After a personal mobile but I will need one that won’t die at the first sign of rain

camera a plus but not essential

doesnt need too many extras

Any suggestions

Erm….JCB do one that’s quite indestructible, but it’s ugly and bulky…

Google JCB mobile phone and you’ll find it – About £150.

I must confess, I just wrap mine in clingfilm when I go out on the bike. Buttons are still usable and you can see the screen and it’s sweat/waterproof as well.

Samsung M110 tough phone. lookks like a normal phone (in comparison with the jcb which is like a bob the builder toy) and is super robust. In the gadget show group test it faired better than the jcb, even survived getting run over by a tractor twice, which broke the jcb. Cheaper too.

Samsung M110 tough phone

I’ve got one of those. Does the trick.

I used to have one of these – great bit of kit, waterproof, bosh proof and easy to use. Survived 3 years as an outdoor instructor, in rivers, mud, rocks etc.

I am surprised there is not a bigger market in waterproof/bosh proof phones.

Re sealable freezer bag, you can still use the buttons and hear though it as well. 🙄

matt_outandabout –

I am surprised there is not a bigger market in waterproof/bosh proof phones.

Totally agree, once you decide to buy one it’s a very liberating experience. Imo there’s no comparison between a tough phone and a normal modern phone wrapped in plastic, you’re still concious of breaking it. Never having to “ worry” about your phone in most situations is great. I honestly cant see myself buying another type of phone – Im just gonna take my upgrade and flog it on ebay each year for £150 and keep my reliable tough phone. Another great feature of the Samsung is it’s battery life, I usually get about 6 days between charges in normal use, and over Christmas it lasted for about 14 days (very few calls).

I can personally testify to the robustness of them having recently dropped mine from the top of my stairs onto tiles about 18 feet below. It’s also gone for a swim in the odd pint and has been saturated in water and mud out on the trail with zero complaints. Very loud speaker and a useful torch too.

I am surprised there is not a bigger market in waterproof/bosh proof phones

I agree, sadly I think the whole upgrades business means that most people only have their phone for a year or so before chucking it. I think another problem is that all the “unbreakable” phones that were made in the past have turned out to be anything but.

I’ve got a Nokia 5500 at the moment and it’s pretty good, survived a very wet Welsh enduro that caused my mate’s phone to expire, but unfortunately the keypad has a well-known tendency to detach from the rest of the phone. Easily fixed with superglue but only worth picking up if you can find one for dirt cheap.

Sony Ericsson C702

Splashproof
3.2MP Camera
GPS Enabled

Screen scratches Easily though.

I had one of those Ericssons – they were great. And then a Nokia 5140 which lasted a surprising amount of abuse until I got fed up with reattaching the keypad.

Got a Sonim XP1 now (what’s being sold as the JCB phone, but in nice plain black). It’s ugly, rugged and doesn’t do much a part from be a phone. It’s got a lifetime guarantee on the casing – which I’ve had to invoke. It cracked/seperated a bit along its “seam” due to sandwiching it between me and a rock from a height. Still worked fine, but probably wasn’t waterproof anymore. Vodafone replaced it no problem (once they’d realised it wasn’t servicable by them). It is proper waterproof (tested).

The software is a little bit clunky though (Phillips based I think?). Buttons a proper usable-in-gloves. For peace of mind ruggedness it is very good. But I’d probably go for the Samsung over it if/when I choose again.

I had a 5140, but TBH, I didn’t find it that great (key board again). Plus the screen was almost invisible in bright sunlight, which was a bit of a let down for an “outdoors” phone…

Ohh interesting, I need a tough phone! Can you access the internet to get your emaila with the Samsung?

woodsman
Ohh interesting, I need a tough phone! Can you access the internet to get your emaila with the Samsung?

It has wap but I’ve never used it for anything.

The Samsung is pretty basic as far as phones go these days. My boss got one on monday & sent it back for a Nokia E51 on tuesday. Not as rugged but more useful features.
I used to use the the old Siemens version, M65, but you can’t get them anymore.

Second Sony Ericsson C702. My wife has one but it looks like the screen scratches a bit too easily in her handbag. Alternatively any phone plus one of these Aquapacks – not cheap but will last forever and will even allow your phone to float if you drop it in a loch

I couldn’t find anywhere online that had the Samsung Solid 110, does anyone know where I can get one?

do a search on ‘jcb phone’ they are indestructable but thay aint cheap and dont offer a great deal of functions.

woodsman – Member
I couldn’t find anywhere online that had the Samsung Solid 110, does anyone know where I can get one?

samsung m110

epo-aholic – Member
do a search on ‘jcb phone’ they are indestructable but thay aint cheap and dont offer a great deal of functions.

Now why would anyone do that?

kiwijohn – Member
The Samsung is pretty basic as far as phones go these days.

Yes, but it sends and recieves calls and texts which is all I want. A limited amount of tacked on useless gimickery means the battery lasts for weeks not hours, and means it’s cheap too.

Why can’t they make one with a decent sized screen, less gimicks & a half decent camera. Make it rugged like that & I’d buy one, not just take whatever they give me when I renew my contract.

Been looking for a replacement for my Nokia 5500 Sport, since my contract has run its course and I can upgrade.

There doesn’t seem to be anything on the market which can compete in the real world. So, I have got a E71 for flash-ness, but I will be using the 5500 on the bike, on the slopes, etc.

Waterproof, accelerometer in it – reasonable pedometer built in, Symbian S60 – lots of decent add-on apps available if you are so inclined, Bluteooth GPS and nokia Sport tracker works well, drop-proof, pretty indestructible really. Screen’s a wee bit on the small side, but if you just need good reliable call and text functionality when you are out and about it’s not a problem.

Mine regularly gets dunked in pints of Guinness when I’m to pished to know better, and it’s never shown any signs of giving up. Also been dropped in the mud, stood on and generally abused. Built-in torch too which comes in surprisingly handy.

New-ish ones are <£100 on the bay, second hand tatty ones about £50.

Anyone want to buy a E71?

Don’t buy a C702, worst use of an upgrade I ever made.

It frequently crashes, the software is slow, and calls will cutout for 3-4 second at a time – all that if it doesn’t turn itself off first.

Plus the screen and casing are made of tissue paper too.

Have to agree with lcj. I have second one after the first one broke in couple of weeks. Still have problems as it freezes occasionally and is very often slow. Next time I’ll have a look at one of these Sonim XP3 Enduro