IPX Rating System: What It Means And Why You Should Know

The IPX Rating System is used to evaluate how resistant products are to environmental conditions. Many cycling and camera products often come with an IPX rating letting the consumer know how well an item will hold up under certain environmental conditions.

The IP (Ingress Protection) numbers are written as IPXX, where “X”s are placeholders for numbers. The first “X” represents solid (dust/particle) resistance and the second “X” represents liquid resistance (water).

The list below is how the IPX system is usually represented.

• IPX0 – No protection
• IPX1 – Protects from dripping water
• IPX2 – Protects from vertically dripping water
• IPX3 – Protects from sprays up to 60°
• IPX4 – Protects from splashing water, no matter the direction
• IPX5 – Protects from water jets in any direction
• IPX6 – Protects from powerful water jets
• IPX7 – Protects in water up to 3 feet (1 meter)
• IPX8 – Protects when immersed in water over 3 feet

When looking for cycling equipment or photography equipment, those products that have a higher IPX rating will be able to withstand the elements for longer periods of time without failure.

For those who commute by bike, an IPX4 or greater will help keep your gear dry.