FUGOO Tough XL Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker Review

For the Fugoo Tough XL, “work hard, play hard” is not just a mantra, it’s a design choice. This Bluetooth speaker is designed to provide you with more than just excellent sound.

Claiming to be “virtually indestructible,” the Fugoo Tough XL is a 2015 release that still looks and acts like a hardcore workhorse. Larger and louder than Fugoo’s previous speakers and boasting a fully waterproof IPX7 design, the Tough XL has got a laundry list of top-end, high-quality features that threaten to take the crown for exceptional portable quality. Fugoo put an unbelievable amount of thought into every detail of this speaker. We’ll get to the details as we go on, but know from the start that, if you are looking for a Bluetooth speaker that will last as long as your adventures, this one should already be at the top of your list right now. Stop worrying about buying cheap, underwhelming Bluetooth speakers for fear of destroying them on the journey, and gear up with a unit that works just as hard as you do.

Hype and excitement aside, the Fugoo Tough XL is a portable Bluetooth speaker built for tough conditions. It’s probably overkill for many consumers, but the perfect fit for those two work and play in trying conditions. Let’s take a closer look and see if this speaker is the right fit for you.

DESIGN & BUILD | Bold, Strong, Attractive

Bold black and metal shaped into angular edges hide the Fugoo Tough XL’s incredible set-up of eight speakers, four neodymium-magnet tweeters, two mid-woofers, and two bass drivers. Arranged on all sides, the FUGOO Tough XL is still able to provide 360-degrees worth of sound, up to 97 dB with a full range of 50Hz to 20KHz frequency response. For audiophiles, this speaker provides more true sound reproduction with a more neutral balance. Outdoors, the Bluetooth range can stretch up to 120 feet with line-of-sight, and 30 feet indoors with obstacles. Want more options? There’s a 3.5mm aux-in input jack just in case you want to hook up without Bluetooth. A micro-USB port is available for firmware updates, and the speaker itself charges through a DC-in. An integrated microphone allows access to Voice Assistants, like Siri and Google Assistant.

“…Bluetooth range can stretch up to 120 feet with line-of-sight…”

The Fugoo Tough XL is intended to survive whatever rough spots you might throw at it. Drop it in the lake or knock it in the pool, the waterproof design ensures that it will keep on kicking, floating on the surface for easy retrieval. Strap it to the front of your ATV or dirt bike and enjoy the tunes as you kick up dirt and mud. This speaker is large enough to be seen and recovered should it go overboard during an outing on the lake and manages to put out enough quality sound to earn its presence at your side.

FUGOO Tough XL front

SAFETY & DURABILITY | Tough as Rocks

There is a lot to love about the FUGOO Tough XL. You won’t have to worry about accidental shocks or short-circuits due to water damage, but you might want to make sure the speaker itself is strapped down pretty tightly if you’re planning on pulling some wicked moves. Getting beaned in the head by a flying Fugoo would make for a great story later on, but it might put a dent in your fun in the moment.

“Waterproof, dustproof, shockproof: there is nearly nothing that can stop this Bluetooth speaker from doing its job.”

From the aluminum plating to the stainless-steel grills, the polymer Tough XL jacket encases a speaker that is built to outlast the seasons. Waterproof, dustproof, shockproof: there is nearly nothing that can stop this Bluetooth speaker from doing its job. An IP67 rating is the highest ingress protection possible, and each and every jacket available for the speaker core boasts the same rating.

FUGOO Tough XL indoors

PERFORMANCE | All Around Excellence

Ease of Use

Bluetooth makes life simple with its “pair and go” style, and the Fugoo Tough XL is no stranger to the simple sync. As any other Bluetooth speaker of hits price point, you get all the features you can come to expect and more. A low-energy connection allows you to give constant voice commands to your Voice Assistant, hands-free control when you need it most. The onboard power bank allows the Tough XL to keep your phone and other devices going as long as it will. If you want to hardwire connect, the 3.5mm input is always available, making it even easier to stay connected.

Best Features

Of all the features we’ve covered so far, the best and brightest have to be the pure versatility of the Fugoo Core XL. The Core XL is the speaker wrapped in the Tough XL jacket and, like us, it can dress up for the job ahead. Keep going on adventures with the Tough XL, or dress casual with the Style XL, or get set for a day of fun with the Sport XL. You don’t have to wonder if your portable speaker is going to survive the outdoors, all you have to decide is how you want to dress it. Every jacket maintains the IP67 water/dust resistance rating, each one floats, and all eight corners come reinforced with sturdy endcaps to more greatly absorb drops and impact. The Sport XL offers glowing control buttons, so you can keep on playing all night long, while the Style XL takes center stage with subtle texturing and water-resistant cloth design.

FUGOO Tough XL back

LONGEVITY & PRICE | Nigh Immortal

This Bluetooth speaker boasts an unheard of thirty-five (35) hours of battery life, requiring only 3.5 hours to charge to full. You will have to fight to outlast this unit. Most other competitive units hover around the ten to twelve-hour lifespan. The Fugoo Tough XL also gives back as much as it takes, offering a fast-charging bank that will give back the power it contains, ensuring that your devices will just keep going like you. This could be a life-saving feature, something that no other speakers of this type offer. This is why it is such a workhorse, and it earns its right to accompany you on your adventures.

Be sure to check the current FUGOO Tough XL – Amazon price here.

With how many features we’ve covered and the quality of the Fugoo Tough XL’s construction, it should come as no surprise that the MSRP sits at $199.99. Without a doubt, this outdoor Bluetooth speaker is totally worth the cost, even more so if you can snag it on sale, and comes with a one year warranty. The Style XL and Sport XL are all lower priced, but if you want this extreme level of protection and survivability, it’s going to cost just a touch more.

FUGOO Tough XL outside

Pros

• Extreme survivability
• Excellent audio quality
• Arguably the longest battery life of any comparable Bluetooth speaker

Cons

• Expensive (see current Amazon Price)
• Overkill for many consumers

THE BOTTOM LINE | Worth it if You Need It