The Vam Anti-Moisture Dry Box
By Barb Dybwad 
posted August 20th 2005 6:00AM
posted August 20th 2005 6:00AM
OK listen up, geek campers, have we got the thing for you — if you're anything like us, with no summer vacation complete without laptop in tow, you might want to check out the Vam Anti-Moisture Dry Box to store your electronic goodies in whilst roughing it in the great unchartered wilderness. The box pumps air out to keep the interior dry, and a built-in hygrometer monitors the conditions inside the box, with a vacuum display indicating when the container becomes too humid or the vacuum seal is broken. Family trip to the Adirondacks? No need to leave that PSP at home, yo!
This seems like a pretty cool idea. It does seem more like something with a very specific target demographic, such as the business exec that loves to go white water rafting but can't stay disconnected from the office for more than 2 hours, but it's still a cool idea none the less. I would probably put my lunch inside to keep any water from getting on my sandwich and making all soggy. Though it would be better if they were stackable. That way you could bring multiple ones and just stack them in the back of your car/truck/van/SUV.
Nick
That thing would make a nice small factor case. How bout it modders?
Just don't leave any hard drive based devices like your iPod in there while the platters are spinning... unless you really WANT your heads to crash in a vacuum.
That's up to you, though.
Anyone know where I can actually buy the thing? froogle isn't turning up anything
#4 - It looks like this product was designed in Taiwan, since nobody really uses the term "3C" anywhere else (it stands for computers, communications, and consumer electronics).
and if you look at the website vacuumsaver.com, you'll see that in addition to the curious typo in their company name (curious because they have it spelled right in their e-mail address), they're based out of Taichung, Taiwan. As such, I don't think you'll find it outside Taiwan just yet.
Dehumidifying boxes are nothing new in Taiwan, in fact, there's actually a fairly large market for them. Though this is the first one I've seen to use a vacuum. Generally, they're just airtight boxes, and with which you'd use a dehumidifying pack or a packet or dehumidifying pellets (or silical gel). You should be able to get everything you need to make one yourself at a hardware store.
#1, i'm assuming that most consumer electronics can withstand extremely humid air, this would seem more useful to protect them from rain and snow? so i would think that if you had your car/truck/van/SUV there, you wouldn't really need this at all
#6 - Electronics can fail fairly quickly in Taiwan, considering the temperature, which tends to hover in the high 30s, and the humidity, which hits you like a wall when you step off the plane. (Surely the folks who went to the Taipei electronics show can attest.)
Not just gadgets either. Powered doors on automobiles have also been known to fail. (The Dodge Grand Caravan comes to mind.)
And really, what's the point of keeping your gear in your car/truck/van/SUV if you can't remotely operate the doors?
Kiryen,
Is that 30 Celsius? If so, that is nothing. Try Houston Texas with summer temps easily hitting 40 and Gulf humidity that will knock your plane out of the air. I have had laptops, desktops, PDAs, printers, etc.. operate in Houston warehouses (with and without AC) for years with no problems. Even a Comaq survived.
Who's got room for that thing in their pack? not me.
Real hardcore outdoor types use dry bags-- less space, less weight and not over-designed.
thanks.
goodbye.
It does not seem tough enough for camping, despite its climate control features.
I would rather take my expensive gear (if I had to), in a Pelican case. I have used these to transport HDDs full of movie files for LOTR, and they are very strong and I would trust my life with them. They are also waterproof.
http://www.pelican.com/cases/cases.html
Stephen Frink, the world's most published underwater photographer, uses Storm Cases waterproof cases (http://www.divester.com/2005/06/17/storm-case-carrying-cases/), which many consider superior to Pelican. That said, I have a Pelican, which I love dearly.
Get a life.
Not that it really matters, but last time I checked 3C still meant Command, Control, & Communications