Rugged Jobsite Radio Guide

I used to work in construction and the thing that always saved the day was music.

Where I live, we have four seasons ranging from hot dusty summers to winter snow that reaches up to your hips.

Needless to say, any technical gear we use outdoors has to be really tough. I would be comfortable using any of the models show on this page at a work site.

Image shows the Bosch PB180 Radio with MP3 Player

There are essentially 2 types of boomboxes that are specially made for job locations.

1) The weatherproof radio that often comes with a weather sealed compartment for connecting your phone.

2) A true boombox ruggedized radio with plenty of features and charger compartments for your power tool batteries.

I would probably choose the second type for a construction site. If it was for my private home improvement project or diy site the simpler model without a dedicated battery charger would be sufficient.

Here is something a bit different but which I consider to be the best choice of all (unless you work in a really dirty environment). The ION Rocker is a portable PA system primarily designed for street musician performances, as a portable sound system for parties, etc. It therefore contains a battery that offers 75 hours of playback, but also has a power cord for continuous operation.

It isn't super-rugged or waterproof, so why do I think this is one of the best choices? Let's tick off the goodies: LOTS of volume, portable speaker with handle and wheels, slot takes your tab or smartphone which you can stream through bluetooth, it charges your USB devices, built-in AM/FM radio, it even comes with a microphone... Gets my vote!

ION makes a whole series of portable PA systems. All of their products are highly rated and building PA systems has made them a leading authority on how to crank up the volume without grossing the size of the unit.

Now they have taken one of their more popular boomboxes and put it in a hardened cabinet designed to cope with wear and tear of being in tough environments. The ION rugged jobsite radio is new, and comes in hot orange so it won't be forgotten when you move on to the next site.

Stick your phone or media player into this one and it turns into a great little jobsite radio that can handle the roughness of a construction worksite just as well as a day at the beach. It is so weatherproof - it even floats!

The simple design and small size make this unit the perfect portable speaker setup for your mp3 player. Don't be fooled by the 3 inch speaker elements - reviewers are liking the sound quality!

The Grace does not contain a radio or player - it's a rugged, waterproof, IPX-7 spec case. The weather-sealed compartment accepts any kind of smartphone, media and mp3 player.

The Grace Rugged and Waterproof Stereo Boombox can be powered by the included AC cord or through 4c batteries which will provide a maximum of 25 hours of operation.

Sangean has also managed to provide these with a pretty good speaker. Reviews from customers are positive.

The Sangean radios are becoming very popular on smaller work sites and outdoor offices.

I think this is because the balance between rugged form and price is right.

Listening to music on the construction site is great but it gets even better when it also doubles as a battery charger for power tools.

If you are looking for professional site gear I suggest you choose one of the following depending on what power tool brand you use.

The Bosch jobsite radio is a true location workhorse which has 4 speakers that provide 360 degree sound plus a subwoofer for a rich sound experience.

The Dewalt Jobsite Radio is extremely popular due to the many worksites that use Dewalt tools.

This is a versatile rugged outdoor radio. The built-in 1 hour charger for 7.2-18 volt DEWALT power tool battery packs uses a 3-stage charging system which maximizes run-time and battery life.

Features include protective frame, aux jack for media players, 3 power outlets, radio into a convenient power connection box.

The Sangean Fatbox is a truly ruggedized radio with industrial design. The rollcage protectors enable it to withstand 6 foot falls and cope with 250 pounds of weight. It also has a waterproof compartment where you can connect your iPod or media player.

This is a chunky, rugged, no-nonense radio that makes some of the others look like toys.

One thing I like about it is how the angular and boxy styling makes it useful as a tool in itself. Since it is rugged, you can use it as a work space, as a step-lader and of course to sit on during lunch breaks .)