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Saddleback Leather Company Flight Bag review

Eleven years ago I reviewed the Saddleback Leather Company Briefcase. It was the first of many Saddleback Leather Co. bag reviews that we’ve posted here on The Gadgeteer and it was my introduction to their rugged full-grain leather bags. After reviewing that first bag, I believed their motto that “They’ll fight over it when you’re dead”.

Today I’m going to show you SB’s newest bag, the Flight Bag, which reminds me of that first SB bag that I reviewed over a decade ago. Let’s take a look.

What is it?

The Saddleback Leather Company Flight Bag is a full-grain leather bag that is available in 4 colors that include standard Tobacco, Dark Coffee Brown, Chestnut, and Black. They sent me a Flight Bag in Chestnut, which is a deep warm reddish brown with a matte finish that is smooth but not oily or waxy feeling.

The bag that was sent to me looks 99% perfect as far as the leather goes, but remember that bags from Saddleback are made of full-grain leather and some bags may have some natural marks from previous injuries to the animal. Some people might not like these “defects”, so keep that in mind.

The Flight Bag was designed to be carried like a briefcase by the two rolled and stitched handles, or as a shoulder bag by attaching the included adjustable leather shoulder strap.

Design and features

When I unboxed the Flight Bag, the scent of leather smacked me right in the face… in a good way. Unlike some leather bags that smell like they were drenched in a vat of chemicals, this bag smells good enough to eat. I advise against that though.

At first glance, the Flight Bag truly did remind me of that first Saddleback Leather Co. bag that I reviewed long ago. Like that bag, this new bag has two buckled pockets on the front that can be used to hold your smaller EDC gear.

To give you an idea of the size of the front pockets, I’ve placed two 3-packs of Word 3.5 x 5inch pocket notebooks in one of the spacious pockets. There’s still plenty of room left in the pocket which is approximately 7 inches tall, 5.5 inches wide, and 1.5 inches deep. Since the leather isn’t completely rigid, the pockets can stretch to hold various types of gear like chargers, notebooks, pens, phones, wallets, etc.

The flaps of the pockets are not sewn into the bag itself, which means that you can store some items behind the pockets.

The Flight Bag doesn’t have a lot of branding on it. On the front above the main buckle is a stamp of Saddleback Leather Co. founder Dave Munson’s dog Blue wearing a sombrero. You can read all about Dave and Blue’s adventures south of the border here.

If you flip the bag around to look at the back, you’ll see the Saddleback Leather Co. logo and a large open-topped pocket that can hold flat items like magazines, folders, newspapers, books, etc.

The pocket on the back is about 7 inches tall by 13 inches wide. The image above shows how a magazine looks stored in this pocket. Yes, a standard magazine does stick out a bit.

The sides of the Flight Bag do not have any pockets, but there’s a heavy-duty D-ring on each side that is used as an attachment point for the included shoulder strap.

The leather seams on the bottom of the Flight Bag keep the bag’s base lifted up off the floor to help keep it clean. There are also 4 steel D-rings on the bottom of the Flight Bag. One on each corner. These rings can be used to attach something to the bottom of the bag. It would be nice if SaddleBack had included some sort of bungee cord or straps for the bottom so you could more easily use the D rings to hold items like an umbrella to the bottom of the bag.

The adjustable shoulder strap has strong spring-loaded swivel clips that clip to the side D-rings. The strap has a shoulder pad and can be adjusted to fit almost any size for height challenged to tall people.

Unlike other Saddleback bags that I’ve reviewed, the Flight Bag has a really cool way to secure the contents of the bag. Nope, it’s not a standard buckled flap, although the Flight Bag does have a buckle.

The top of the bag has two small tabs that you grip and pull open.

The rigid frame at the top hinges open to reveal the bag’s interior. The hinge mechanism keeps the bag open with no worries that it will close on its own while you’re inserting or removing items, which is really convenient if you like to have easy access to your gear at all times.

This closure style reminds me of an old-time doctor’s bag and is what I believe is considered a Gladstone style hinge. It’s unique, but it does have one problem… It takes two hands to open and close the bag, making it a little awkward if you need to open the bag while you’re carrying it.

