Rugged Phones

Mobile phone contract is up, would like to get a phone which I could use the GPS for biking but with that in mind the phone would need to take a few beatings as I would like to use the maps on it, basically I want an all in on handset instead of a garmin map device and a phone. Is there any phones out there you can recommend?

Not an Iphone 5c

iphone with a lifeproof/lifeedge case.

Sony Xperia Z1? Waterproof and gorilla glass.

I have the xperia Z at the moment which is a great phone, but pretty huge screen and seems a bit flimsy upon a crash which I tend to do a lot!

its not a recommendation as such, but Id be interested if you do get a chance to evaluate a Quechua 5

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/quechuaphone-5-id_8294081.html

the screen is pretty poor spec, it’s made by Archos (oh noosss!) so is bound to be glitchy. But it has been ruggedised for outdoor use.

Personally Id still go for a Nexus 4 and splash out on a sooperdooper case though.

iphone 4 in a lifeprrof case. mine has been in the cement mixer! its now 18 months old and still works like new and is the only phone ive ever had that still works after 6months

iPhone 4 with Lifeproof case running OutDoorsGPS with OS mapping gives me everything I need and has survived Snowdonia, Western Isles and a drunken night in Skipton when I dropped it into a pint of beer with the ring tone set to vibrate (very impressive 🙂 )

Timely thread, I’ve been contemplating a case for my iPhone but am having trouble coming to terms with the £60+ price tag for a Lifeproof fre. Comments from jonah and rusty are encouraging!

have a look at life-edge as well. UK based and looks nice, think i’ll trade in my lifeproof for one in the autumn when the iphone6 comes out.

well stoner as you know I am looking for such phone, but the quecha phone as a very poor IP and is just huge, it’s more like hafl a tablet than a phone to be honest.

I might try and sell my xperia z and get an older iPhone perhaps the 4s, at least then its that bit smaller for mounting on the bars and stuff

Life edge looks good too, but £35 for a bike mount!

Question – what is the battery life like on an iPhone 5 when running outdoorsgps or similar? (sorry for the derail OP)

I liked my Motorola Defy, but it’s old and slow by today’s standards. Small, rugged, waterproof, decent battery life, but stuck on Android 2.x

I have the xperia Z at the moment which is a great phone, but pretty huge screen and seems a bit flimsy upon a crash which I tend to do a lot!

Z1 Compact?

Z1 compact still pretty huge 4.3

Another vote for iPhone with life proof cover – tried most other cases, this one is definitely the best..

Z1 compact still pretty huge 4.3

So you don’t want a smartphone then? As only thing smaller than that is the 5/5S, by a whisker, or the iPhone 4/4S. Neither of which is IP55/IP58 if that’s important.

xperia z1 here in a ‘ballistic’ case, brilliant, would buy another in a heartbeat

Samsung Galaxy Xcover2

more than happy with mine. Very good GPS. 32mb SD card with full 1:50K maps of UK and all of Wales at 1:25K. Will work in 1 metre of water for 30 mins (can even take underwater photos). Supposedly will survive a 6 metre drop onto concrete but not tested that! Basically it is a Galaxy 2 in a tough case. I did a lot of research into this about 4 months ago and the Xcover 2 was the only one that covered all bases without being silly money or far to big!

cheers juan.

I was toying with the idea as Mrs Stoner needs a new phone. I like my nexus 4, but neither she nor I need/want a 5″ nexus5 and the Quechua 5 would, as you say, be big too.

SO I bought a “mint” condition s/h Nexus 4 on ebay yesterday for her for £150. Im happy with mine for a few more years yet.

Whats the issue with the 5c? surely its as delicate as any other phone?

Whats the difference between the Lifeproof nuud and fre, and how much extra bulk do they add (Lifedge don’t do a case for the 5c). One of the things I like about the iPhone is its still relatively small, but adding one of these cases puts all of that out of the window.

I normally put my phone in an Ortlieb bag and have a slim sillicone bumper and screen protector, is the lifeproof still worth getting?

fre has a membrane over the screen,
nuud seals around the edge of the screen

they actually add remarkably little bulk.

My HTC one is been indestructible. With a quality case, you will be impressed.

Made of aluminum, which is very well sealed as it’s been dunked in a pot of boiling water no worries.

+1 for Samsung Xcover2 – great phone and very tough

I used to buy proper rugged phones, but they were hideously slow and compatibility with various devices (cars and tomtom mainly) was very limited.

Moved to iPhone nearly 3 years ago and not looked back. Now my 5C in its standard apple cover and aquapack is as rugged as most people would need – far more so than either a 4 or 5/5s as there’s no glass back cover to shatter into a million pieces. I did look at the topeak bar mount, but wasn’t all impressed with the waterproof cover they provide.

I’ve got Sony Z1 compact. Top phone, nice size, just as powerful as its big brother, decent battery and fully waterproof. Haven’t dropped it yet though so can’t vouch for how rugged it is.

My Xperia Z is currently at Sony after the front and back shattered after I dropped it on the bathroom floor whilst on the bog!! Waterproof yes – rugged no. Also be aware that the Z/Z1/Z1 compact all have a shatter proof film over the glass front and back which scratches really easily despite being on top of “hardened” glass.

Go for the Galaxy S4 Active. It is the way forward 🙂

If you go for an iphone get a 4s minimum to save HRM / Bluetooth LE frustration later.

Stoner : you’re welcome.

OP I am still keeping my DEFY to be honest I can’t warrant the change and I want a phone to phone mostly, a bit upset about not having instagram and my phone not syncing my google calendar and youtube account, but I can survive without it.

Samsung Xcover 2 is a great phone.

There are loads of videos online of people abusing them including putting them in cement mixers and using them to show Finding Nemo to the fish in a fish tank.