Tough/Rugged cell phones?

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Sid Post

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I'm on Verizon and want to stay on their network but, the phone choices for me leave a lot to be desired. I want a rugged durable phone with good basic features. It looks like the ruggedized Casio phones are a thing of the past and the Motorola phones I have owned have not proven to be a good choice.

Does anyone run a Sonim on Verizon? How about anything similar?
 
I can't speak for any verizon phones but I can advise a specific brand of cases to make your phone a lot tougher.

Otterbox, check them out, they only make a "light" protection style for my phone (commuter) but their defender series is very impressive. Just to give you an idea I had my phone sitting on my lap a few weeks ago while riding around in the car, I forgot it wasn't in my pocket when I got back to my house and parked. I was getting out of the car and it fell off my lap onto the road, sad thing is it didn't quite make it to the road because I was swinging my foot out as it fell and ended up kicking it just perfectly, by the time I realized what happened my phone was skipping and bouncing across the street, made it across most of 2 lanes of bouncing from my kick, absolutely no damage.

Yeah, I know I'm clumsy, I've destroyed more electronics than you would even want to know about and anything that even has a chance at lasting has to be able to be dropped, fallen on, and likely water resistant to last more than a couple days with me. The point being I'm rather tough on my phones (and mp3 players, and cameras, and glasses, and knives, etc. etc.) and even the lighter less protected version of otterbox that I have is fairly good protection from my clumsy and rough ways.
 
Casio Commando... look it up. Android operating system, waterproof, shock proof, me-proof.
 
Sid Post said:
I'm on Verizon and want to stay on their network but, the phone choices for me leave a lot to be desired. I want a rugged durable phone with good basic features. It looks like the ruggedized Casio phones are a thing of the past and the Motorola phones I have owned have not proven to be a good choice.

Does anyone run a Sonim on Verizon? How about anything similar?
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I think that depends on where you live. At least some Casio G'zOne models are available in my area on the local Verizon site. That being said, you might be able to find one on another web site and use it on Verizon. You don't have to buy a phone directly from them.

My son used to carry a Gz'One doing construction and tree trimming. Very robust. Never had any issues.
 
had great luck so far with my blackberry bold 9780 with otterbox defender case.. i work construction and my phone has taken many falls (tallest so far was off 4 flights of scaffold) and its still in great shape. the otterbox case really is worth it IMO
 
Tough cellphones??? There are none. I went through three Blackberry Pearls in about 2 years before I got an Iphone. I spent the money ($34.99) on the best case they had and so far so good for about 14 months. This thing is temperamental, though.
 
Whatevere you get I would get a Otterbox or something comparable. I have had an Iphone in a Otterbox for almost 3 years. Makes a phone much more rugged. The enviorment I work in is hard on phones and mine has held up in the heavy dudy Otterbox.
 
My Samsung Rugby II is pretty tough. It has been dropped on concrete, in mud and wet cement, sunk in ten feet of water and never missed a beat. I haven't hit it with a jackhammer yet, but I did have it in my pocket the last four times I ran a 90# pneumatic jack. But Samsung's deal is with AT&T. I killed a lot of cell phones before I got this one. And it isn't bad as a camera either.
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I've got a Casio Ravine that I got in May. I've gotta say I love this thing. If you're looking for rugged and waterproof, then look no further.
 
The Casios are still available on Verizon here. Those things actually are pretty tough. Short of that, something you can put an Otter Box Defender on would be my recommendation. Got one on my IPhone and it has really held up to some abuse. Most my phones are busted or look like hell after 6 months, but this thing still looks and functions like new.
 
knarfeng said:
I think that depends on where you live. At least some Casio G'zOne models are available in my area on the local Verizon site. That being said, you might be able to find one on another web site and use it on Verizon. You don't have to buy a phone directly from them.

My son used to carry a Gz'One doing construction and tree trimming. Very robust. Never had any issues.
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I have a Gz'One Ravine and love it, yes it is from Verizon. I have dropped mine several times and no issues.
 
I still have a SLVR from 5-6 years ago :o

The thing has been dropped more times that I can remember on surfaces like gravel, asphalt, concrete, hardwood, etc. and has been completely soaked through twice. Screen is fully bright, battery still gets 3 days to a charge (and I always have my cell phone on), and they only problem is that there's a slight shot in the keyboard and the blue light flickers sometimes. The most work I've ever had to do to it was clean out the charging port from caked in lint, after 5 years of use.

Who needs all these fancy touch screen smart phones? :D
 
I don't have verizon but I do have a sonim XP3pro phone. It have been dropped in sinks, from ladders in the mud And is still going strong . I average 2 weeks on a charge. Being my job is a plumber and I fish alot out of a kayak My phones tend to get wet. doesn't bother the sonim I have rinsed it off under a hose bibb more than once
Roy
 
Ive owned the Sonim and i do not recommend it. Sure, its tough as a rock, but its hopelessly outdated. I thought i could live with it, but i could not get past the lack of basic functions.

I currently own a Nokia E51 and its been incredibly reliable. Ive dropped it into a lake on 2 separate occasions and after leaving it to airdry, it worked again. Modern phones (not touch screen) are relatively robust.it to airdry, it worked again. Modern phones (not touch screen) are relatively robust.
 
PropThePolecat said:
Ive owned the Sonim and i do not recommend it. Sure, its tough as a rock, but its hopelessly outdated. I thought i could live with it, but i could not get past the lack of basic functions.

I currently own a Nokia E51 and its been incredibly reliable. Ive dropped it into a lake on 2 separate occasions and after leaving it to airdry, it worked again. Modern phones (not touch screen) are relatively robust.it to airdry, it worked again. Modern phones (not touch screen) are relatively robust.
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If you are into the latest greatest sonim isn't for you. I personally wish it didn't receive texting. All I want in a cell phone is a phone, to store numbers, clock and alarm clock and maybe a camera. I have used it as a flash drive though
Roy
 
I have a Casio Gz'One Brigade or whatever it is called. The flip phone with the QWERTY keyboard.


It's tough, but it does have a good number of bugs in it. Nothing major, but they are very noticable when operating the phone. Mainly with texting. Many reviews will say the same thing.
 
I love my sanyo pro 700. Just a basic phone with gps. Built to military spec and tough as nails.
 
I dropped my G'zone into 6 feet of salt water for 30 mins till I fished it out. Blew it off, and it worked as normal. Dropped it on hard ground from that far too. NP.

But, it's a cell phone, not a smart phone.

Coop
 
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