Whether we are packing for a relaxing vacation or crazy adventure, we always include a speaker in our gear. Over the years we have been through many speakers both small and midsized. We have found varying levels of success and happiness with them over the years. More often than not, those speakers come to a sad end when they cannot hold up to our adventures. The UE Boom 3 might be the best all-around adventure speaker that we have found so far!
The Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is a lightweight cylindrical speaker, the size of a tall soda can. The protective fabric encasing the speaker is the same quality as bike jackets and fire equipment. The speaker can be submerged 1 meter for 30 minutes, but it can float, so it’s unlikely that it will be underwater for that long. The battery life can keep this speaker “booming” for up to 15 hours depending on your settings. The audio is projected 360 degrees outward from the Boom 3 with the ability to adjust EQ from the app.
The Boom 3 has been a great addition to our adventures and has survived water, drops, and more during those trips. If you are looking for a speaker that can withstand every adventure, from the beach, to the river or mountains, to relaxing by the pool, keep reading to see its robust features and uses.
How is the UE BOOM 3 built?
This speaker is comfortable to carry around in your hand. As you can see from the dimensions, it feels like you’re carrying a large energy drink can. This also means it is easy to slip into any cup holder like those on your backpack, folding chair, kayak, and more. They even sell mounts to attach it to your mountain bike! The built in loop at the top allows you to attach a small carabiner, rope, etc. to further secure your speaker.
The UE BOOM 3 website claims it is virtually indestructible and you can tell by the build that it can withstand drops, dings, etc. I was not brave enough to purposely drop our new speaker, but I feel like it could survive falling off a tailgate or a boat console. If you want to be extra safe with your UE BOOM 3 during travels, you can buy a case for it. We found this one that holds the speaker, charging dock, and the plug plus wire. It does take up more space, but I like the peace of mind while traveling that it will get to my travel destination and I will have all the right cables to charge it.
The UE BOOM 3 was built with IP67 water and dustproof rating. This was the main reason we purchased this speaker because we are always on the water — tubing, kayaking, or on a boat. This speaker can be submerged for 30 minutes and even better… it floats! I like knowing I can fish the speaker out of the water and have a greater chance to recover a fully functional speaker.
Does the UE BOOM 3 have a microphone?
The UE BOOM 3 does not have a built in microphone. When we were looking for a new speaker, this was not a deal breaker to have this feature. I can see the benefit of a microphone while you are tending a campfire or laying on the beach soaking up the sun. But for us, the other features of this speaker far outweighed the lack of a microphone.
What Bluetooth capabilities does the UE BOOM 3 have?
If you have a Bluetooth capable device, it is more than likely you should be able to connect the BOOM 3 to it. We were able to connect this speaker to our old Microsoft Surface 3 laptop to watch movies while on the Amtrak Auto Train. The typical connection will be from an Android or Apple phone, both of which have a downloadable app in their respective app stores.
The app that accompanies this speaker has the ability to turn on your speaker even when it is fully powered off. Your phone can also control the audio level to the speaker if you don’t feel like getting up to use the buttons on the speaker itself. The app can also change the speaker to different EQ settings depending on what you are listening too. This is helpful when you are having a dance party and want to rock the bass, listening to some chill music and want the perfect sound experience, or listening to a Podcast and want to focus on the presenter’s voice.
The BOOM 3 can also allow you to “party up” (aka link together) with up to 50 other nearby speakers. In my research, I found a couple that bought 10 of these speakers and hung them around their wedding venue to save money on music. Eventually, I would like to get several more to make outdoor movie nights even better.
How is the battery life on the UE BOOM 3?
Ultimate Ears BOOM 3 website says you can get 15 hours on a single charge. I have not personally run the speaker that long without charging. We have had the speaker going for around 6 hours while at the pool without having to charge it. They do note that battery life will vary with the different settings and environmental conditions. I would not expect the battery to last a full 15 hours if you are blasting it on a very chilly day.
This speaker and dock are charged by a Micro-USB. We plan on keeping this speaker for years to come and it frustrates me when innovative companies like UE do not utilize the USB Type-C ports. The charging port is recessed, which helps keep it waterproof, but I was worried about damaging the port whenever I want to charge it. This led me to purchasing the dock.
You can purchase a dock separately for under $40 at the time of this posting. I had never seen this type of three prong connection to the base of the speaker before, but it works every time. There are several reasons that I think the dock is a much needed accessory. The most important reason is to take care of the speaker and the waterproof port cover. Our last speaker, that we had for years, would not charge properly because of all the times I had plugged it in to charge. Additionally, you won’t have to fumble with the cable after a long trip or a day at the pool, all you have to do is set it on the dock. You can even keep the speaker on the dock while using it for music.
How does the UE BOOM 3 sound?
The UE BOOM 3 houses two 2-inch drivers and two 2-inch by 4-inch passive radiators. This little speaker can project the audio a great distance with still sounding clear. This speaker doesn’t have a very deep booming bass, but we do not look for that in our speakers. It does get a lot louder than our previous speaker and we have never felt like we had to go over half volume with the Boom.
We have used this speaker in varying sized spaces; from the confines of a small Amtrak Auto Train room to the wide open vastness of the beach. The audio has been really impressive at any location that we have used this speaker. Changing the EQ to “voices” helps a lot when we listen to podcasts as a family. I was impressed with the sound quality for the “standard” EQ setting while playing Country or 80’s music. You can really take control of how your music sounds with this app!
Should you get the UE BOOM 3?
The UE BOOM 3 is a great speaker to enhance any of your upcoming adventures. The speaker size allows you to have great audio quality without the bulk of a larger speaker, hence keeping it from being a burden to carry. If you need a speaker that can withstand the elements, then this speaker might be what you are looking for!
For the price I would even consider buying this for family and friends that do not have a Bluetooth speaker. It would be fun to connect our speakers when we are together to further expand our music over the venue.
The UE BOOM 3 is great for camping, beach, water adventures, and more!
That wraps up the perfect three days in Northern Florida exploring some magnificent springs! Please head over to our Facebook page, like it, and follow along on our adventures, which will help you to plan your adventures!!!! Happy Trails!!!
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