Best Faraday Bags | Tested & Reviewed
Electronics are everywhere. Electronics have two very different vulnerabilities. The first vulnerability is security. The second vulnerability is loss. When either of those is taken away, it can spell trouble quickly. One of the best ways to protect from these vulnerabilities is with a Faraday bag.
I’ve been testing Faraday bags since 2019, and first used them while I was in the military in 2007. I’ve tested dozens of signal-blocking pouches at this point, and leaned on my formal training as an industrial engineer to find the best.
My top recommendation is for the Faraday Defense Jacket Pro, which combines compliant triple-layer RF protection with durability and an affordable price.
I also share picks for budgets (that actually work), laptops, dry bags, and even a way to make your own custom Faraday bag below.
Contents (Jump to a Section)
In this latest update of the best Faraday bags, new selections have been shared along with pictures and test results.
Best Faraday Bag
Jacket Pro
Durable, Quiet, and Effective
Easily protect your phone from EMPs and other signal threats with an EDC-sized Faraday sleeve.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Faraday Defense’s Pro line upgrades its typical Jacket line with Cordura nylon exterior fabric and a magnetic fold closure, all at a great price.
Specifications
- Shielding: Triple-layer nickel/copper
- Closure: Magnet fold
- Certifications: MIL-STD-188-125-2, IEEE 299-2006
- Outer Fabric: Cordura Nylon
- Inner Size: 4.5″ x 8.5″
- Weight: 3.9 ounces
The magnetic closure is nice and quiet, since you don’t have the hook-and-loop ripping sound every time you access the pouch. It also helps prevent RF leaks, since it’s not possible to misalign the closure like you can with hook-and-loop bags.
They make various sizes and styles with the more durable material and magnetic closures. The vertical phone bag fits my iPhone 17 Pro just fine, but if your phone is larger than that, you’ll want to move to the Max size. The horizontal bag is fine too, but everyone from our team preferred the vertical bag for more frequent use.
The Faraday Defense Jacket Pro Faraday Bag is a great way to discreetly protect your mobile device from any electronic interference.
Budget Faraday Bag
Simket Faraday Pouches
Two-pack, Effective, and Inexpensive
The cheapest pair of Faraday bags that you can trust to protect a phone or key fob.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Simket is one of the few inexpensive Faraday bags that passed all of our tests. They aren’t especially durable, with rough-cut single-sewn tape seams, and they have the sole accessory feature of a small D ring.
Specifications
- Quantity: 2-pack
- Shielding: 2-layer metal fiber
- Closure: Double roll hook and loop
- Outer Fabric: Waterproof/fireproof silicone/fiber
- Size: 5″ x 8″ (reduce 0.25″ for inner pouch size due to seams)
- Weight: 1.7 ounces (each)
One big bonus is that this size/price is for a two-pack, which is great because it’s an ideal size for protecting phones, power banks, handheld hams, and more.
Besides the quality/durability of the bags, the main reason people don’t select them is that they are not certified to either the MIL-STL-188-125-2 or IEEE 299-2006 standard. This means the bag’s attenuation has not been proven to be higher than 80dB between 10MHz and 1GHz, so most agencies will not trust them.
If you are on a budget and protecting in-place equipment like HHTs, weather radios, or burner phones… Simket Faraday Bags can get it done.
Laptop Faraday Bag
Jacket Pro Laptop
Anti-Hacking, Anti-Tracking, EMP Protection
A top-rated bag for the best signal-secure laptop storage at home and on the move.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
The military, law enforcement officers, and executives with a need for digital security prefer this laptop bag.
Specifications
- Shielding: Triple-layer nickel/copper
- Closure: Magnet fold
- Certifications: MIL-STD-188-125, IEEE 299-2006
- Outer Fabric: Cordura Nylon
- Inner Size: 9.5″ x 13″
- Weight: 9.9 ounces
The bag completely blocks wireless signals, which is how it performs so well for security and EMP protection. The bag itself has an outer layer constructed of ballistic nylon to make it extremely durable.
If you want the best EMP and signal protection, the Faraday Defense Jacket Pro Laptop Faraday Bag will get the job done better than the rest.