The interior of the Flight Bag is lined on the front and back walls with a soft pigskin. The bag is basically a large open area except for a soft floppy open-topped pocket made of pigskin that you can use to organize items that you carry. The Flight Bag also has a false bottom that you can lift up to hide flat papers.

To give you a better idea of how large the bag is, I’ve placed my 12″ MacBook in the bag which you can see in the image above. The Flight Bag’s 15 x 5.5 x 9-inch interior can hold a lot of gear.

I do wish that the bag offered a way to organize smaller items like pen, pencils, and more inside the main compartment. I suppose that you could put smaller things in a dedicated pouch, but I’d rather have a few pen slots and smaller pockets inside the bag itself in addition to the two pockets on the outside.

Even though the Saddleback Leather Company Flight Bag holds a lot of gear it’s not unwieldy as far as its size. To give you an idea of how large it is, I am 5’6″ tall and weigh 130 lbs.

Although the Flight Bag is a manageable size, it’s definitely not a lightweight bag. With nothing in it, it weighs in at 5 lb 10 oz. with the shoulder strap attached. Load it up and this bag will give you a nice workout carrying it around from place to place during your busy day.

What I like

  • 100-year warranty
  • Rugged good looks
  • Roomy
  • That yummy leather smell

What needs to be improved

  • Expensive
  • Lack of organization in the main compartment
  • Takes two hands to open and close the bag

Final thoughts

Even though I knew I wouldn’t find any problems, I checked this bag many times looking for defects, questionable workmanship, and less than stellar materials. I wasn’t wrong and didn’t find any. That’s because this bag is made by Saddleback Leather Company and I’ve yet to review one of their bags or products that disappointed me as far as the construction and craftsmanship. Everything about the Flight Bag from the tough full grain leather, to the marine-grade thread and reinforced copper rivets, make this bag the type of bag that you will use and carry for decades.  I have to say that this is the nicest Saddleback Leather Company bag that I’ve ever reviewed.

Now, there’s no denying that Saddleback Leather Company makes gorgeous leather bags. But they aren’t for everyone due to their weight and more importantly, their price tag. Most people don’t have a budget for a high-end bag like this one. But if you do, and this is the style of bag that you enjoy using and carrying, you will not be disappointed with the Saddleback Leather Company Flight Bag.

This is the type of leather bag that only gets better the more miles it has on it. Saddleback Leather warranty it for 100 years, so they are confident that it can stand the test of time and I can’t disagree with that.

Price: $479. On April 10 it will be updated to its regular MSRP of $529
Where to buy: Saddleback Leather Company
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Saddleback Leather Company.

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Saddleback Leather Company Flight Bag review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 5, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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The UpCart Deluxe stair climbing handcart review

Several weeks ago, I wrote a news story on the UpCart and received some comments from our readers, including a request to review the cart. At that time, it was just a news story and I did not have one to review. Shortly thereafter, the owner of the UpCart Company saw the news story and comments and offered to send one for a review. So, here we go:

What is it?

The UpCart is a handcart built with 3 wheels on each side,  and it is designed to make taking loads up and down stairs easily, as well as going over curbs and the normal rough terrain that we usually use our handcarts for. The third wheel allows it to have traction and the ability to roll at all times since by design, 2 wheels on each side are always touching a surface.

What’s in the box

The UpCart Deluxe comes fully assembled in the box, and a nice wide and durable bungee cord is included so that you can just add your cargo, strap it in and go.

Design and features

The UpCart Deluxe is a well-designed lightweight handcart that uses 3 wheels on each side that rotate to make the curb climbing and carting up and down stairs much easier than the conventional 2-wheeled handcart. The handle from the base is chrome plated, 8 inches wide, 21 inches from the ground when closed and 44 inches from the ground when fully extended. The base and the wheels fold flat when closed, and measure 24 inches when flat at the widest point from wheel to wheel. The second grip just beneath the top handle is the lever that when pulled upwards, releases the handle to be extended or shortened.

