What 'rugged' phone for navigation?

King Kong mini is pretty good, used one as main phone for 2 years. It's quiet small so that might not be what you want for nav, it's very light though and rugged. I paid 90 although they have gone up a bit. Functioned perfectly as a phone, Whatsapp etc. Camera pants, of course. 

Old iPhone in a lifeproof case. Our work ones have been absolutely trashed. Took one out the other day and it's brand new!

I mean I really really make mine work. Taking photos under bridge piers, dropping them off sea walls etc.

Old phone.
Strong waterproof case.
Job jobbed.

my wife's got a motorola defy. its rubbish, so not one of those.

I don't have an old phone (I don't think 🤔) so it's probably got to be a new one.

I'd second this. I've had a succession of iPhones - I usually opt for the smallest rather than the most bling - and they have all lived in Otterbox Defender cases. These are fairly indestructable, they've protected each phone from drops, scuffs, splashes, dust, all sorts of crap. And when they get too knackered, you can replace them. Each time I've upgraded to a new phone I've removed the slightly worn case and had the pleasant surprise of a practically mint phone inside, which has meant a better price for the inevitable selling-on on eBay.

The Pixel 6a is waterproof - IP67, which is under 1m of water for 30 mins. If you're spending 150 on a phone just to use for nav, then I'd just take the risk with the 6a. The cost to buy a replacement 6a is only about £200, even less if you go used.

Blackview 5900, big battery, tough, waterproof and has survived a handful of years with me 😁
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/186107327004?var=0&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338749388&toolid=20006&customid=GB_15032_186107327004.148415092768~1870045756971-g_Cj0KCQjwy4KqBhD0ARIsAEbCt6jx6-vEm22nssdGWotHzbhlOnNa6SqrT2hwz8foH1NEKvsVc1BdPSMaApGuEALw_wcB

The Pixel 6a is waterproof – IP67, which is under 1m of water for 30 mins.

Really?
Had no idea

*wanders off to drop it in the toilet

There's actually another bit of a reason, and that's because I take a lot of photos with my Pixel. It's a bit of a pain when it's attached to the bike and plugged in to remove it and reinstall it all the time, disturbing my navigation. It's a pain when it's raining too as invariably the lens gets wet and messes your photos.
Ideally, I could leave something on there pretty much all the time.

I bought the anti vibration mount for the Quadlock, but actually, it adds too much height to the mount and puts the phone virtually above the screen on the bike.

Also not convinced that vibrations still won't damage the Pixel despite the mount, not to mention knocks from crashes.
I want to use one without the vibration mount and not be too bothered about it.

Seems a bit wasteful to buy a new, shit phone when a 2nd hand one would do the job 🤔 Also, you reckon the phone in the OP is fully waterproof - they haven't even dared submerge it briefly for the pic 😂

Interested in vibration damaging a phone...I do 10k+ touring miles per yr on my motorbike using my phone, haven't noticed a problem. What does the vibration do to damage the phone? (Genuinely interested, and now slightly concerned!)

It can be a thing with image stabilization apparently.
It's not a definite for sure, but can be a thing to be aware of so I hear.

I do 10k+ touring miles per yr on my motorbike using my phone, haven’t noticed a problem.

Evidence enough that it's not a problem for you I'd say!

I do lots of off road so the bike can really get thrown about.

Not sure if it's maybe more an iPhone thing

The Pixel 6a is waterproof – IP67

It is, by the spec. But I wouldn’t test it!

A mate recently killed one barely getting it wet (which is backed up by multiple reports as such online). Google and the retailer wanted nothing to do with it saying the moisture markings inside were triggered so it had got wet. The get out is apparently that it is ip67 rated as it leaves the factory, but due to use and conditions it isn’t after the fact. A bit like an MOT meaning a car is roadworthy only at the point of testing.

I've had 2 Amazon "rugged phones" a black view & something else.  They were the least rugged phones I've ever owned.

If I were you I'd get any cheap old phone you can get an otterbox for. They are bulky, but excellent IME.

