Faraday Defense makes four families of Faraday bag, and the names do not tell you which does what. One is a storage bag built only for EMP protection; the other three are signal-blocking bags that also shield against EMP. Here is what each line blocks, what sizes it comes in, how it closes and which ones are made in the USA.
The one question to answer first
Do you want the bag to block signals, or only to protect stored gear from an EMP? Faraday Defense's own product sheet draws the line clearly:
- NEST-Z bags are rated for EMP, HEMP and CME protection only. They do not block cell, GPS, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. They are a storage bag.
- NX3, JACKET, JACKET Pro and CORDURA X bags block cell signal (including 5G), GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and RFID, and also shield the contents from EMP. They are the bags for a phone, key fob, tablet or laptop you handle every day.
NEST-Z: 7-mil EMP storage bags
NEST-Z bags are 7.0 mil, five-layer aluminized moisture-barrier bags. Faraday Defense rates them at over 40 dB of EMI attenuation, 11,500 PSI tensile strength and 33 lb puncture resistance, tested to ANSI/ESD S541 and ANSI/ESD S20.20 requirements, RoHS compliant and lead-free. Each has a zip-lock closure and can also be heat-sealed or vacuum packed, which is the right treatment for a spare that will sit untouched for years. Faraday Defense makes the line in seven sizes, from a 2.5" x 4" card bag up to a 34" x 40" jumbo.
The kits we carry: the 10-piece 2.5" x 4" kit for RFID cards, key fobs, USB and SD cards; the 5-piece 12" x 18" laptop kit, which also suits handheld radios and solar charge controllers; the 3-piece 18" x 28" XXL kit for an inverter or a compact power station; the 10-piece Large Kit (five 5" x 7", three 8" x 10", two 12" x 18"); the 20-piece Large Kit (eight 5" x 7", eight 8" x 10", three 12" x 18", one 18" x 28"); and the 40-piece Mega Kit with 2 jumbo, 6 large, 16 medium and 16 small bags.
NX3: triple-layer fabric bags that block signals
NX3 bags are made of three layers of Cyber-NC nickel/copper fabric. Faraday Defense rates them at 85 dB of attenuation (our listings carry the maker's 85 to 90 dB figure for the kits), blocking cell, GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and giving EMP protection to whatever is sealed inside. The closure is a fold-over with hook-and-loop, folded twice. Faraday Defense makes five sizes: phone 5" x 7", tablet 8" x 10", laptop 12" x 18", mega 16" x 20" and super mega 18" x 28".
The kits: the Medium 3-piece (tablet, laptop, mega), the Large 3-piece (laptop, mega, super mega), the 5-piece Mega Kit with one bag of every size, and the 10-piece kit with three phone, three tablet, two laptop, one mega and one super mega bag.
JACKET and JACKET Pro: the everyday bags
Faraday Defense describes the JACKET as the same function as NX3 in a higher-quality, more rugged material: three layers of metal-plated CYBER fabric lining with precision stitching, rated at 85 dB. The original JACKET bags have a black canvas shell and a fold-over hook-and-loop closure, in a 7.5" x 10" XL tablet size and a 14" x 16" XXL laptop size, both non-window forensic style.
JACKET Pro bags put the same triple-layer shielding in a CORDURA shell with a magnetic closure, so the bag opens and seals quickly for a device you take in and out all day: the 8.5" x 4.5" phone bag, the 9" x 10.5" tablet bag, the 9.5" x 13" laptop bag for 13" class machines and the 14" x 17" Laptop XL for 15" to 16" class laptops. Two 16" x 10.5" window versions let you operate the device through a clear front panel: the Window bag with a 20,000 mAh power bank and the Window Port bag with a filtered charging port.
CORDURA X and CORDURA Utility: made in the USA
The CORDURA X series is Faraday Defense's Berry-compliant line, made in the USA from CORDURA and Kevlar fabrics for daily wear. They are non-window forensic bags that block cell, GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and RFID and protect against EMP, in four sizes: 4" x 7.5" phone, 7.5" x 10" tablet, 9" x 12.5" laptop and 14" x 16" Laptop XL.
The CORDURA Utility Bag is a different shape for a different job: a 1000D CORDURA gate-mouth tool bag with a steel-rod frame and a removable clip-in Faraday roll-top pouch inside, rated at over 85 dB (400 MHz to 40 GHz) and blocking cell, GPS, RFID and Wi-Fi. It is also Berry-compliant and made in the USA, in Small (12" x 9" base, 9" tall, no shoulder strap), Medium (15" x 9", 11" tall) and Large (18" x 9", 13" tall), the last two with an HK-style clip shoulder strap.
