Besides the standard gear for hikes, treks and climbing trips, a mobile phone is often part of the basic kit. In the early days, outdoor phones differed from standard models only by a reinforced, sometimes waterproof casing. Today’s outdoor phones offer much more, though. Especially in terms of battery life, a lot has happened in recent years. Having already introduced several outdoor cameras, we now present outdoor phones from a range of different manufacturers.
Nokia 3720 Classic
With the 3720 Classic, Nokia offers a rugged phone that, at 94 g, is perfectly usable outdoors. At 115 x 47 x 15.3 mm, it is not too big either. The phone is splash-proof to the IP54 standard and survives falls from a low height without any problems.
According to Nokia, the standby time with the standard 1,050 mAh Li-ion battery is up to 450 hours. With this capacity, the battery provides a talk time of up to 7 hours.
For a weekend hike this battery life is more than enough, especially as the phone is likely to be switched off overnight.
Amazon currently offers the Nokia 3720 Classic at a price of €118.97.
Samsung B2100
Besides Nokia, established phone maker Samsung has not missed the chance to release a device for outdoor use either. With the B2100, the South Korean manufacturer presents a solid device that offers more than just standard features.
In addition to a 1.3-megapixel camera, the phone has a built-in torch. In an emergency, the phone can therefore also be used at night.
The manufacturer states a standby time of 600 hours. When making calls, you have up to 9 hours at a stretch before the phone runs out of juice. Although the B2100 offers a longer battery life, at 103 g it is a little heavier and, at 113 x 49 x 17.4 mm, a little larger than the Nokia 3720 Classic.
The Samsung B2100 can be bought from Amazon, for example. There the device currently costs €89.47.
Sonim XP2.10 Spirit
Unlike Nokia and Samsung, the American manufacturer Sonim has specialised entirely in outdoor phones. You won’t find phones for everyday use in its range. Its outdoor devices, however, are really something.
The Sonim XP2.10 Spirit is the latest flagship and, besides a 3-megapixel camera with an additional video function, offers features such as Gore-Tex-covered speakers. Of all the outdoor phones presented here, the XP2.10 is probably the most rugged.
The battery life is up to 8 hours of talk time and up to 428 hours of standby. The Sonim XP2.10 also comes with the MGMaps map application. With this, and the ability to connect to a 3G/UMTS network, you always have basic map functions with you.
An FM radio is also part of the equipment, as is a torch.
The extensive features and rugged build come at a price, though. Weighing 180 g, the phone is almost twice as heavy as the Nokia 3720. At 130 x 59 x 21 mm, it is also the largest of the three phones.
The Sonim XP2.10 is currently pretty much the best-equipped outdoor phone. At Amazon it currently costs €381.81.