When the handle is extended, the wheels are opened to the correct position for carting by depressing the base. In this position, the base that the load will rest on is 10 inches deep and 16.5 inches wide, and the distance across between the wheels is 19.5 inches.

The dimensions are very important for this review because this cart is very stable and without a doubt, the design and measurements are a critical part of the success of this cart.
The base of the cart is powder coated and in my testing, the metal felt like it could be cast iron but because the cart is relatively light, I could be wrong.

What I like

There are so many things to like about the UpCart. The fit and finish are pristine, and the design fits the purpose very well. I was very surprised at how lightweight it is and how skinny the wheels are, and yet it is remarkably stable. I tried to load it up with an unbalanced load to see if it would tip over and under what circumstances.

First, I loaded it with 2 boxes totaling approximately 80 pounds and it stood solid and with no issues.

Then I decided to use it for my cumbersome laundry bags and once again it stood steadfast on its own.

Finally, I packed on uneven parcels of grocery items and it handled the load like a champ.

I then took the groceries up the stairs, and other than the actual weight of the load, I had no problem getting the cart up the stairs. Once it started rolling, it was quite smooth, and it was the same going down the stairs.

I must also mention that it seems that it will easily handle the maximum load of 125 pounds as per manufacturer specifications.

What can be improved

While the UpCart is well built and quite strong, I do feel that the wheels could be slightly wider to better manage those rough parking lots with cracks in the asphalt. I would also like to see a mechanism built in to assertively lock the wheels open or closed. There were times when I felt unsure that the wheels would stay in position, albeit that they did.

Final thoughts

In my opinion, the UpCart Deluxe is without a doubt a well-built cart that may seem questionable from its looks but is very capable and in a very mighty way. Not only did it handle every load I tested without a hiccup, but it rolled across every surface I tried with such ease and balance that it is now a permanent addition in the bed of my truck. It has just about dethroned every one of my existing 2-wheeled carts. This is a good buy and serves a great purpose for anyone needing to carry loads within the specified maximum weight. I guess time will tell if it will stand up to the beating that my carts must endure, but I am betting that it will also do a good job at endurance.

Price: $99.95 MSRP
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The product for this review was provided by UpCart.

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The UpCart Deluxe stair climbing handcart review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 4, 2018 at 4:00 pm.

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Yellow Birch Outfitters PocKit and PocKit Pro EDC Pocket Organizer review

Need a way to keep your handful of small EDC essentials from banging around in your pocket?  Have a look at the Yellow Birch Outfitters PocKit EDC Pocket Organizer.  It’s basically a pocket with pockets that fits into your pocket.  But it’s much more than that!  Let’s check it out!  Gadget on!

What is it?

Yellow Birch Outfitters is a small, veteran-owned and -operated company that hand-builds all of its EDC and outdoor items in the USA.  The PocKit EDC Organizer is a pocket-sized organizer for those small but essential EDC items that many of us find useful to carry with us on a daily basis.  Its name derives from the fact that it is an organizational “kit” that can be carried in your “pocket.”  Clever!

Hardware specs

Per the Yellow Birch Outfitters site:

  • 1000d Cordura Nylon
  • Nylon No. 69 thread
  • YKK #5 zippers and pulls
  • Gutted 550 cord zipper pull silencer
  • Mil-spec tape
  • Dimensions – 4″ x 6″ for the Pro version, the standard version is a bit smaller

What’s in the box?

Jay Polaski, founder of Yellow Birch Outfitters, sent me two items to review: the PocKit Pro EDC Organizer – Modern Carry in Black (above left) and the PocKit EDC Organizer – Modern Carry in Coyote Brown (above right).  My initial impression?  Both of these items looked and felt very high quality.

A bit of explanation on the differences between the six (as of this writing) various PocKit EDC Organizers that Yellow Birch Outfitters offers.  There are two basic types, the PocKit Pro EDC Organizer and the PocKit EDC Organizer, the difference being that the “Pro” version has an added notebook pocket.  Further, the PocKit Pro has two variants: the Modern Carry, which has three slot pockets, and the Classic Carry which has four slot pockets.  Similarly, the PocKit also has two variants: the Modern Carry, which has two slot pockets, and the Classic Carry, which has three slot Pockets.  Got all that?  🙂

In the image above, you can see that the PocKit Pro EDC Organizer – Modern Carry (black, top) is a bit larger than the PocKit EDC Organizer – Modern Carry (coyote brown, bottom).  More on this below.

