Bluetooth speakers are great for portable music playback, but for those times when you want to take them somewhere a little off the beaten track, you need something more robust. Here is our top selection of the best rugged Bluetooth speakers for your next trip. What makes a great rugged Bluetooth speaker? While the sound quality is of course very important, there are a number of features specific to a speaker you want to use outdoors and in the elements, such as a protective outer shell to withstand shock, water resistance to withstand splashing water, and drops, and a large battery to pump the tune.
Best Rugged Bluetooth Speakers
We have put together a range of great speakers with rugged enclosures, good battery life, and strong to excellent water resistance.
1. Outdoor Tech OT2800-B
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The Outdoor Tech OT2800-B Turtle Shell 3.0 Rugged Speaker features 360-degree surround sound to immerse you in the music. Two full-range speakers and a bass radiator use a wide frequency response to create the sound of audio with pinpoint accuracy. Separate drivers are a great advantage because they can specialize in one aspect of the audio. The device uses Bluetooth 4.2 to stream music all day long for a total of 20 hours at a time. You can also use the speaker as a power supply via the USB ports. However, this drains the battery much faster, which means you have less playing time. The speaker is also convenient to use, as it has built-in buttons that allow you to adjust the volume and skip songs. Overall, this is one of the best-rugged Bluetooth speakers.
2. Braven BRV-X
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The portable Bluetooth wireless speaker BRAVEN BRV-X is perfect for hiking and for extended outdoor use, for a very important reason: it has a built-in 5200 mAh power supply charger that is perfect for charging your phone. In addition, its shock-resistant rubber casing makes it safe from most falls and it has a waterproof IPX7 housing – meaning it is waterproof for up to half an hour in water up to 1 meter deep. It features 12 hours of music playing time and a built-in noise-canceling microphone for hands-free calls. Overall, this is one of the best-rugged Bluetooth speakers.
3. Ultimate Ears Boom 2
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The Ultimate Ears Boom 2 Phantom can produce an incredible 360-degree sound with deep, vivid bass. You can use the speaker indoors or outdoors as the design is suitable for any occasion. Don’t worry about accidental drips in the water because the speaker has a waterproof coating with an IPX7 rating. In addition, the speaker is ideal for long car journeys as it lasts 15 hours. The Bluetooth connection is extremely powerful and consumes less power because it uses the latest version. The total range of the connection is about 100 feet, which is competitive in the market. Overall, this is one of the best-rugged Bluetooth speakers.
4. FUGOO Tough
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As harsh as the name sounds, the FUGOO Tough advertises itself as “the most robust Bluetooth speaker in the world”. That’s what they claim: 100% waterproof, mud-proof, snow and shock-resistant. We don’t know about 100%, but it’s actually a very rugged speaker with an IP67 rating, which means it’s very well protected against dust and water ingress and, like the Braven above, can withstand solid dunking.
The speaker has six drivers on four sides, so there is no “dead” spot for your music listening experience. It has an impressive 40 hours of battery life and a built-in microphone that supports you with Siri and Google Now. To make the FUGOO perfectly fit your needs, there are various accessories available, such as a bicycle mount, a strap mount for attaching to a tree or post, and there is the option of remote control for, well, remotes. It is basically the Swiss Army knife among the rugged Bluetooth speakers.
5. Photive Hydra
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If you are on a tight budget but need a rugged portable Bluetooth speaker, Photive’s Hydra portable Bluetooth speaker is an ideal purchase. It’s far less expensive than the other speakers offered here, yet it’s dust and waterproof (IP66) and safe to take with you when you go hiking. Its battery life is a little less at about 8 hours, but that’s fine for most purposes. Two 40mm drivers and a passive subwoofer provide the sound, and for the price/performance ratio it is quite competent. Whether you have a limited budget or just want to see how often you can use a speaker on the road, this is a good starting point before you decide on a more expensive tariff. Overall, this is one of the best-rugged Bluetooth speakers.
6. AOMAIS GO
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The AOMAIS GO Bluetooth speakers can produce an incredibly good sound because they use two 15-watt broadband speakers and two passive radiators. At any volume, you can hear an absolute low distortion. You can also simply connect two speakers to one device to create a 60-watt speaker system. In addition, the speaker can be used in the most severe weather conditions because it is waterproof to IPX7. This is the best-certified water resistance rating you can get and the coating is so effective that you can submerge the speaker to a depth of 1 meter underwater. Overall, this is one of the best-rugged Bluetooth speakers.
7. Braven BRV-Mini
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At 4.21 inches tall and weighing 0.7 pounds, Bravens BRV-Mini is the smallest speaker in our guide, but don’t let its size fool you. I tested it for several weeks and was very impressed with its technical specifications and audio quality. The BRV-Mini supports Bluetooth 5.0, a new version of the wireless standard that is much more energy-efficient. Supporting this version of Bluetooth helps the speaker to achieve up to 12 hours of playback per charge. The BRV-Mini has an IPX7 rating, which means it is completely dustproof and waterproof enough to be kept underwater for up to 30 minutes. Overall, this is one of the best-rugged Bluetooth speakers.
