We've spent a little over a week diving into phone accessories that are perfect for the summertime. Now we're ready to wrap it all up. There's been a big focus on rugged and waterproof accessories to handle your extreme adventures, though you're likely to find many of these useful year-round.
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Our big piece was the camping guide. This provides an all-in-one rundown of what you might need when pitching your tent. This includes apps, power options, cases, and other accessories. Yeah, some people would rather leave the phone at home, but your device can can take some great photos, give you some music to listen to, help plan your outings, and otherwise enhance your camping experience without detracting from the natural glory of the outdoors.
Dive in for a look at the many, many ways in which phone gear can help you out.
Read: Android Central's guide for camping with your phone
Swim with your phone
Odds are you'll be beating the heat with a jump into a pool, lake, ocean or some other body of water. We looked at a wide range of gear that works after getting wet. For one, there are a bunch of waterproof speakers out there that can keep your pool party entertained. The right case and mount can turn your phone into a weatherproof action cam, though we also looked at the HTC Re and GoPro cameras, which can dedicate themselves wholly to recording your antics while still playing nice with your phone.
- GoPro vs. HTC Re action camera shootout
- The best waterproof power banks
- The best waterproof pouches for your phone
- The best waterproof Bluetooth speakers
- Quick look at the TETHYS waterproof pouch
- Review: HTC One M9 active waterproof case
- Review: MercuryBox waterproof speaker
- Review: UE Roll speaker
- Review: Lifeproof FRE case
Drop it like a rock
There's a fair bit of overlap between waterproof and rugged accessories; usually a properly tough case or speaker will at the very least have splash protection. The main thing is making sure the gadget in question can take a tumble, and the stuff we've found is certainly built for hiking, biking, or any other tough terrain. Of course you'll want to protect your phone from an untimely demise while enjoying the sun, so we've found some solid cases to put your mind at ease. There are also some extra-tough backup batteries out there that can keep your phone going through particularly long expeditions.
- Review: Goal Zero Venture 30 rugged backup battery
- Review: OtterBox Defender Series case
- Best rugged Bluetooth speakers
- Best rugged backup batteries
- Best rugged cases for the Samsung Galaxy S6
Sun's still up
The summer's not over yet! Get out there and enjoy the nice weather while it lasts, and let us know in the comments how you're using your phone while you're out and about.