Jay was kind enough to include a patch with the Yellow Birch Outfitters logo.  Very cool!

Design and features

Let’s dig into features, starting with the PocKit Pro – Modern Carry EDC Organizer.  As mentioned above, both of these products looked and felt very high quality, which is due in no small part to the main material from which they are built, 1000d Cordura Nylon, a material that is often used in military-grade backpacks and accessories.  It is super durable due to its water-resistant and high abrasion resistance.

The zipper encloses the main compartment, shown in the image above.  No frills, just an open space to be used to store whatever you like, want or need.  Keep in mind that the 1000d Cordura Nylon is very water-resistant (though not water-proof), so you could even slip a smaller wallet or money clip in there, among other things, if you wanted, to organize cash and cards.
All Yellow Birch Outfitters PocKit EDC Organizers utilize YKK #5 zippers (YKK are widely known to be one of, if not the gold standard of zippers) as well as gutted 550 paracord silenced zipper pulls, all of which contribute to the high-quality look and feel of these products.  For this black colored PocKit Pro, gutted Coyote Brown colored 550 paracord was used to make the zipper silencer.  The paracord has been cleverly and carefully looped through the zipper pull and tied off in a way that prevents the zipper pull from clinking against the rest of the zipper, effectively “silencing” it.  I think the Coyote Brown Paracord against the black Cordura looks sharp.

In the closeup images above, you can also see the stitching of the Nylon No. 69 thread along the zipper, which is indicative of the quality of stitching throughout the PocKit.  The zipper stitching is tight and includes three rows on each side for improved strength.   Additionally, a nice touch is the small, brown Yellow Birch Outfitters logo tag on the outside of the PocKit.  Unobtrusive, subtle branding is always better than something that is obnoxious and screams, “HEY!  Look at ME!”

The side opposite the zippered side of the PocKit Pro – Modern Carry has a lot going on—three slot pockets plus a fourth, semi-concealed notebook pocket as shown above.  All of the pockets on both of these organizers use Mil-spec tape along their opening edges, as well as flanking the zippers, which contributes to durability.

Let’s start with the notebook pocket.  To demonstrate the notebook pocket, I slid one of my softcover 3.5″ x 5.5″ Moleskine Volant Pocket notebooks down into it.  This pocket is out of the way, but allows quick access to the notebook.  This pocket would reasonably fit other notebooks of roughly 3″ x 5″ size besides the Moleskine shown here, such as a Field Notes notebook or Rite in the Rain notebook, both of which are popular notebook brands amongst EDC practitioners.

In the image above, I’ve placed not only the Moleskine Volant Pocket notebook but also, working left to right, a Sharpie Twin-Tip permanent marker, a Parker Jotter ballpoint pen, a Lumintop Tool AAA flashlight, and a Leatherman Squirt PS4 keychain-sized multitool, which are four items I find myself needing or using fairly often.  I really like how the slot pockets are angled, which allows you to place items of varying lengths into appropriate locations in order to best secure them.

Nex,t let’s check out the PocKit EDC Organizer – Modern Carry.  As mentioned above, this style is a bit smaller than the “Pro” version, but with a very similar design and identical materials.

In the photo above, you can see that the zipper has been tucked inside at both ends and sewn to the main pocket body securely.  It may seem trivial or obvious, but this does help make for a stronger, more durable product.

As with the PocKit Pro EDC Organizer – Modern Carry, the PocKit EDC Organizer – Modern Carry uses a gutted 550 Paracord zipper silencer, this one in an Army green color, which I think looks sharp against the Coyote Brown color.

And again, the YKK #5 zipper is hand-sewn to the 1000d Cordura Nylon main body using the Nylon No. 69 thread, using three rows of stitching.  Attention to detail and durability are key here.