Faraday Dry Bag
SLNT 5L Dry Bag
High-Capacity, Waterproof, and Versatile
Protect your gear from it all with a Faraday-lined dry bag.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
SLNT (formerly Silent Pocket) is known for its premium Faraday bags that look fantastic, but are also (unfortunately) premium-priced. This dry bag bucks their pricing trend, making it not just sleek and effective, but surprisingly affordable.
Specifications
- Shielding: SLNT Multishield
- Closure: Double roll buckle clip
- Certifications: MIL-STD-188-125, IEEE 299-2006
- Outer Fabric: 420D Nylon TPU
- Outer Size: 10.6″ x 6″D
- Inner Size: 9.8″ x 5.5″D
- Weight: 13.3 ounces
The dry bag is simple: it’s a standard roll-top dry bag with a Faraday fabric liner inside. It has exterior clips for the included shoulder strap, a small MOLLE patch, and an exterior pocket (that is not Faraday-protected).
To protect your electronics from both the elements and RF, get the SLNT 5L Faraday Dry Bag.
DIY Faraday Bag
TitanRF Kit
Comprehensive, Effective, and Inexpensive
Customize to your heart’s content with the best Faraday fabric.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
The TitanRF fabric from Mission Darkness is one of the best Faraday fabrics you can get. The bags cost quite a bit, but when you make one yourself, you can customize it as you see fit and save some serious money.
Specifications
- Shielding: 62% polyester fiber, 25% metallic copper, 13% metallic nickel
- Certifications: MIL-STD-188-125, IEEE 299-2006
- Features: Includes 36″ of adhesive 1″ Faraday tape
- Fabric Size: 44″ x 36″
- Weight: 5.8 ounces
Mission Darkness has been putting out EMP-shielded, signal-dampening accessories for a long time, and they have built a reputation for themselves.
One big caveat compared to premade Faraday bags is that the Faraday fabric itself is not extremely durable. This is why you’ll see nylon or silica exterior fabrics on most bags. So, unless you plan on adding exterior fabric to your custom bag, keep in mind that it’ll be fragile.
Expert Tip: Store custom Faraday bags nested inside durable bags to protect them even more. I keep my custom bags inside a 500D nylon pouch.
If you need customized RF protection or want a quick DIY project, the Mission Darkness TitanRF Faraday Fabric Kit is the kit to buy.
How to Make a Faraday Bag
Making a Faraday bag is not very difficult. Once you have the materials, just follow the three steps:
- Cut the Faraday fabric in a large enough size to wrap the electronic device
- Wrap an electronic device as you would a present
- Use conductive tape to completely seal the wrapped device.
Planning how to wrap the device so it can be opened and removed without damaging the makeshift Faraday bag is important, so consider this before you start.
Your limit is your imagination when you have your own materials to construct a Faraday bag.
Comparison Table
| Faraday Bag | Recommendation | Price* | Closure | Size | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacket Pro | Best Overall | $45 | Fold magnet | 4.5″ x 8.5″ | 3.9 oz |
| Simket Pouches | Best for Budgets | $15 | Double roll hook and loop | 5″ x 8″ | 1.7 oz |
| Jacket Pro Laptop | Best for Laptops | $70 | Fold magnet | 9.5″ x 13″ | 9.9 oz |
| SLNT 5L Dry Bag | Best for Survival | $70 | Roll top with buckle | 9.5″ x 5.5″D | 13.3 oz |
| TitanRF Kit | Best for Custom Bags | $23 | Varies (DIY) | 36″ x 44″ | 5.8 oz |
How I Tested
Our research narrowed the field down to a few brands and types of Faraday bags that I tested: SLNT (formerly Silent Pocket), Mission Darkness, OffGrid, Faraday Defense, Onever, Simket, Firedog, and more.
I tested their effectiveness using a variety of practical tests with electronics, including:
- Key fob test (Toyota Highlander fob)
- RFID test (Tesla key card)
- Bluetooth test (Apple AirPods)
- WiFi test (Apple iPhone 17 Pro)
- Cell test (Apple iPhone 17 Pro)
- UHF test (Baofeng UV-5R)
- LoRa test (Lilygo T-Deck Plus)
By putting these devices inside the different bags, I could test the bags’ effectiveness at blocking the various signals.
