What "IP" Actually Stands For
IP stands for Ingress Protection, and the rating system is defined by international standard IEC 60529. It exists specifically to replace vague words like "waterproof" and "rugged" with something you can actually test and rely on.
Every IP rating is two digits. The first covers protection against solid objects, dust included. The second covers protection against liquids. Higher numbers mean better protection in each category, but the two digits are independent of each other, so a rating like IP67 tells you two separate facts rather than one combined score.
The First Digit: Protection Against Solids
| Digit | Protection level |
|---|---|
| 0 | No protection |
| 1 | Objects larger than 50mm (e.g. accidental contact by a hand) |
| 2 | Objects larger than 12.5mm (e.g. fingers) |
| 3 | Objects larger than 2.5mm (e.g. tools, thick wire) |
| 4 | Objects larger than 1mm (e.g. thin wire) |
| 5 | Dust protected: limited ingress permitted, no harmful deposit |
| 6 | Dust tight: no ingress at all |
For a radio that's going anywhere near a construction site, a farm, or the coast, 6 is the number you want. Anything less, and fine dust or sand can work its way into the electronics over time, even if you never notice it happening.
The Second Digit: Protection Against Liquids
| Digit | Protection level |
|---|---|
| 0 | No protection |
| 1 | Vertically falling drops (e.g. condensation) |
| 2 | Falling water when tilted up to 15° from vertical |
| 3 | Sprayed water up to 60° from vertical |
| 4 | Splashing water from any direction |
| 5 | Low-pressure water jets from any direction |
| 6 | Powerful water jets from any direction (e.g. a ship's deck in heavy weather) |
| 7 | Temporary immersion up to 1 metre depth, for 30 minutes |
| 8 | Continuous immersion beyond 1 metre, depth and duration set by the manufacturer |
Levels 1 to 6 are cumulative, so a device rated to level 6 has also passed the lower levels. Levels 7 and 8 are a different kind of test entirely, static immersion rather than moving water, so a device rated IP67 hasn't automatically been tested against the jet tests at level 5 or 6. If a product needs to handle both scenarios, look for a dual rating like IP66/IP68 on the spec sheet.
IP67 vs IP68: The Difference That Actually Matters
This is where a lot of product listings get vague, sometimes deliberately. IP67 is a precisely defined test: submerged at a depth of 1 metre for 30 minutes, full stop. Every genuine IP67-rated device has passed exactly that test.
IP68 sounds like the obvious upgrade, and it is a higher standard, but the standard itself doesn't fix the depth or duration. It only requires the result to exceed IP67. One manufacturer's IP68 might mean 2 metres for an hour. Another's might mean far more. That's not a loophole, it's how the standard is written, which means an IP68 label on its own tells you less than an IP67 label does. If continuous submersion genuinely matters for your use case, check the manufacturer's actual stated depth and duration rather than assuming IP68 covers it.
Choosing the Right Rating for the Job
Not every job needs IP67. Matching the rating to the actual environment saves you paying for protection you don't need, or worse, under-specifying and having gear fail when it matters.
- Light outdoor use, occasional rain: IP54 is usually enough.
- Construction, forestry, farms, dusty sites: IP67 as a baseline, for the dust protection as much as the water.
- Marine use, boats, coastal work: IP67 at minimum, and worth checking if a dual rating with jet protection is available for spray and wash-down conditions.
- Genuine underwater use: IP68, with the manufacturer's specific depth and duration checked, not assumed.
We stock a range of IP67-rated two-way radios built for exactly these conditions, including the GME TX6165X and XRS-390C, Hytera's BP-562, and Icom's IC-F1000 and IC-F2000. If you're not sure which rating your job actually needs, that's a five-minute conversation worth having with us before you buy, rather than finding out the hard way on-site.
