Best Rugged Smartphones for the Outdoors UK

If you are always on the go and love outdoor activities, you need a smartphone that can keep up with you. A rugged phone is designed to withstand harsh conditions and is ideal for individuals who are always outdoors. The phone’s durability, battery life, antennas and specific outdoor tricks are some of the essential features to consider when choosing the best-rugged phone for the outdoors in the UK.

In today’s world, a smartphone has become an essential tool for almost every aspect of our lives, including outdoor adventures and exploration. For adventure and outdoors enthusiasts, having a rugged smartphone is not just a luxury but a necessity, especially when it comes to safety.

When embarking on outdoor activities, safety should always be a top priority. The best rugged smartphones are specifically designed to withstand the challenges and hazards that come with outdoor environments. One of the key advantages of a rugged smartphone is its durability. These devices are built to endure rough conditions, such as extreme temperatures, water exposure, dust, and drops. This durability ensures that your smartphone remains functional even in the harshest of circumstances, allowing you to rely on it for communication and assistance when you need it the most.

Imagine being on a hiking trail, up a mountain, kayaking, wild swimming or out bush crafting and accidentally dropping your smartphone on rocky cliffside, in a deep river, in the snow. With the best rugged smartphone, you can have peace of mind knowing that it can handle such impacts without shattering or malfunctioning, that it can handle the depth, the cold, the heat etc… In critical situations, where access to emergency services is limited, your rugged phone can be a lifeline. It can withstand the elements, allowing you to make emergency calls, send SOS messages, or share your GPS coordinates with rescuers.

The ability to withstand water is another crucial feature of rugged smartphones. Whether you’re crossing a river, caught in a sudden downpour, or engaging in water-based activities, having a waterproof smartphone ensures that it won’t be rendered useless if exposed to water. In case of an emergency, when every second counts, this water resistance can make all the difference.

Rugged smartphones also offer additional safety features tailored for outdoor enthusiasts. Some models come equipped with dedicated SOS buttons, allowing you to quickly call for help or notify your emergency contacts. Others have built-in thermal imaging cameras, which can be invaluable for detecting heat signatures in the dark, identifying potential hazards, or locating missing individuals.

Moreover, these devices often offer extended battery life, ensuring that your phone won’t die when you need it most. They may also have enhanced GPS capabilities and preloaded outdoor-specific apps, providing you with reliable navigation tools, weather forecasts, trail maps, and more.

What Makes a Phone Rugged?

A rugged phone, also known as a tough phone, is designed to withstand harsh environments and situations. Here are some essential features that make a phone rugged.

Best and most useful rugged smartphone features for outdoor use:

Water and Dust Resistance:

Rugged mobile phones with high IP ratings (Ingress Protection) can withstand water immersion and dust exposure. The most rugged phones need to be water-resistant and dust-resistant to withstand tough environments. The devices usually have an IP rating (Ingress Protection) that indicates how well a device can protect against water and dust. Look for a phone with an IP68 rating, which means it can withstand being submerged in water for up to 30 minutes and is also dust resistant. Tough waterproof smartphones will have a proper IP rating.

Military Standard Certification

Another feature that makes a phone rugged is military standard certification. MIL-STD-810G is a standard used by the military to test equipment for harsh conditions. It involves a series of tests such as drops, shock, vibration, high and low temperatures, and more. Look for smartphones with reinforced frames and rugged construction to withstand accidental drops and impacts. 

Shatterproof Display:

Outdoor activities can be rough on phone screens. Consider devices with reinforced or shatterproof displays. Rugged phones usually have a Gorilla Glass design that makes the phone resistant to scratches and cracks. Gorilla Glass is a type of glass that’s chemically strengthened to increase its toughness and scratch resistance.

Long Battery Life:

Outdoor adventures often mean limited access to charging points. Rugged smartphones with large battery capacities, 5000mAh battery and above, ensure extended usage without the need for frequent recharging.

Glove-Friendly Touchscreen:

When you’re out in cold or wet conditions, having a smartphone with a glove-friendly touchscreen can be extremely useful. A glove-on working technology that allows you to use the screen even with gloves on.

Dedicated SOS Button:

Some rugged smartphones, come with a dedicated SOS button for emergency situations. It allows you to quickly call for help or send your GPS coordinates to pre-set contacts.

Enhanced GPS and Navigation:

Look for devices with strong GPS capabilities and pre-installed navigation apps. Reliable GPS performance is key and some phones are equipped with outdoor-focused navigation tools.

Powerful Cameras (Thermal Imaging, Night Vision, Main Camera)

For outdoor enthusiasts, a rugged smartphone with a built-in thermal imaging camera can be a valuable tool. Infa red cameras to detect heat signatures and identify potential hazards or wildlife.  Rugged phones with powerful cameras such as thermal imaging and night vision cameras are a great feature to have when outdoors. The main camera should also be of high resolution to capture clear images and videos.

Push-to-Talk (PTT) Functionality:

Rugged smartphones with PTT functionality, enable instant communication with individuals or groups, similar to a walkie-talkie, which can be beneficial in outdoor team activities.

Outdoor-Specific Apps:

Look for smartphones that offer a range of outdoor-specific apps, such as weather forecasting, hiking trails, compass, or star maps. 

These features can greatly enhance your outdoor experience and provide added durability and functionality to your smartphone.

Top Performance (RAM and Processor)

A phone with a powerful processor and enough RAM will allow you to run multiple apps and games smoothly. Look for a rugged phone with at least 6GB of RAM.

Top Rugged Smartphone Brands for 2023

Here are some of the best rugged phones available in the UK and their features: