As a river guide I spend almost the same amount of time getting ready to go on the river as I do actually on the river. At least that’s the way it feels sometimes. Music helps the prep time fly by. I was excited to test out the water-resistant and portable Braven BRV-1 speaker this summer, as it helped pass many hours at put-in. (Put-in is river terminology for where we launch a trip.)
Here’s the nitty gritty details on the Braven BRV-1:
- Bluetooth enabled, but also includes a connection cord for those without Bluetooth capability
- 12-hour battery playback time
- Water resistant, though not made to be submerged.
- Size: 4.75 in X 3.25 in X2.25 in (small!)
- Built-in speakerphone
- Can charge your mobile device
Once I had my phone synced with the speaker, I pushed play and proceeded to jam out. I found the sound to be clear, crisp, and surprisingly loud for its’ size. As I set straps for my coolers and tables on my boat, I could control the music from my phone, switching from song to song while the BRV-1 was near shore on the ground. I didn’t worry when it started to drizzle (the usual weather in Alaska). I just continued to rig and listen to my tunes, knowing that the speaker was water-resistant and the screw-top in the back of the device was tightly on. The speaker kept true to its’ promise, it got wet but kept playing just the same.
The BRV-1 comes with a lanyard though I didn’t use it and preferred to toss it in my rig bag just floating around. (FYI it also comes with a USB to micro USB cable and audio cable) It is durable, I’ll say that. The speaker held up to the rough and tumble treatment I dished out, and wasn’t worse for the wear after the full river season.
And did I mention the volume? As we wrapped up for the day, at 10:30 pm, (still bright due to our northern latitude), we saw a black bear swim across the river just 300 feet above the put-in. Mind you, my friend and I were alone with coolers full of food and many miles away from another human being or shelter besides our tent. What did we do? We blasted Kayne West as loud as we could off of the Braven BRV-1, and had ourselves a little dance/”scare off the bear” party. Suffice to say, it worked. 🙂
What I loved:
- Durable and compact
- It can get it wet (!)
- Loud volume and crisp sound
Not so much:
- Although the speaker boasts a 12-hour battery life, I didn’t find it lasted that long.
The Braven BRV-1 portable Bluetooth speaker can be bought for $149 here on the Braven website.