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The Best Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers of Late 2017

Bluetooth speakers have come along and completely changed how we listen to music in the same way the original iPod did. The iPod was Apple’s first wildly successful consumer device that proved to the world you can design hardware so great that you need to have it. When it comes to bluetooth speakers many people are happy enough with the cheapest price possible (see #3 below), but some people will want to invest slightly more money for better durability, protection from the elements, design and functionality. This is where waterproof bluetooth speakers come in.

After witnessing the sad sight of a traveler in Thailand knocking his brand new non-waterproof speaker into the sea I’ll never consider a regular speaker again. His face was simply defeated. With all the great waterproof options available it just doesn’t make sense to buy a regular speaker anymore.

A quick note on waterproof ratings for bluetooth speakers

Have you heard the terms IP67, IPX7, IP68, and other codes like this being throw around but not sure what it means? The basics of waterproof ratings are pretty simple. Let’s use IP67 as an example. The IP simply means Ingress Protection or International Protection, it just indicates that it’s using the standardized rating system. This is pretty much always the same. The numbers indicate the degree of water protection that the device provides:

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IPX1 to IPX3 is considered water-resistant, anything IPX4 and over is water-proof

 

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Here’s some more information on the IP waterproof rating system for the nerds out there.

More information on waterproof Bluetooth speakers

 

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The best waterproof bluetooth speakers

We’ve gone through dozens of the best rated waterproof bluetooth speakers that are available online. Finally after sorting through all these speakers, we’ve narrowed the possibilities down to just nine. We think that these speakers each have a unique design, quality, and price point for different people.

Without further ado, the best waterproof bluetooth speakers of late 2017 in no particular order:

 

#1 BOOM Swimmer DUO — The best shower speaker

BOOM Swimmer DUO suction on shower

BOOM DUO twin paired speaker setup left-right

 

Swimmer DUO’s little brother, the Swimmer Jr.

BOOM Swimmer Jr.

Price: $45.99 & free shipping for Swimmer DUO OR $23.99 & free shipping for the Swimmer Jr.

The BOOM is a beast. Despite its small size and low price the BOOM Swimmer DUO can rock the house. With an IPX7 Rating the DUO can be submerged in 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes. It comes with both a suction cup and a flexible arm so it can be attached in any situation you throw at it. It’s waterproof, dirtproof, and shock proof leaving not much besides a nuclear fallout that can damage it.

Our favorite feature is BOOM’s twin speaker pairing setup. If you buy two, you can mate them with Bluetooth and have a true left-right dual speaker setup for stereo audio, a real innovation for a speaker at this price. We consider the DUO to be a speaker that nobody can go wrong with. If you want waterproof, top-notch sound quality, at a low price-point, we couldn’t recommend anything other than the DUO.

The Swimmer DUO is the at home in the shower. The flexible arm is great for clamping onto almost all the different kinds of shower heads out there. If it won’t work on the shower head, you can always stick it right to the glass with the suction cup attachment. The design is also minimal on holes and cracks to build up shower gunk, so it won’t get all caked with minerals. The Swimmer DUO is hands down the best waterproof shower speaker.

Pros:

  • IPX7 rating is fantastic. As long as you don’t have a pet dolphin that needs workout music that is..
  • Suction cup and flexible arm attachments are super useful. It’s pretty hard to find somewhere that the DUO won’t stay.
  • Top pick for a waterproof shower speaker.
  • Speaker pairing for stereo sound is unique in a speaker this price.

Cons:

  • Size and sound output – this speaker thrives in a smaller area like a shower or bathroom. It doesn’t put out enough sound to be really great in an open space. You could always pair two together to solve this problem though.

There’s also the lower cost BOOM Swimmer Jr. which is an ultra-portable waterproof speaker that will attach right to your jeans or jacket.

Buy the BOOM Swimmer DUO.

 

#2 UE Wonderboom

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UE WONDERBOOM speaker in pool

UE WONDERBOOM

UE Wonderboom bottom

UE Wonderboom

Price: $84.99 & free shipping. Buy Wonderboom.

The UE Wonderboom is another favorite around here. It looks so great in every color, fits perfectly in your hand, and has great sound. Its 360 degrees of range mean that it’ll sound great no matter how you set it down.

The Wonderboom is IPX7 rated at 3 feet of water for 30 minutes. It has an amazing 10 hours of battery life in its small form factor. The Wonderboom is a great little portable, waterproof music machine. Did we mention it looks really cool?? Key features of the UE Wonderboom:

  • Super cool design. Some may call it cute while some may call it awesome. It’s both.
  • Great size for mobility. It fits into the palm of your hand like you were separated at birth.
  • IPX7 waterproof is good for anyone who isn’t jamming out while scuba diving
  • 360 degree design improves overall sound experience
  • Did we mention how cool it looks?? Check out all the different colors you can get the Wonderboom in.