In the image above, I’ve placed, working left to right, the Sharpie Twin-Tip permanent marker, the Parker Jotter ballpoint pen, the Lumintop Tool AAA flashlight, and the Leatherman Squirt PS4 keychain-sized multitool, each of which fit just fine into the slot pockets, with the Sharpie sticking up over top of the PocKit just a bit.  A note here on the slot pockets: While the Modern Carry version with its two slot pockets performed fine for me, I think I would have found the Classic Carry version to be a bit more useful to me considering the items that I was using with it.

As mentioned previously and as can be seen above, there is a difference in size between the PocKit Pro EDC Organizer – Modern Carry and the PocKit EDC Organizer – Modern Carry.

Although the Yellow Birch Outfitters site states that each of the PocKit models has a 4″ x 6″ footprint, I found that the Pro version was a bit larger.  I measured the PocKit Pro at approximately 6 3/8″ x 4 3/8″ when empty, while I measured the other PocKit at 5 3/4″ x 3 3/4″ when empty.  

One of the items that I placed in the large zippered pocket of the PocKit EDC Organizer – Modern Carry was my Slim Fold Soft Shell wallet, the wallet that I EDC most frequently.The Slim Fold Soft Shell wallet fit perfectly inside, and still had room to spare for a few other small items.
The other items that I put into the PocKit’s outer slot pockets are shown above.They of course added a bit to the PocKit’s thickness, as seen above.

Next let’s check out how the PocKit fit into my pockets.  I only tested them out with a pair of jeans here; I didn’t test them in any of my cargo pants (the ones I wear most often and swear by are Eddie Bauer Guide Pro Pants), since these PocKit fit into the side pockets of them with no issues.  The jeans pockets were a bit of a different story.  Above, I’ve placed the PocKit into my front jeans pocket.  Even with these particular jeans having shallow front pockets, the PocKit fit down into them with little issue.Above is a pic of how I essentially had to adjust the PocKit while sitting—I had to slide it up in the pocket a bit.  Above is a photo of the PocKit after I had just loosely slid it into a back jeans pocket, just to give an idea of how the PocKit fit into a fairly standard-sized jeans pocket.

Above, I have pushed the PocKit all the way down into my back jeans pocket, and although it fit fine, it was a bit thick to sit on.

With the PocKit EDC Organizer – Modern Carry being the slightly smaller of the two, it worked a bit better for me for daily pants pocket carry.  The PocKit Pro’s slightly larger size was enough to make it more cumbersome for pants pocket carry for me.  However, if I were to wear cargo pocket style pants each day, I’d use the “Pro” version daily for sure, especially with its additional notebook pocket.

What I like

  • Durable! (1000d Cordura Nylon, YKK zippers, and 550 Paracord are all super durable)
  • Thoughtfully placed, well-designed pockets
  • Looks cool

What needs to be improved

  • A bit expensive, but for the materials and quality, I do understand why this is.
  • Maybe more color offerings?

Final thoughts

Yellow Birch Outfitters has something good going on here.  I really like both the PocKit Pro EDC Organizer – Modern Carry and the PocKit EDC Organizer – Modern Carry.  The pocket layouts are well-designed and the materials they built from are nearly bulletproof in terms of durability.  For me, the non-“Pro” version worked better for daily pants pocket carry because of it being slightly smaller.  I do like the “Pro” version’s notebook pocket, however.  While I do acknowledge that both versions of the PocKit appear to be expense for what you are getting, I actually think they are reasonable prices for items that are this well-designed and durable, that you may be able to use for a lifetime.  I liken the design, build and materials to something like GORUCK’s rucksacks—simple but useful in design, built with care in the USA from the highest quality materials.  As for myself, I can picture using both of the PocKit versions in my EDC for a long time.

Price: PocKit $39.99, PocKit Pro $49.99
Where to Buy: Yellow Birch Outfitters
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Yellow Birch Outfitters.

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Yellow Birch Outfitters PocKit and PocKit Pro EDC Pocket Organizer review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 4, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Belkin Boost↑Up wireless charger review

The Belkin Boost↑Up Wireless Charger is designed to provide the most rapid Qi-compliant charging speeds currently available. The adapter supports 5W up to 15W charging modes and comes with a 5ft cord and dedicated power supply. Read on to see what I think!                                       .