I also used the phone app Shielding Tester to verify Bluetooth, WiFi, and cell blockage with the iPhone. All of our suggested picks successfully blocked these signals, indicating their EMF and EMP performance.
I also measured the bags independently, verifying the manufacturer’s claims with a measuring board, scale, and micrometer for thickness.
Lastly, I checked waterproofing claims by submerging or splashing water on the bags with paper inside to check for leaks or condensation.
Why Trust TruePrepper
Faraday bags can simply quiet a phone or provide mission-critical protection for electronics. We review gear for the most strenuous situations, so I looked beyond their performance and tested their durability and versatility as well.
I’m Sean Gold, the founder of TruePrepper. I first encountered Faraday bags in my time in the military about 20 years ago- we put sensitive hard drives and radios inside them before we stored them in a safe. I’ve been testing Farday bags for over six years now, and have used dozens of models with a wide range of electronics.
For this review, I also used my formal industrial engineering training to check the quality of the bags. I love getting data on the gear I review for impartial comparisons to pair with my practical experience.
What to Look For
The best Faraday bags have a few features to look for:
- Value
- Effectiveness
- Durability
- Size & Weight
- Versatility
When you get the right blend of these, you can find a bag that’ll protect the contents from a wide range of electromagnetic threats. Below, we break down what each of these features means for the bags that truly set themselves apart. But first, we’ll go over how the bags actually work.
What is a Faraday Bag?
A Faraday bag is a fabric or foil pouch that dampens electronic signals. This protects the device inside from sending and receiving signals, which can protect it from hacking attempts and electromagnetic discharge. These two very different threats can be blocked using a very simple concept.
Faraday bags have largely been adopted by militaries and law enforcement agencies looking for both signal and hardware protection. Cages may be the protection of choice for installed and stationary equipment, but bags are much better suited for equipment on the go.
The bags work in the same way that Faraday cages do. As long as the covering is made out of continuous conductive material, including metallic mesh, electromagnetic fields can be blocked or impeded. Faraday bags can struggle with complete closure since the bags are made out of a conductive fabric rather than wire mesh. Bags typically need the closure to be reinforced with a conductive material and closed as tightly as possible.
One misconception is that a Faraday bag can block all transmissions. The attenuation of the bag is important for this, since this can vary depending on materials and bag construction. High-powered frequency transmissions like RFID can penetrate low-attenuation Faraday bags and mesh Faraday cages. Solid cages and bags attenuated over a broad range of frequencies are much less likely to be penetrated.
Value: Cost vs. Benefit
The amount of money you spend on something as simple as a protective bag shouldn’t blow out your entire budget. There is a wide range of prices for different solutions and budgets.
You never want to spend too much money on one thing when it comes to niche protection. It’s better to diversify your spending to make sure you are covered for a wide range of threats.
Effectiveness
The effectiveness of a Faraday bag is easy to figure out if you have the right gear to test with. Many of the bags have the instructions printed on them, which typically involve rolling the opening before you secure it for a tight seal.
In our testing, we used a variety of devices as proxies for different communication methods and frequencies. We can’t practically test EMP protection because we’re not able to detonate our own Starfish Prime.
Durability
A big difference in the bags comes in their quality and durability. Besides the fabric weight, you can see this attention to quality in the seams, which can pull and rip easily on some of the cheaper bags we tested.
Once your Faraday bag develops a hole, it’s worthless unless you have the specialized tape or fabric to repair it. This makes quality and durability all the more critical if it is a bag that you plan to use regularly or travel with.
Size/Weight
Overbuilt Faraday bags can be found. Many EMF/EMP protective bags have evolved over the years into entire backpacks, duffels, and MOLLE pouches. Electronic protection probably isn’t necessary for every single piece of gear you have, so individual bags that are sized properly to the equipment seem to work best for most people.
Finding yourself in a situation where you have an entire duffel to protect a single key fob isn’t ideal. Try to seek out the correct-sized bags for individual equipment rather than grouping them all together in one bag. This also reduces the chance that you would have a total loss if the one duffel you have develops a hole without you knowing.
We also weighed the different bags because they can be another indicator of the manufacturer’s honesty and quality. If a manufacturer claims their bag is 8 ounces, but it comes up significantly short, they may be substituting inferior fabric or materials.