Cons:

  • Its small size means it won’t put out sound like a rock concert
  • That’s pretty much it, this is a great little speaker

Buy the UE Wonderboom with free shipping.

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#3 AmazonBasics Shockproof and Waterproof Speaker

AmazonBasics Shockproof and Waterproof

Amazon Basics Speaker

Price: Currently only $9.74 with free shipping on Amazon! Buy AmazonBasics Waterproof Speaker.

The AmazonBasics Shockproof and Waterproof speaker is currently far and away the best option for someone on a budget. Not only is it insanely low priced at $9.74 with free shipping on orders over $25, but it also is built like a tank making it both shockproof and waterproof. You can be certain that the sound quality is not on par with Bose, but at the price it has some really great applications.

We’d recommend picking up a few of these guys and putting them in various places, like the car, boat, workshop, cabin, etc. They’re also great for anyone in a rugged occupation like carpentry, civil engineering, etc. that would like some music or phone access. Then you’ll never forget it and they’re so durable they’ll take any abuse that odd places will give them. These also make great speakers for young kids and teens. Cheap and durable, the classic recipe for kids products!

Key features of the AmazonBasics speaker:

  • The AmazonBasics speaker is our top pick speaker for camping.
  • Waterproof & shockproof design for extreme durability
  • Clip on feature allows you to attach the speaker to a bag, hook, ring, cord, or anything else you want to use to secure it in a specific place
  • 33 feet of bluetooth pairing range great for the price
  • Extremely low price from AmazonBasics

Cons:

  • Not the most stylish waterproof bluetooth speaker
  • While it feels sturdy, the materials also feel a bit cheap, but nothing terrible

Buy the AmazonBasics Shockproof and Weatherproof Speaker on Amazon.

#4 Bose SoundLink Revolve+

Bose SoundLink Revolve+

Bose Soundlink Revolve+ wet

Bose SoundLink Revolve+ by pool with girls

Bose Soundlink Revolve+ at barbecue

Price: $299 with free shipping. Buy Bose Sounlink Revolve+

Are you looking for the best waterproof bluetooth speaker on the market? The Bose SoundLink Revolve+ is the end of your search. The Revolve+ sports some of the clearest audio we’ve heard out of any consumer electronic device. It has 360 degrees of range meaning We love its sophisticated design, holding this speaker is very much like holding a brand new iPhone.

Pros:

  • The best-performing portable speaker from Bose; delivers deep, loud, jaw-dropping sound with True 360-degree coverage” – one of the reviews on Amazon reports of two of these linked in stereo handling a decent sized wedding!
  • Elegant seamless aluminum body makes it LPX4 waterproof
  • 16 hours of battery life from the rechargeable lithium-ion battery
  • Voice prompt wireless bluetooth pairing, with voice controlled phone answering and commands and access Siri or Google Now
  • Speaker pairing for stereo sound quality

Cons:

  • Premium price, albeit for premium quality
  • LPX4 water rating protects from splashing water no matter the direction, but not submersion. This isn’t a speaker to throw in the pool.

The beauty of the Bose is that the controls are so well laid out and it’s so well engineered that everything just works and flows into place how it should. There isn’t any messing around with pairing failures or missed commands. The stereo feature means you can have simply stunning audio from

Our recommendation is that if the Revolve+ is in your budget, just buy it and don’t think twice. There is no other speaker on the market that can match it.

Buy the Bose SoundLink Revolve+.

 

#5 Braven Stryde 360

Braven Stryde 360

Braven Stryde 360

Price: $99 & FREE SHIPPING. Buy Braven Stryde 360.

The Braven Stryde 360 is a top notch speaker. It’s IP67 rating means it’s dust proof and waterproof. It’s incredibly easy to link up to your device, have phone calls, and has some of the best sound quality on the market. Its larger size allows for 12 hours of battery life making this an all day trooper.

Spreading out into a much larger area than some of the mini speakers gives it more space to house the technology. The Braven Stryde 360 will keep the party going all night long. If you’re looking for a speaker that is waterproof with great sound and stress free use, but don’t mind a little larger size, this is the speaker for you.

Pros:

  • IP67 rating protects it against dust and water up to 3 feet for 30 minutes
  • 12 hours of battery life
  • Unique design

Cons:

  • Large size isn’t as portable as some of the others.

Buy the Braven Stryde 360 with free shipping on Amazon.

 

#6 OontZ Angle 3

OontZ Angle 3 splashed with water

OontZ Angle 3 from front

OontZ Angle 3 side view with controls for speaker pairing

Price: Currently only $23.79 on Amazon. Buy OontZ Angle 3.

