Tough Tech: My Favourite Rugged Devices
By Mike Agerbo
April 11, 2017
Product Discovery
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Our tech devices go through a lot, especially for those of us who travel or have small children. If you find that you’re especially tough on your devices, it might be worth investing in rugged versions. If you don’t know where to start, here are a few of my favourite rugged tech devices:
External hard drives are an important part of your tech arsenal because they’re often used to back up your most important data. The trouble is, that external hard drives are prone to failure, especially if they’re bumped or dropped. Now you can insure yourself against data loss by using a secondary backup method like a Network Attached Storage device or cloud backups, but a good starting point is simply to invest in a rugged hard drove. The LaCie Rugged External Solid State Drive is just that and while it might be a little pricier, it’s well worth the investment to keep your data safely stored.
On the topic of storage, flash drives are another device that gets put through a lot due to its size and the fact that it’s often tossed into bags and pockets. If you’ve ever experienced a frustrating flash drive malfunction, I have great news for you: rugged flash drives do exist and they’re very affordable! Personally I recommend the GorillaDrive 16GB Rugged USB Flash Drive.
Vacations can be rough on your devices, especially cameras. We bring our cameras along to capture our biggest adventures and that means they’re exposed to water, freezing temperatures and even bumps and drops. To safeguard all those precious memories, it makes sense to invest in a tough camera that can withstand the elements. The Olympus Tough is just that camera. It’s waterproof up to 15 meters, shockproof up to 2 meters, and freezeproof to temperatures as low as -10 degrees Celsius. It’s the perfect companion to all your crazy adventures.
For devices that don’t have rugged equivalents, I always recommend looking for a rugged case. While a rugged case might not save your device from big accidents, it will provide protection against bumps, small drops, and maybe even splashes. For mobile devices, look for Lifeproof cases. While they offer different levels of protection for different devices, they do have the basics like shock and dustproof covered across the board. Many of them are also water and snow proof. For Chromebooks and small laptops, I also recommend rugged cases that keep your devices safe when you’re travelling from point A to point B.
This one doesn’t apply to everyone but a lot of people enjoy being able to listen to music on the beach or while they’re camping. If you’re one of those people, it might be worth investing in a speaker that can withstand tougher conditions. Personally, I really like the Fugoo Tough Wireless Bluetooth Lifeproof Portable Speaker. This speaker not only features reinforced casing but also offers Bluetooth connectivity, eliminating the need for wires.
Rugged Hard Drive
External hard drives are an important part of your tech arsenal because they’re often used to back up your most important data. The trouble is, that external hard drives are prone to failure, especially if they’re bumped or dropped. Now you can insure yourself against data loss by using a secondary backup method like a Network Attached Storage device or cloud backups, but a good starting point is simply to invest in a rugged hard drove. The LaCie Rugged External Solid State Drive is just that and while it might be a little pricier, it’s well worth the investment to keep your data safely stored.
Rugged Flash Drive
On the topic of storage, flash drives are another device that gets put through a lot due to its size and the fact that it’s often tossed into bags and pockets. If you’ve ever experienced a frustrating flash drive malfunction, I have great news for you: rugged flash drives do exist and they’re very affordable! Personally I recommend the GorillaDrive 16GB Rugged USB Flash Drive.
Tough Camera
Vacations can be rough on your devices, especially cameras. We bring our cameras along to capture our biggest adventures and that means they’re exposed to water, freezing temperatures and even bumps and drops. To safeguard all those precious memories, it makes sense to invest in a tough camera that can withstand the elements. The Olympus Tough is just that camera. It’s waterproof up to 15 meters, shockproof up to 2 meters, and freezeproof to temperatures as low as -10 degrees Celsius. It’s the perfect companion to all your crazy adventures.
Rugged Cases
For devices that don’t have rugged equivalents, I always recommend looking for a rugged case. While a rugged case might not save your device from big accidents, it will provide protection against bumps, small drops, and maybe even splashes. For mobile devices, look for Lifeproof cases. While they offer different levels of protection for different devices, they do have the basics like shock and dustproof covered across the board. Many of them are also water and snow proof. For Chromebooks and small laptops, I also recommend rugged cases that keep your devices safe when you’re travelling from point A to point B.
Rugged Speakers
This one doesn’t apply to everyone but a lot of people enjoy being able to listen to music on the beach or while they’re camping. If you’re one of those people, it might be worth investing in a speaker that can withstand tougher conditions. Personally, I really like the Fugoo Tough Wireless Bluetooth Lifeproof Portable Speaker. This speaker not only features reinforced casing but also offers Bluetooth connectivity, eliminating the need for wires.