My work gave me a rugged Samsung. (No idea of the model, budget end)
Apparently waterproof. Gets soaked in my pocket though.
It has a torch button on the left side right where your thumb sits.
Folk are forever telling me the chest pocket on my overalls is glowing....right pain in the arse. Due to that. I wouldn't recommend it.

I’ve had 2 Amazon “rugged phones” a black view & something else. They were the least rugged phones I’ve ever owned.

As a previously notorious phone killer, as I say my blackview has performed admirably. And plenty second hand and refurbished.

@kayak, I'm off to study my photos now! 

Blackview user here too BV9900 Pro - it's the toughest phone I've ever had. Weighs a ton though - need a really secure mount

Update for anyone remotely interested.

Turns out I did have an old phone, a Moto G that I'd forgotten about.

So what I did was I bought a universal Ultimate Addons case which the Moto G fits into nicely.
I sold all the Quadlock stuff that I had and so will not use my posh phone on the bike anymore.

I just turn my WiFi hotspot on, on my main phone and run the motog off that one when I need to navigate.

Had a test of it today and it works pretty well. 👍

Doogee S35

About £48 AliExpress just now.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_Ezm82Sp

Had several Doogee rugged phones in the family & they've all proved extremely robust.

I've got the V-Max which lasts a week on its 22000mah battery but it's ridiculously big and heavy.

I found that using an older Iphone was rubbish due to the poor battery life. Yes you can use a small power bank (which also needs to be waterproof) I could never work it out. Shame really because the old Iphone 5s is a good size without being too big.

UleFone X7 for me.

IP68, all sorts of Mil-STD ratings I don't understand.

So far it has been abused and covered in all manner of muck and slime.  It's heavy, and the screen isn't fab, and the charging port makes it tricky to get some cables to connect.

Not yet broken, which is better than any oher phone I've owned.  I might upgrade to something newer, but only because it's not getting updates anymore.

I found that using an older Iphone was rubbish due to the poor battery life

Not an issue for me with a USB plug on the bike 👍

Does that stop it being waterproof? Just asking as I don't know...a bit like the Halfords 1600 lumen light - was very waterproof unless you used the remote and then it very much wasn't (made even more very not if you mounted it upside down as the cable slot turned into a perfect pool for water and mud to sit and work in).

Got myself a Nokia XR21.

MIL-STD-810H and IP69K certified. Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, impact protection inside and out and doesn't have overly bulky rugged look.

Does that stop it being waterproof?

The plug is a nice snug fit into the silicone port in the case. The port uses a silicone bung to seal the port in use without power.

I suppose it makes it water-resistant rather than waterproof but of course where you mount it makes a big difference. Behind a bike screen it is better, and mounted in portrait with the plug at the lowest point will also help of course.

I've an ulefone 14 pro and an iPhone XR in an otter bo for work reasons

One is waterproof the other is not.

It's not the otter box covered phone. The otter box phone also has a cracked screen. I don't even take it half the places my ulefone goes.

The ulefone cameras shit and it can be a bit slow.

But it's robust . And the battery lasts many days.

I had a ulefone 7 before the 14 and it was just as robust but after 2 years the battery started playing up in cold weather.

ive had a couple of old iphones, 5s and se. Both were good phones but didnt like cold temperatures, they just shut down regardless of battery percentage. When they were warmed up, they would work again. Apple confirmed there was nowt wrong with the battery.

Very frustrating, they were great small phones

Tired old batteries do that.

I had an iPhone 4 do that. A change of battery completely cured it until it became unsupported.

i traded the se in and got a pixel 6a for 100 notes instead. Problem solved!

Both were good phones but didn't like cold temperatures, they just shut down regardless of battery percentage.

That’s batteries in general for you, and not just cellphones, see what happens to an EV’s range in really cold conditions. It’s always been recommended that in really cold weather, cellphones and cameras should be kept as warm as possible, in an inside pocket, or attached to a powerpack by a fairly long cable and the powerpack kept in an inside pocket. This is not a new phenomenon!

This is not a new phenomenon!

But it is not that phenomenon that causes systems to shut down when it's cold . That's a worn battery.

A cold but healthy battery will deplete faster but won't just turn off at normal UK temps.

A cold and worn battery will turn off pretty quickly