Music afloat is a luxury for me, whether rigging, sailing out to the racecourse, or chilling in the cockpit after a hard day. And nowadays, my music comes from only one device: my iPhone. iPhones, we all know, don’t mix well with water, so the only way it’s getting onboard is locked up tight in the EcoXGear hard case.
Over the past year I’ve used this single-speaker sound system in many ways—clipped to the lifeline with its carabiner, thrown on the cockpit floor, tied to my hiking strap, thrown in the tub with the baby, and even in the sauna—and after months of abuse and tune cranking I’m still using the same three AA batteries, so I know it’s good on juice. It delivers good sound and deep bass for a single speaker (3-inch/3 watt), but best of all, unlike other waterproof phone-based music systems, this one’s got a little extra room, and a pocket inside for your car key, credit cards, cash, and/or your stash.
There’s an external headphone jack, so if your teammates don’t like your selection, you can plug in and tune out. $50, http://www.ecoxgear.com
—D.R.