The four lines side by side
| Line | Shielding (Faraday Defense rating) | Blocks | Closure | Sizes | Made in the USA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEST-Z | 7.0 mil, 5-layer aluminized barrier, over 40 dB | EMP / HEMP / CME only (no cell, GPS, Wi-Fi) | Zip-lock; heat-sealable | 2.5" x 4" to 34" x 40", seven sizes | Not stated on the sheet |
| NX3 | 3 layers Cyber-NC fabric, 85 dB | Cell incl. 5G, GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, RFID; EMP | Double fold, hook-and-loop | 5" x 7" to 18" x 28", five sizes | Not stated on the sheet |
| JACKET XL / XXL | 3 layers metal-plated CYBER fabric, 85 dB | Cell incl. 5G, GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, RFID; EMP | Fold-over, hook-and-loop | 7.5" x 10", 14" x 16" | Not stated on the sheet |
| JACKET Pro CORDURA | 3 layers CYBER fabric, 85 dB (window bags over 85 dB, 400 MHz to 40 GHz) | Cell incl. 5G, GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, RFID; EMP | Magnetic | 8.5" x 4.5", 9" x 10.5", 9.5" x 13", 14" x 17"; 16" x 10.5" window bags | Not stated on the sheet |
| CORDURA X | Metal-plated CYBER fabric lining in CORDURA and Kevlar | Cell, GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, RFID; EMP | Double-fold, hook-and-loop | 4" x 7.5", 7.5" x 10", 9" x 12.5", 14" x 16" | Yes (Berry compliant) |
| CORDURA Utility | Removable 3-layer roll-top pouch, over 85 dB (400 MHz to 40 GHz) | Cell, GPS, RFID, Wi-Fi | Roll-top pouch in a gate-mouth tool bag | Small, Medium, Large | Yes (Berry compliant) |
Attenuation figures and closure types are Faraday Defense's.
Which size for which device
- Cards, key fobs, USB and SD cards: NEST-Z 2.5" x 4" for storage; a JACKET Pro phone bag or CORDURA X phone bag for a fob you use daily.
- Phones: NEST-Z 5" x 7" for a spare in storage; JACKET Pro 8.5" x 4.5" (horizontal) or CORDURA X 4" x 7.5" for the phone in your pocket.
- Tablets, e-readers, large phones: NX3 8" x 10", JACKET XL 7.5" x 10", JACKET Pro 9" x 10.5" or CORDURA X 7.5" x 10".
- 13" class laptops: NX3 or NEST-Z 12" x 18", JACKET Pro 9.5" x 13", CORDURA X 9" x 12.5".
- 15" to 16" class laptops: JACKET Pro 14" x 17", CORDURA X 14" x 16", JACKET XXL 14" x 16" (our listing sizes the XXL for laptops up to about 14").
- Radios, chargers, a small inverter, a folded solar panel: NX3 16" x 20" mega and 18" x 28" super mega, or NEST-Z 18" x 28".
- A compact power station or a stack of gear: NEST-Z 18" x 28", or the two jumbo bags in the 40-piece Mega Kit (Faraday Defense does not give the jumbo size for this kit); for a full-size generator, the waterproof DRY generator bags covered in the DRY line guide.
Fabric-bag sizes are interior dimensions; NEST-Z sizes are the bag sizes on Faraday Defense's sheet. Measure the device with its case on and leave room for the fold.
For an RV or van the usual split is a NEST-Z kit for the spares in a drawer and one or two signal-blocking bags for the devices you use; a packing list by device is in what to keep in a Faraday bag, and the wired-in side is covered in the T.R.A.P. and DEFCON guide.
FAQ
Will a NEST-Z bag block my phone?
No. Faraday Defense rates NEST-Z for EMP, HEMP and CME protection only; it does not block cell, GPS or Wi-Fi. Use an NX3, JACKET, JACKET Pro or CORDURA X bag for that.
Can I use one bag inside another?
Yes. The bags are independent layers. A NEST-Z inside a larger NX3 or DRY bag adds a signal-blocking and, with the DRY bag, a waterproof layer to a stored spare, and Faraday Defense pairs its bags with its T.R.A.P. suppressors for the same reason: each layer handles a different path.
Where do the bags ship from?
Every Faraday Defense bag here is genuine, covered by Faraday Defense's limited lifetime warranty to the original retail purchaser, and ships free to the lower 48 states, with tracking by email. See the full Faraday Defense range, or ask us which size fits your device before you order.