When it comes to Bluetooth speakers for the great outdoors, there are a lot of things you should be considering. How’s the sound? Is it durable? Do I need to worry about spilling a beer on it by the campfire? Do I need a wall outlet to charge it? With new Bluetooth speakers being released and reviewed every week, how do you know which one to take off-the-grid? We got you. Here are the best Bluetooth speakers for the great outdoors.
AmazonBasics Shockproof and Waterproof Bluetooth Mini Speaker
Worried about the size and weight of your pack? Don’t want to spend a bunch of money on an outdoor Bluetooth speaker that’s ultimately going to get lost or destroyed? Boy, has AmazonBasics got a deal for you with their Bluetooth mini speaker. It’s just over ten bucks. It weighs just under 5 ounces. It measures about 3″ x 3″ x 2″ and can be clipped to your bag. The speaker that fits in the palm of your hand is also IP 67 rated for water and dustproofing. Did we mention this functional and durable speaker costs less than a six pack of beer? $12
Photive Hydra Wireless Bluetooth Speaker
With a passive subwoofer and two 40mm drivers, the affordable Photive Hydra Wireless Bluetooth Speaker delivers sound far better than what you’d expect at this price point. With a rubberized exterior and treated aluminum grill this good-looking speaker that carries an IP 66 rating is great for campfires and the beach while still looking good on your desk. And at roughly the size of a water bottle, it also fits conveniently into those side pockets on your travel backpack. $30
UE ROLL 2
Ultimate Ears—aka UE—produces some of the best Bluetooth speakers on the market. We like UE ROLL 2 over other options because it’s a great combination of UE features, design, performance and price. You can pair with up to 8 BT devices, connect two source devices simultaneously for playlist battles and even stream to two separate UE ROLLs simultaneously for a larger coverage area or stereo sound. And with an IPX7 waterproof rating the UE ROLL can be submerged in liquid up to 3 feet for up to 30 minutes. Whether you’re throwing it on the table, hanging it in the shower or clipping it to your bag while hiking, the UE ROLL 2 will crank out up to 85dBA through the 2″ driver and two tweeters regardless of where you’re using it. $67
ECOXGEAR ECOROX Bluetooth Portable Audio System
Bluetooth A2DP. IPX7 rating for waterproofing and dustproofing. Dual full range speakers with upward firing bass radiator. 10 hours of playtime. Handheld size with a carabiner for clip-on carrying. Those are all great, but they don’t even rank on our favorite ECOROX features. First, it floats. We didn’t believe it either until we threw it threw it into a pond while blasting jams and then used the full control buttons on the top to accept a call from Mom while it was still floating almost 10 feet away. If floating, controlling tracks and taking calls isn’t enough, the ECOROX also has a traditional tripod-style mount on the bottom for mounting to bikes, boats or cars. $79
Eton Rugged Rukus Solar Powered Bluetooth Charging Speaker
The Eton Rugged Rukus weighs just over 1.5 lbs and is about the size of a hardcover novel. It’s also only rated IPX 4, which means it’s only water and drop resistant. Whatever the Eton Rugged Rukus speaker lacks it more than makes up for in versatility and Eton design. Eton is probably best known for building emergency radios, and that means solar panels. The Rugged Rukus has a built-in solar panel and USB port to keep the party going for up to 8 hours while still charging the device playing music. If you don’t want to have to worry about wall outlets and you still want quality sound, you want the Eton Rugged Rukus. $90
JBL FLip 4 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker
JBL’s latest addition to the award-winning Flip line of Bluetooth speakers takes everything that made all the previous iterations great and improves on them. 12 hours of playtime. IPX7 waterproofing. Multiple speaker connections with the JBL Connect+ app. It’s a little on the heavy side, but you won’t be worried about that at all once you start hearing your audio pumping out of the JBL Flip 4 because this Bluetooth speaker is an absolute monster in the audio department. In other words, this outdoor bluetooth speaker more than lives up to the JBL name. $100
FUGOO Tough Bluetooth Speaker
There’s a reason FUGOO Bluetooth speakers end up on every list of waterproof, rugged or outdoor Bluetooth speakers—these things are built for just about anything. The FUGOO Tough Bluetooth Speaker is built with fiber-reinforced resin and aluminum, which makes it 100% waterproof, mudproof, snowproof and shockproof. It has a built-in microphone for full speakerphone, Siri and Google Now capabilities. Oh yeah, and it also six drivers on four sides for a 360 degree experience with up to 95dB of volume for up to forty hours. Yes, you read that correctly. 40 hours on a single charge. There’s even a line of accessories that include mounts and remotes to expand functionality. $111
BRAVEN BRV-X Bluetooth Speaker
The sleek, futuristic looking BRAVEN BRV-X Bluetooth Speaker packs an IPX7 waterproof rating and an impact-resistant frame with a shockproof rubber exterior to create a Bluetooth speaker built for the great outdoors. What sets the BRAVEN BRV-X apart from other rugged, IPX7 speakers on the market? It has a 5200 mAh battery with 12 hours playtime that can also be used to charge your devices. Dual audio modes optimize listening for indoor or outdoor environments. It can be paired with a second speaker for true stereo sound. The BRAVEN BRV-X can withstand any torture test you could dream up, and that means it’s more than capable of any real world scenarios you’ll throw at it. $138