The OontZ Angle 3 is one of the highest selling waterproof Bluetooth speakers on the market. It isn’t hard to why. It has a IPX5 waterproof rating, super simple operation, durable and appealing design, at a really affordable price. The Angle 3 sports most of the key features of more expensive speakers at a fraction of the price.

Chances are you’ve already seen someone with the OontZ Angle 3. It sports 12 hours of battery life at 2/3 volume which is on par with much more expensive speakers. The triangular form factor is much easier to carry than a cylindrical design.

Pros:

  • Insanely popular, time tested design means you know the bugs have been worked out of it
  • Triangular form factor for really easy carrying by hand
  • Impressive 12 hours of battery life
  • Really easy & intuitive controls
  • Built in microphone for speakerphone calling

Cons:

  • Only IPX5 rated. This covers jets of water but not full submersion. This one is best for dry environments with spill protection.

Buy the Oontz Angle 3  on Amazon.

#7 JBL Clip 2 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Price: $59.95 on Amazon. Buy JBL Clip 2

The JBL Clip 2 is a really handy little clip on speaker. It has an IPX7 waterproof rating for 3 feet up to 30 minutes of protection. It provides 8 hours of play-time from a full charge. The Clip 2 has a 3.5mm headphone jack is a foolproof way to have a perfect audio connection. It also saves your phone battery by keeping bluetooth off.

Clip 2 also has a built-in carabiner that allows it to clip very securely to anything you want. This makes the Clip 2 a great speaker for people living an active lifestyle and is good for playing sports, hiking, rock climbing, running, etc.

In some ways the JBL Clip 2 is functionally comparable to the AmazonBasics speaker mentioned above, except it’s a much higher quality version. The sound quality is significantly better, it has a more interesting design, and the clip is built much stronger for extreme situations.

Overall the JBL Clip 2 is a great little speaker, especially for someone wanting to bring music to their outdoor adventures.

Pros:

  • IPX7 rated waterproof bluetooth speaker
  • Sturdy metal carabiner can withstand a rugged lifestyle
  • Small size makes it super portable, just clip it on and take off

Cons:

  • Small size means the speaker isn’t super loud. It’s perfect for fitness activities but not so much for a party
  • 8 hours of play-time isn’t as high as other options, but good for its size

Buy JBL Clip 2 with FREE SHIPPING

#8 APIE Portable Outdoor Speaker

APIE outdoor waterproof speaker on girl's hiking backpack

APIE outdoor waterproof speaker

APIE Outdoor waterproof speaker buttons and controls

Best Price: currently discounted for $29.99 & free shipping on Amazon

The APIE Outdoor speaker seems to draw some really passionate users. It is made specifically for the outdoor hunting, fishing, camping, and hiking user. It is IPX6 waterproof rated.

A big talking point of the APIE is its dual speaker setup for stereo audio quality and overall sound quality. When you crank the volume on a dual 10 watt speaker like the APIE it can shake the room. It has a built in microphone for hands-free speakerphone calls.
The APIE has a very durable metal carabiner to attach to your jacket, life-vest, or bag and stay where you put it. If you’re looking for a waterproof speaker for your next hunting or fishing trip, we’d recommend the APIE.

Pros:

  • IPX6 waterproof rating
  • Dual 10W speakers with enhanced bass means you can really turn up the volume
  • Metal carabiner is durable and built well so you don’t have to worry about it breaking
  • 10 hours of play time from 2,200mAh battery
  • Built in microphone for speakerphone calls

Cons:

  • Not IPX7 so it’s better suited to accidental water exposure vs bringing it under in a pool
  • Design could be better for people that aren’t outdoors enthusiasts

Buy the APIE Portable waterproof bluetooth speaker with FREE SHIPPING

#9 Hydro Beat Illumination

Hydro Beat Illumination waterproof speaker

Hydro Beat Illumination speaker in pool

Hydro Beat Illumination speaker in sand

Best Price: $34.99 with free shipping. Buy Hydro Beat Illumination

The Hydro Beat Illumination waterproof speaker has a uniquely playful design. It is one of the few speakers that feels like it was meant to live in the water, not just survive a fall in. It just feels fun in your hands. The LED lighting adds another dimension to your jammin’ time. It’s IPX7 rated meaning it can be submerged in 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes.

The Hydro Beat also has FM radio connection in case you just want to listen to your favorite station.

Pros:

  • Pool, shower, lake, and ocean friendly floating design
  • 10 multicolor LED lights
  • IPX7 waterproof rated
  • FM radio connection
  • Extremely lightweight

Cons:

  • The design has its limits – it wouldn’t fit well in a classy living room
  • 8 hours of play-time is not as high as others

Buy the Hydro Beat Illumination with FREE SHIPPING

 

 

 

About the author

Nick Hastreiter

I write about the future of business. I approach this by interviewing founders, CEO's, and other game changers to share their vision for the future of their industry.

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