What is it?

The Belkin Boost↑Up Wireless Charging station is an adapter that charges Qi-enabled devices. The ability to charge devices at a distance and charging devices without connecting power cables are the main benefit of Qi technology. The technology relies on inductive coupling between two coils and it works because at least one coil is in the charging base, another is in the target device and there isn’t a large amount of metal between the coils. The speed at which the charging takes place depends upon the power available to the adapter, circuitry in the adapter, circuitry in the receiving device, and the condition of the battery in the receiving device. The Belkin Boost↑Up has specialized circuitry which provides up to 15W or charing power and is consequently able to charge compatible devices faster than wireless chargers that provide less power.

What’s in the box?

Belkin Boost↑Up Wireless Charger
AC power supply
Instruction Card
FCC/IC declaration of conformity

Design and features

Specifications

Power: 15W/5W
Charging distance: 0-3mm
Product Dimensions 4.5 x 0.5 x 4.5 inches
Item Weight 4.6 ounces

Unboxing

The Belkin Boost↑Up wireless charger comes in a box with a built-in magnetically hinged door. Opening the door reveals the product through a plastic window.

The rear of the box differentiates the 15W available with this wireless charger compared with the 9W available from Samsung and the 5W available from Apple.

Plastic molded packaging protects the charging pad and the power adapter inside the box. Also included is a small card that explains, in Emoji, the steps required to set this device up.

Design of the Wireless Charger

The Belkin Boost↑Up wireless charger has a modern aesthetic that makes the unit stand out whether it is charging a device or not. The overall shape of the pad resembles a saucer which gives it the appearance of hovering from above.  The black matte synthetic rubber surface barely reflects any light and consequently provides substantial contrast to the silver-toned rim of the charger and embossed central ring. The central ring breaks up the surface into eye-pleasing proportions. Specifically, the outside diameter is close to 11.5 cm and the diameter of the inside circle is about 7.1 cm; the ratio is the golden ratio.  The central ring also illustrates the target for wireless charging.

The top has an LED indicator at the 3 o’clock position that indicates green for a good wireless signal and red for a misalignment or foreign object detection. However, there is a chance that the device placement can completely obscure the LED.  The LED doesn’t need to be in sight, but if there were more than one LED it would make it more likely that the LED was in view.

A non-slip pad completely covers the base of the charger in contact with the surface it is resting on. There is a chance that this base may transfer more heat to what it is resting on because of the large surface area of the foot, however, I have not seen this occur. The sides of the charger are made of a silver-toned plastic.

The AC adapter has a plastic shroud that fits perfectly into the notch at the 12 o’clock position in the picture above. This seems to be an unnecessary design element because this part of the charger is always out of view. At least it will be somewhat obvious what device the ac adapter belongs to.

The power supply is switching which means it will not draw that much power when not in use. It can supply up to 24W to the charger. If the charger operates at 62% efficiency (15W/24W) then this isn’t unreasonable for this technology.

Operation

The wireless charger is ready to use as soon as power is applied. When the unit is plugged into the power supply the LED illuminates briefly indicating that device is ready to use.

Placing the phone on the wireless charger immediately starts the charging process. Once the battery reaches 100% on the phone the charging LED remains on and trickle charges the iPhone. Once the iPhone battery is full the LED turns off indicating that the wireless charging pad is no longer functioning.

The LED turns red when a large piece of aluminum foil is placed between the phone and the wireless charger pad. I could not duplicate the off-center condition – either the phone charged or it didn’t.

Performance

In a test, the iPhone battery was charged from 10% to 60% in 70 minutes. This is faster than the charge rate for a device that I know only outputs 5W, hence the output of the Belkin is improved over the standard charger performance, even if it isn’t charging the full 15W available to QC compliant phones (like the Samsung)

When the iPhone is not in a case, it will still charge with 9.85 mm of Post-it notes between the phone and the wireless charger.

