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Taking the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5…Rock Climbing?
October 7, 2023 Andrew Cheng

Since I got the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 for review, I’ve been taking it rock climbing quite a bit. No, not to have it with me while I’m on the wall, but to record videos of my climbs when I am climbing alone. The foldable nature of the Z Flip 5 (and its IPX8 rating) certainly comes in handy in my climbing sessions.

Needless to say, trying to get footage of my climbs when I’m at the climbing gym alone can be troublesome. Sure, I don’t have to record myself, but seeing how I move on the wall is helpful to check on my technique. Okay, if I’m being honest, it’s also to get content for my social media.

While I can just get a small tripod and prop up my phone to start recording, it would just be another item for me to carry around. I prefer to keep items on me to a minimum in the gym.

That is why the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is (essentially) my “rock climbing phone” now. With just the foldable phone itself, it is much easier to record my climbs. I just have to find a suitable surface to place it, prop it up, press on the record button, and off to the wall I go. If you’re wondering, no, I’m not particularly concerned about random strangers picking up my phone and making a run for it. The climbing gym I frequent feels like a safe space.

Anyway, coming back to the Z Flip 5 itself, the large 3.4-inch Flex Window cover screen of the phone also helps with my video framing. If I had a tripod and a non-foldable phone with me instead, I have to spend extra time to check on the framing before I hit the record button. Imagine if my framing had been off and I just managed to send a particularly difficult route – I’d be devastated!

Besides that, the IPX8 rating of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 also comes in handy when I’m taking it rock climbing with me. Look, by the end of my climbing sessions, the phone can get a bit…well, chalky. As I go from one route to another and constantly apply chalk to my hands – trust me, it helps with grip immensely – some of the chalk gets to the phone too.

But thanks to the Z Flip 5’s IPX8 rating, which allows it to be submerged underwater up to 1.5m for 30 minutes, I can just wash off the chalk easily. After some (light) rubbing with soap applied under the water tap, the phone is as good as new after every climbing session.

Of course, I thoroughly enjoy using the Galaxy Z Flip 5 as my daily driver as well. Priced from RM4,499, it is certainly a premium foldable smartphone, though I do think the price tag is justified for a device of this calibre. It has a big, practical cover screen, it is just as fast as any other flagship phone in the market now with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, and the dual camera system (12MP main + 12MP ultra-wide) is quite capable too.

That being said, there are still a couple of areas where the Z Flip 5 could be better. While its dual camera setup can take good-looking shots, it would’ve been great if it also had the versatility of a telephoto lens. The Z Flip 5’s battery life isn’t the best either, though its 3,700mAh battery can provide all-day battery life as long I don’t use the camera (or game on it) too much.

Nonetheless, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is still one of the best foldable flip phones you can buy in Malaysia now. If you’d like to learn more about it, you can read the full review of the Z Flip 5 here.

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