Bose SoundLink Max Bluetooth Speaker - Portable Wireless Party Speaker, IP67 Waterproof, Rope Handle, Up to 20 Hours of Playtime, USB-C, Built-in 3.5mm AUX Input, Black

Why it's worth it

The SoundLink Max pairs deep, controlled bass with clear vocals in a case rated IP67 for dust and submersion. A removable rope handle, 20 hours of rated playtime and a USB-C port that charges your phone make it the one to grab for a whole day outside.

This is the speaker to buy if sound quality is what you care about. Bose builds it around a transducer array tuned for low end that stays tight instead of turning to mush when you push the volume. Owners describe the same thing over and over: clean bass, crisp highs, vocals that sit forward instead of getting buried. On a patio or a deck, that clarity is what keeps music sounding like music rather than a distant thump.

The IP67 rating is the real thing — full dust protection plus submersion in a meter of fresh water for half an hour. Bose also calls out shock and rust resistance, which matters more than it sounds. Beach trips destroy speakers through sand in the ports and salt on the grille, not through drowning. Rinse it with fresh water when you get home and it'll keep going.

From our review of 8 waterproof outdoor bluetooth speakers, by Genevieve Dubois, Home & Living Expert

What we like

• +This is the speaker to buy if sound quality is what you care about
• +The IP67 rating is the real thing — full dust protection plus submersion in a meter of fresh water for half an hour
• +At about five pounds it's the heavier end of grab-and-go, but the removable climbing-rope handle changes how it feels
• +There's a 3.5mm aux input on the back, which has quietly become rare

What to know

• –Twenty hours is the rated figure, and ratings are measured at modest volume
• –It's the most expensive speaker on this list by a wide margin, and it's not the loudest
• –There's no ecosystem to grow into