What I like

  • Fast charging rate

What needs to be improved

  • LED not always visible
  • Cost

Final thoughts

The Belkin Boost↑Up wireless charger is a fast wireless charger. However, it is probably the most expensive wireless charger available. If you aren’t willing to use a cable to achieve the fastest charge speed available then this is the wireless charger to get. If all you need is a charger to rest your phone on for a majority of the day then a slower rate charger will probably suit your needs.

Price: $69.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Belkin.

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Belkin Boost↑Up wireless charger review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 3, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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EcoXGear EcoDrift Bluetooth speaker review


I don’t know about you, but I really enjoy being able to take my music with me anywhere I go. While cell phone manufacturers have developed better and better speakers for the phone, it just doesn’t match the quality of a dedicated speaker. My previous portable speaker had been stolen, so I was in luck when EcoXGear sent their Ecodrift Bluetooth speaker to review. It is waterproof, which was an upgrade from the one I used before.

What is it?

The EcoXGear EcoDrift is a waterproof, rugged Bluetooth speaker. It is portable and can be used both indoors and outdoors.

Hardware specs

  • IP67 Waterproof/Shock resistant
  • 15 hours playtime
  • Bluetooth 4.2
  • 2600 mAh rechargable battery
  • LxWxH: 5.5″ x 5.5″ x 2.3″
  • Weight: 17 oz

What’s in the box?

In the box you’ll find the EcoDrift speaker, charging cable, instructions, and a carabiner attached to a screw that mounts to the bottom of the speaker.

Design and features

This speaker is simple in design, with all the buttons you’ll need on the top, charging port on the side, and there is an added bonus of a screw mount point on the bottom for mounting to a tripod or some other type of mount.

The ‘feet’ that are located on all four corners of the speaker are rubber and keeps it from sliding around. It also gives a good bit of padding in case it gets tossed around. I tossed it into my backpack for tennis practice and there’s not a scratch on it, and I feel quite confident that when I take it out camping or kayaking that it will hold up to being dumped on the ground.

As I mentioned above, all the buttons are conveniently located in one area. They were a bit difficult to press down, which most likely has to do with them being waterproof. You need to make sure to press directly in the center of the button firmly, else it won’t register. I liked that pressing the play/pause button started the music without having to even touch the phone, which is convenient when dealing with water. The microphone button will activate Siri on your iPhone, and there is a slight delay, but it worked well. The microphone on the speaker picked up my voice well, so I could use it for phone calls or to use Siri with no problem at all. The power indicator and battery level indicator lights are green, while the Bluetooth indicator light is blue. One thing I noticed was when the speaker ran out of power, there was no warning, it just shut off.

Setup

It was very easy to pair the speaker with my phone, and after the initial pairing, it connected automatically whenever I turned the speaker on. There is an on and off power switch located near the charging port, but I have left it on all the time and it does not seem to drain the battery much. It took several hours for it to charge fully, which means I will just leave it to charge overnight when needed. The battery life once charged was pretty close to the 15-hour mark advertised.

Performance

I was impressed with the overall sound quality. The bass is nothing to write home about, but the mids and highs are nice and clear, which makes up for it. When I used it in a gym for background music, it was just loud enough at full volume to work perfectly. Also, when at full volume, it did not crackle or distort the sound like some speakers do. In a small room, you definitely do not need it turned up high to fill the room with sound.

The thing I was most surprised with was how well it kept the audio synced with the video when watching YouTube on my phone. I can’t stand it when the audio is out of sync, and this speaker was only off by a tiny bit. I was definitely very happy with that.

What I like

  • Portable and durable
  • Waterproof
  • Nice and clear mids and highs
  • Audio syncs well to video played on the phone

What needs to be improved

  • Could use a little more bass
  • Buttons are hard to push

Final thoughts

Overall, I really liked the EcoXGear Ecodrift speaker. I am looking forward to warm weather so that I may go out, relax on my kayak, and listen to some music. In the meantime, I will toss this in my backpack for tennis and use it to jam to tunes in the shower. I especially like the 15-hour battery life, so I can listen to my music for a good long time without worrying about charging it up.

Price: $89.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by EcoXGear.

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EcoXGear EcoDrift Bluetooth speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 2, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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