17 inches long by 9 inches wide. The page says the bag folds flat for transport and storage. For other options see our Faraday bag comparison.

Materials and shielding

The outer is a durable, waterproof 500D PVC, and the interior has two layers of TitanRF Faraday Fabric on all sides with dual paired seam construction. The maker says the fabric is certified to MIL-STD 188-125 and IEEE 299-2006, and lists blocked signals from Wi-Fi at 2.4 and 5 GHz, Bluetooth, cell signals including 5G, GPS, RFID and NFC, to radio signals from low MHz to 40 GHz.

Each bag is serialized for asset tracking, according to the page. It has a padded, adjustable, detachable shoulder strap that Mission Darkness describes as load-bearing.

Closing it, step by step

The maker's instructions are to put devices inside without filling the bag more than three-quarters full, remove extra air, clasp the top sides together and roll them over two to three times, then join the side buckles to secure the folds.

Those steps matter, because the maker also warns that the Faraday material inside will become defective with extended water contact or any punctures. It says the bag should not be used to hold wet devices or carry unprotected sharp objects. A waterproof outer helps keep rain off, but a bag that has been pierced or soaked inside may no longer shield, so check the lining now and then.

The outside pocket

The tote has an unshielded, waterproof, clear zipper pocket on the front. The maker says it can hold small items, like a cell phone, that you want to keep accessible and online, and that it doubles as a branding compartment. The pocket is outside the shielded part, so anything in it is not protected.

Do not put the device you want shielded in that pocket. It is for the things you still need while the rest stays sealed.

What to keep in it

For a household, the natural use is as a store for spare electronics: a backup phone, a hand-crank radio, chargers and cables. Ready.gov's kit list includes a battery-powered or hand crank radio and a cell phone with chargers and a backup battery, so those items can live together in one bag. Our hand-crank radio comparison lists options.

The case for shielding spare devices rests on the maker's EMP and signal-blocking claims. None of the Ready.gov pages we read for this review mention Faraday bags. If you are putting a radio in a sealed bag to protect it, keep a second one outside to listen to, since a sealed radio receives nothing.

Who should skip it

Skip it if you only want to stop a phone being tracked, since a pouch does that for less space. Skip it if you want a bag for daily carry, because the roll-top closure and 15-liter size are built for storage and travel. And skip it if you need to keep devices usable inside, since shielded means offline.

How big is the Dry Shield tote?

Mission Darkness lists a 15-liter capacity, with usable interior dimensions of 17 inches long by 9 inches wide when closed. It folds flat for storage, and has a padded, adjustable, detachable shoulder strap.

Is the tote waterproof?

The outer is waterproof 500D PVC. The maker warns that the shielding fabric inside becomes defective with extended water contact or punctures, so it should not hold wet devices or sharp objects.

How do I close it correctly?

Fill it no more than three-quarters, remove extra air, clasp the top sides together and roll them over two to three times, then join the side buckles.

Does the outside pocket shield what is in it?

No. The front zipper pocket is unshielded and waterproof, and the maker says it keeps small devices accessible and online. Anything you want shielded must go inside the main compartment.