I've been looking at rugged phones lately and thought I'd share a few of the more interesting phones and facts I've stumbled across.  All of these phones are Milspec 810F certified for water, dust, and shock resistance.  They should all be submersible for up to 30 minutes, sustain a fall from table height, and handle the dusty trail with ease...

Verizon is coming out with the Casion G'zone Brigade:  Ruggedized phone that flips open to reveal a full thumb keyboard for texting/email.  Most ruggedized phones use T9 (keypad) based entry which I don't like.  This looks pretty good.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/05/casio-gzone-brigade-brings-whole-new-level-of-rugged-insanity-t/

For ATT Wireless/T-mobile or other GSM network customers you can buy an unlocked Sonim XP3 at Best Buy and purchase a SIM card kit from the carrier of your choice.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Sonim+-+XP3.20+Quest+Mobile+Phone+(Unlocked)+-+Black/9413155.p?skuId=9413155&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=9413155&ref=06&loc=01&id=1218112089155

The Sonim XP3 is a VERY rugged phone and would be fantastic for someone looking to just talk.  Other than being rugged, it's other features aren't that spectacular.

Interestingly enough, Land Rover sells the Sonim XP1 (this is the XP3) as the Land Rover Rugged Phone in Europe.  I haven't found a picture of a Land Rover branded phone yet.

Verizon also has the Motorola Barrage. The phone looked pretty good in person.  The lighter grey in the center section of the photo below is a rubberized texture (not feaux carbon fiber) which has a good rugged look and is easy to grip.  A couple of problems came up consistently in online reviews.  Most notably, you can't get it loud enough to hear, and several users reported getting speaker vibration when they turned it up too loud.  If you own a Jeep or a Defender this one probably isn't the phone for you.
 

In comparing phones for use in the backcountry, be sure to compare carriers.  While no phone will work in the Cascades, the various carriers coverage footprints vary dramatically.  I compared ATT, T-mobile, and Verizon.  Verizon has the largest network footprint in the PNW with ATT very close on it's heals.  T-mobile on the other hand has an absolutely horrible footprint.  Unless you plan to drive your Overland Vehicle around town, don't even bother with T-mobile.

Sprint/Nextel is a confusing network to analyze.  They use two separate and incompatible technologies:  CDMA (Sprint) and I believe TDMA (Nextel).  If you look at Sprint/Nextel coverage maps,make sure they are distinguishing between the two technologies and that you know what kind of phone you are using.

GSM (ATT/T-mobile) coverage maps are available at http://www.gsmworld.com/Roaming/Gsminfo/cou_us.shtml

Verizon Wireless Maps are available at http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/CoverageLocatorController

Land Rover markings are very subtle...

I hate the fact that most ruggedized phones are really basic. I think an Otterbox case for my Blackberry would be a perfect compromise.

 I am very interested in this. I had a sony phone that was complete crap. I finally bought the cheapest Nokia go phone and it has been pretty good. It is amazing the blank stares you get when you go into a phone store and tell them you want a phone that makes and receives calls well and is fairly tough. I don't care about a camera or a keyboard or GPS. I just want my phone to be a phone and to do it well. 

I am going to check some of these out.

the other Craig

Interesting that this subject just came up here.  I am in the market for a new phone also.  In fact, I posted a question about ruggedized phones at www.ADVrider.com in the gear section.  I am looking for something that is multipurpose and can take the jostling it will get in my truck and on the Dakar.

The two (or three) that I am interested in are the Casio Exilim and the Motorola Adventure.  The Adventure supposedly is being phased out for a new model whose name I can't recall at the moment.

The Casio is supposed to be very rugged, also is a full-featured 5.1 Mpixel camera, and has GPS capabilities.  It also meets MILSPEC requirements for dust, vibration, water resistance, etc. Previous Casios have be getting really great reviews and this one is supposed to be even better. It is capable of texting, etc., and lots of other features that I have no interest in.

The Motorola story I have heard from my Go Wireless buddies is that a local had his house burn down.  He found the melted Motorola Adventure carcass in the ashes.  After prying it open, to his surprise he found it still worked!  Now that's rugged.  But it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the Casios.

My provider is Verizon.  I have found that they have the best coverage out here in the west of any of the cell phone companies.  Most of my geologist buddies have also transitioned to Verizon over time for this reason.

Have any of you guys had the opportunity to play with a Casio Exilim?  I'd be interested in hearing what you have to say about it.

Dale

I've been a happy Casio GZone user for the last three years, and been very impressed with it's performance.  I've had the Boulder since mid - Summer, and had the previous generation for two years leading up to my Boulder replacement.  I've been so confident in the Casio, I even zipped it into the pocket of my swim shorts while walking a Kauai beach a year ago and went in the surf.  Later, I just washed off the salt and sand under the tap.

I pretty much use it as a simple phone with an occasional text, so have never considered a key pad an important part of my cell phone.  I didn't think a keyboard would ever come to a Casio GZone, but will now have to check it out.

Verizon also has this one....

www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller

i have had the GzOne for about a year now. usualy i go through atleast two phones a year. i am very happy with this. i have dropped it multipule times off of the aircraft onto pavement, it has been in an outside pocket while working in the rain and it gets soaked. a superficial piece on the face plate has broken off and there are various gouges and scratches but nothing to affect its operation. as far as reception, i was able to send a txt from the summit of Mt Massive in colorado. i am very happy with it, i send txts a lot but have yet to have a phone with a full keyboard so that option is pretty well transparent to me. i didnt think i would use the gps on my phone but man it is so useful. makes finding places so easy.

So after a few weeks of searching different phones, I choose to go with the HTC Droid Eris from Verizon. This phone has so many neat features, it makes me wonder how I never thought I would actually  use all the features on a smart phone. Just putting it out there that so far this is an outstanding phone. Android OS with Google is a great package.

I have the Casio Gzone and love it. Dropped it in the water last year ice fishing and it still works great. Haven't decided if I want to upgade it to the the new ones.

Ike, I swear you could be my brother.  We should have a DNA analysis done on our livers to see if we were separated at birth.

(hijack off)