Staff Picks: The Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers

Looking for the best Bluetooth speakers? Check out our staff picks of the most portable, waterproof, loud, and rugged speakers on the market.

We don’t agree on everything here at GearJunkie HQ, but we can all agree that sometimes you just need to get the tunes pumping. Whether camping, paddling, climbing, or hanging out at home, a good speaker can turn even a normal day into a rocking party.

Price, sound quality, speaker size, and durability are all important factors when choosing the best adventure speaker. And as you can see from the varied list below, finding the best Bluetooth speaker is all about matching it to your needs.

Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers

While portable and durable used to mean outrageously expensive, a lot has changed in the past several years. From a pint-sized bargain to a drop-proof powerhouse, here are our favorite Bluetooth speakers.

Boombotix Rex: $29.99

This little hexagon speaker kicks out 95 decibels and features a handy clip to attach it to your messenger bag or backpack. I’ve left it out in a full-on rain storm and it fired right up while still wet. At $29.99, it’s a great decibel-per-dollar deal.
— Ryan, VP Marketing & Operations

UE Roll 2: $85

This little speaker from Ultimate Ears checks two important boxes: waterproof and loud. I use it daily to pump tunes in the shower and have brought it on multiple float trips where it worked without fail. I also like that it fits in the palm of your hand, has a built-in bungee attachment strap, and comes in at under 100 bucks.
— Kirk Warner, Video Editor

Fugoo Tough XL ($199) & Style XL ($169)

Sure, it’s not the cheapest or lightest speaker available, but when you want excellent sound in a hard-hitting package, the Fugoo Tough XL is what you need. I’ve used this thing for well over a year boating on the lake (yes, it’s waterproof), on free national forest camping trips, and day after day at home. Through it all, this speaker has delivered clear, crisp, exceptionally loud sound.
— Mallory Paige, Gear Guide Editor

The Fugoo Style XL has unbeatable 360-degree sound and can be fully submerged. And with a battery that lasts 35 hours, I don’t have to worry about charging after each use. Best of all, it looks good, which means I can happily keep it out and ready to use.
— Sean McCoy, Editor-In-Chief

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Fugoo Tough: $95

The little brother of the previously mentioned Fugoo XL, this mini brick of a Bluetooth speaker is made of fiber-reinforced resin and solid aluminum. The company calls it “the best rugged, waterproof Bluetooth speaker available,” and after more than a year of hard use, I can agree. It has copious battery life (up to 40 hours!) and very good sound quality considering its compact size.

Big up/down buttons on top give easy volume control. And its useful built-in voice prompts to let you know when it’s powering off or on, and when the Bluetooth signal is connected and ready to rock.
— Stephen Regenold, Founder

Bombproof: 'Fugoo' Makes Best Bluetooth Speaker For Outdoors

We dropped it from an overpass, ran it over with a car, even drowned it under water, and the Fugoo Bluetooth speaker still kept dropping beats. Read more…

Kicker Bullfrog BF100 Bluetooth: $149.95

A small tower of sound, the Bullfrog BF100 Bluetooth unit is advertised to give “360-degree” audio with speakers on both sides. It did indeed provide rich tones and above-average audio considering its water-bottle-size build. For outdoor use, it’s rugged and waterproof. It floats in water, making the Bullfrog a good choice for river trips.

Downsides? Compared to a unit like the Fugoo Tough, the Bullfrog costs about 50 percent more at $149.95. Its low-profile buttons are harder to see and use than most speakers. And there are no voice prompts to let you know it’s connected to a phone. Still, we like the Bullfrog and recommend it as an upgrade if you’re willing to pay for bigger sound.
— Stephen Regenold, Founder

DemerBox: $349

The DemerBox is my go-to for rocking out in the great outdoors. It’s fully submersible thanks to its waterproof design and practically indestructible thanks to the Pelican case construction. On top of all that, it is serviceable for life. So when you buy it, be prepared to have it for the long haul!

The battery lasts for an impressive 50 hours. And with a 100-foot Bluetooth range, you can keep the campground, neighborhood party, or river trip flotilla pumping all weekend long.
— Chelsey Magness, Contributing Editor

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And now that your ears are set, let’s take care of those feet: