ROCHESTER, N.Y. Are you planning to hit the beach or the pool this Fourth of July? if so, you need the right tech tools and protection for your devices. So I looked to the experts for answers.

It likely wouldn’t surprise you to learn that dropping a phone in water is one of the leading accidents that smartphone users report. The holder of all statistics, the portal Statista reports that 74 percent of folks damage their phones by dropping them on the ground, 49 percent say their phones fell out of their pockets, and 39 percent dropped their phone in water.

And that is one way to ruin your trip to the beach. So, what best protects that pricey phone or tablet from getting wet?

Back in 2012 Consumer Reports found that a Hefty slider bag protected products as well as any of the waterproof pouches on the market. While there are better products on the market today, surprisingly I found that Wirecutter, the New York Times’ consumer review magazine, also recommends putting your gadgets in a good old ziplock bag.

But if you want something with a strap to carry it more easily, Wirecutter suggests the Hiearcool Universal Waterproof Phone Pouch. I found them for sale on Amazon for $8.49. But if you don’t have time to wait for shipping, I found them for $9.99 and $13.99 at Walmart. CNN’s product reviewer also gives this water pouch top scores. And you can still use the touchscreen through its transparent front.

AT&T Tech guru and sales manager Jason Komenski suggests waterproof speakers.

“How can you go on a boat and not have the tunes? If your boat does not have those built-in speakers, this thing is pretty awesome,” said Jason as he held a speaker in his hands. “It’s made by Altech. It’s called the Lansing HydraMini right here. Completely waterproof. You can toss this thing in the water and it will float. It’ll play tunes. It’s got some nice base in there. And if you have more than one you can pair them together and get surround sound.”

Amazon sells them for $16. But again, if you can’t wait for shipping, they’re on sale at Best Buy for $15. Walmart and Target sell them for $20. And AT&T sells them for $30.

“These MagSafe magnetic wallets made by Carson & Quinn are fantastic. A bunch of different manufacturers make them. I have one from Apple on my phone”, said Komenski. “Put your money, driver’s license, anything you need right there. You don’t have to carry a wallet, and it’s right with your phone right when you need it.”

The magnetic wallet sticks to your smartphone, I found them for sale on Amazon for $40 but AT&T has them for $30. You can find them in any AT&T store.

If you have an idea for a consumer investigation, email us at consumer@whec.com.