Versatility
While versatile pockets, windowed attachments, and extra seals can add weight, as we mentioned above, they also add versatility. It’s a balance deciding whether the added functionality is worth the bulk, but I’ve found in my experience that it typically does when the bag is designed well by a quality manufacturer.
Faraday Cage vs. Faraday Bag
Sometimes the two terms can be confused with each other, but their goals are very similar.
A Faraday cage is a structure, either solid or mesh, of rigid conductive material meant for protecting stationary electronic equipment.
A Faraday bag is a pouch or small bag made of conductive textiles meant for protecting portable electronic equipment.
Faraday cages have been around for a long time since Michael Faraday built a room completely out of foil to prove his hypothesis. Faraday bags, being made of state-of-the-art conductive textiles, are relatively new by comparison.
A Faraday shield is another term that is sometimes used, usually in place of a cage. The term shield usually implies that a solid conductive material is used, whereas cage could mean either solid or mesh.
Faraday mesh, Faraday fabric, and Faraday tape are sometimes referenced, usually as materials to construct or reinforce a cage or bag.
How to Use a Faraday Bag
Using a Faraday bag is simple: place the electronic device inside the bag and seal the bag.
You can check the attenuation of the bag by attempting to signal the device:
- Attempt to call an enclosed cell phone
- Attempt to connect a Bluetooth device to an enclosed device
- Attempt to key an enclosed two-way radio
Once you have completed a confirmation check, you would want to power down the device inside the bag for short-term storage.
One of the main issues with a Faraday bag is that protection is only afforded when the electronic device is inside the bag. We usually need to remove the device to operate it since the device will need a signal. Returning the electronic device to the bag as quickly as possible is important since signal threats are difficult to predict.
Creating a habit of storing your sensitive electronic devices in Faraday bags during everyday use is the best strategy. Forgetting to replace the device inside the bag could be a costly mistake, and is counter to the purpose of the bag, to begin with.
Who Needs a Faraday Bag?
If you have sensitive information on a portable electronic device or heavily rely on the use of an electronic device for communication, navigation, and information gathering, then a Faraday bag is a sound investment.
Signal disruption events are improbable but not uncommon.
Nuclear events, such as attack detonations and EMPs, are wide-scale disaster situations that cause electromagnetic interference. Space weather, such as CMEs, can also cause widespread damage to electronics.
Localized events, such as RFID hacking and signal tampering, can be more probable for high-risk individuals. Military, law enforcement, and high-profile businesspersons can be targets for these attacks, given the sensitive nature of their work. GPS tracking can also be blocked with a bag.
The combination of the importance of portable electronic equipment to both our security and survival makes a Faraday bag a good opportunity to strengthen your preparedness against these threats.
Luckily, advancements in textile science have reduced the bulk of Faraday cages but kept the functionality of portable Faraday bags. This means that they can be included in many types of portable kits, including:
This last bullet point has some exciting options, as we pointed out earlier with our portable EDC pick.
Sources & References
An objective look at the best Faraday bag is useless without sources and references. We leaned on these for the book knowledge that we paired with our practical military experience and prepping projects.
Lennox-Steele, A., et al. (2016). A forensic examination of several mobile device Faraday bags & materials to test their effectiveness. Australian Digital Forensics Conference. Pages 34 – 41. (Source).
Faraday, M. (2004). Experimental Researches in Electricity. Dover Publications. (Source).
Forbes, N., et al. (2014). Faraday, Maxwell, and the Electromagnetic Field: How Two Men Revolutionized Physics. Prometheus. (Source).
Conclusion
Faraday cages have been around for over 180 years at this point, and survivalists and preppers are thankful to Michael Faraday for taking the time to discover them. The more recently invented Faraday bag is even more useful, allowing us to take electromagnetic protection on the go.
Take care of your gear, and it will take care of you. Don’t stash it away, but get it out to get familiar with it if you are not using it every day.
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When can a faraday bag be penetrated? I have your bag and heard the alarm that I set when an IP address was picked up while my computer was inside your bag. Is there something that I may have done wrong? The bag was fully sealed. Thank you.
If you have the Mission Darkness bag- just be sure you are getting a good seal. Use the double roll with the velcro. If you don’t have it sealed tightly, it’ll just dampen signals like a cheaper faraday bag.