[NewsPoster]

Portable speakers are great, but there's still usually some sort of caveat. They're portable with an asterisk -- generally intended for indoor use, or outdoor use in "optimal conditions." If you lead an outdoorsy lifestyle, however, rarely will you be in "optimal conditions." That's why EcoxGear came up with the EcoPebble, a durable little speaker that can go wherever you do.


As far as looks go, the EcoPebble really sells the "ultra rugged" look. The one we tested was black, though it's worth knowing they've also got two other designs -- black with an orange speaker cover, and black with a blue speaker cover as well. The EcoPebble features a thick plastic and rubber outer shell, that is designed to prevent damage in the event of a drop.

If that wasn't enough, the EcoPebble is also IPX7 waterproof, and floats -- meaning that it's down for just about anything you are. Take it canoeing, take it in the shower, take it to the beach, the pool, or camping. Or, if you're avid bikers like we are, you can even mount it to your bike with a quarter-inch camera post, and never have to worry about a surprise rainstorm ruining it. Not to mention, it's far safer than riding your bike, canoeing, or kayaking with headphones on. The EcoPebble also comes with a convenient carabiner to help keep it on hand (or hip, or bag) for whenever the mood strikes.

As far as battery life goes, we were pretty impressed. It'll last for a bit over six hours of continuous play from a full charge, which is a bit lower than the seven hours that the manufacturer claims. Still, six hours is nothing to complain about, when the alternative is not having any music on your outdoor trip.

Sound quality was surprisingly decent. It's balanced, crisp, and doesn't seem to lack too much of anything. It gets a little distorted at max volume, but this little speaker gets so loud that we're thinking that most people aren't going to ramp it up quite that much. We do have a single, solitary complaint, though. There are no back/forward track buttons -- just play/pause, and volume buttons. It'd be nice to be able to skip songs directly from the device, especially in scenarios where it's not feasible to take our phone out of our pocket.

So, if you're an active person, or maybe a person who is particularly clumsy, the EcoPebble is a nice little take-along speaker that should suit your needs. We were especially happy to see that the EcoPebble gives you the option to mount it to a bike, or wherever else you need sound. The EcoPebble is available from Ecoxgear's website, and costs $60. Who the EcoPebble was designed for: If you're the outdoorsy type, or if you prefer to listen to your music outside regardless of weather conditions, this is a rugged little speaker that won't break your stride. Who won't get much use out of the EcoPebble: If you do a majority of your listening indoors, or if you're a music fanatic, this simple speaker might not meet your needs. -- Amber Neely (@SurferAmber)