Before you say anything, yes, I do understand that overtly or not, iPads are engineered as indoor devices. That’s obvious before you scrutinize the details. Apple tends not to show the iPad outdoors in its marketing, and the most popular accessories are styluses, folios, and keyboard cases. Heck, one of the selling points of the iPad Air and Pro is the ability to extend your homescreen to an external display, which there isn’t much call for on a nature walk.

The reality is that people do sometimes take their iPads outside — I used one to navigate the streets of Berlin and Munich. But there are a variety of factors that conspire against using one even in urban environments, much less on week-long camping trip.

The barriers against using an iPad outdoors

An iPhone Duo might actually be better

Connectivity might be your first worry, but it’s not as much of a hurdle as you might think. While shoppers typically pick Wi-Fi-only models, that’s not going to stop you if you’re only interested in video, reading, games, or basic productivity tasks. Many apps can operate partly or completely offline. If you spring for a 5G-capable iPad, you do need to pay for a carrier’s tablet plan to get full functionality. Even then, however, some navigation apps can operate without cellular data. The secret is that all 5G iPads also have GPS, which transmits for free. That’s how I got around Germany. As long as you can download maps in advance, you should be golden.

Where things really start to break down (no pun intended) is fragility. Unlike iPhones, no current iPad has an IP rating, that being the most popular industry certification for dust and water resistance. They probably do have some degree of protection. Yet if the iPad Pro was as tough as the iPhone 18 Pro, which has an IP68 rating, Apple would gladly pay for testing. The company likely doesn’t consider that level of protection necessary for most iPads, and tablets are inherently harder to seal, given that they have larger frames and bigger speaker ports.

The gist is that you can’t guarantee a naked iPad will survive a rainstorm, or simply sand at the beach. At a minimum, you need a folio, and there are accessory makers like Armor-X that specialize in fully waterproof cases. That might buy you some time if you accidentally drop your iPad in a pool or creek.

My biggest concern is always the screen. Assuming you don’t shatter it, cracks and deep scratches can still interfere with touch commands — not to mention trade-in value — and those are more likely outdoors with such a large target. My nightmare scenario is accidentally dropping an iPad face-first on a rock. Cracks can also occur with a particularly hard edge or corner impact, so it’s worth investing in a rugged case regardless of the environment your iPad is in.

Another reason to go rugged is the incredible thinness of newer iPads. Though Apple has taken steps to prevent bending since people discovered problems with the 2018 Pro, there’s only so much you can do to protect an aluminum device that’s as thin (or thinner) than a pencil, and spreads its internal components over such a wide area. A rugged case will naturally make your iPad thicker, and I’d consider one a must if you plan to stick it in a backpack or suitcase. Some people feel that ruins the look and feel. If that’s your perspective, though, you shouldn’t be spending much time outdoors with an iPad unless you’re in your backyard.

Is Apple ever going to improve the durability of iPads?

Actually responding to public demands, gasp

Rumors suggest that this is exactly what Apple has in mind for the next iPad mini, which could ship as soon as October 2026. That model may adopt iPhone-like water resistance, although it’s unclear if you would actually be able to submerge it several feet deep, like you can most iPhones. To get around the speaker problem, Apple is allegedly turning to a purely vibration-based technology — no exposed ports needed.

Nothing’s confirmed until Apple announces it, and there’s no word at all on whether Apple will bring this waterproofing to other iPads. There’s also no sign that Apple plans to switch to tougher metals. I doubt it will, since a titanium iPad would be both heavier and more expensive. It could hypothetically adopt the iPhone’s Ceramic Shield glass to better protect its displays, which would give me a little more confidence in rough terrain.

There’s incentive for Apple to step up its game, at least. People can and do bring tablets to parks, beaches, and pools, and the company obviously loves it when people are more inclined to choose an iPad over something like a Kindle or Galaxy Tab. Also, in 2026, a lot of us have come to take the durability of mobile devices for granted. Lacking IP certification could soon be considered a serious weak point.