Direct me toward a Cellphone+cover combo you think works good in the field.

[TheGDog]

Long story shorter. Have a Windows phone I love, but the battery is starting to get shorter and shorter lifespan and die off quickly, and since they officially declared the OS unsupported now. Apps have been falling off from being continued to be supported left and right.

This phone (Nokia Lumia 928) has a GREAT cam on it. And it has a separate hardware button for the camera shutter! Which I absolutely LOVE!


Now... I typically don't support Apple products because they tend to lock you into only their hardware, much like Compaq used to do. And I despise that practice. However, I'm willing to consider it as a choice since in the future it could probably help me in terms of testing to ensure apps I might work on in the future also render out decent when viewing them on an iPhone.

That being said... I'd prefer not to go the Apple Fanboi route.

There's an Android phone that came out from Red One, that looks beefier in construction and had a separate shutter button. And claims some kind of whizbang proprietary 4D Holographic display affect for pics and vids. Sounds cool and everything, but it's a 1st Gen product, so I'm like "No thanks, I'll wait." (Plus it happens to be thee most expensive phone on verizonwireless, Eek!)

So I thought I'd ask around to you guys. I figure somebodies got to have a phone that they feel works well for their outdoor adventures. And/or they've found some kinda cover/case solution that's proven to work well for them in the field.

Several years back had a friend who had a Casio Android that was ruggedized to military specs. He could literally drop it into a glass of beer, with no problem, no ill affect.

Was thinking as long as it had a decent enough camera, maybe where I could program the shutter to one of the external buttons, that this might be a decent choice for me now that I've been getting into this whole outdoors thing. Does anybody still make one of those ruggedized ones?

My most likely choice would be Samsung 10 since they seem to make quality stuff. But Hey... figured I'd ask around because there could be some other model out there you guys have discovered that you love for your outdoors adventures because of certain features.

I wanna try to take my time with this purchase, as best I can, and feel sure that I chose well for a solution I'll be happy with for a long time.

So tell us about your phone, and what you like...or Don't like about it... in terms of its use in the field.

Thank You in advance for your time,

-G

 

[Aeon]

S8 active from samsumg. Bomb proof, no cover needed and huge battery.water proof and one generation behind so is not as expensive.

 

[TrapLine]

I use apple but always stay a few generations behind, but I am cheap like that. Even though I have an apple dont really feel locked in, but I never buy anything on it, since i am cheap like that. 6s brand new $200. I dont use a case, if it breaks I just buy another one. I would have to break 5 phones to even come close to the cost of a new phone and case, i have only broken one apple phone in 9 years, and i used the broken phone for a year, cracked screen, before i bought another one.

 

[SteveHazard]

My S6 Active has been pretty bomb proof too but the charge port did stop working so I have to wirelessly charge it. When I finally get a new one I'll probably upgrade to a newer S series that has EIS for the video and and SD card slot. I think the last Active they made was the 8. Hopefully they do another for the 10 again.

 

[nicapopolis]

I am with you... I cannot bring myself to support Apple products. I never have purchased anything for myself actually.

I really like the Samsung Galaxy products. I have a personal phone and a work phone.

Personal is an S8 and I currently am using a Ghostek case and it has kept things safe as well.

My work phone is an S6 Active and I love it. Last time I checked the "Active" series were not offered by Verizon and may be ATT only. I use Verizon for personal and ATT for work intentionally so I can almost always have phone service.

I am due for an upgrade on my work phone and will get the S8 Active most likely.

I just read this article. It has some references to other rugged phones as well.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Active: Why?

As soon as I took the Galaxy S8 Active out of the box I knew instantly that I wouldn't like it as much as previous Active phones. Here's why.

www.google.com

 

[TheGDog]

Seriously... thank you guys for all the input!! I loathe having to scour thru sh!t tons of webpages and whitepapers to find stuff.

That's literally a large part of my job sometimes when I run into problem with a 3rd Party software product we might elect to integrate with.

And as you can imagine... with isht like phones... there is an unholy amount of stuff to scour thru.

So please believe me when I say "Thank You Soo Much!"

I'm trying to do this part earlier in the process of acuiring this next phone, so I can fee more confident in the eventual choice.

I can be quite the anxious Type A personality at times. Because I like to solve problems just once...just one God damn time!

And when situational factors take away lead-in time to properly ask around like this it stresses me the bleep out. Cause I mean who wants to dump a whole buncha money only to find out ya don't like a particular phone or something about it irritates, ya know?


Do the wireless carriers limit you to only what they happen to have for sale? Or can a person get a phone elsewhere and then bring it to them for carrier service? (Asking because I don't remember seeing that S8 Active among their choices the other day when perusing verizon's wireless site)

 

[Nuevo]

I don’t know if my input helps at all, but I’ve been using the same iPhone 6 Plus for over four years now. No screens or anything broken. I’ve kept it in an otter box, which I’m on the second one. It’s simple to use, an any app I want is available for it. I just update it when it’s necessary and it keeps working.

 

[SurfNHuntSD]

I have a Galaxy S9+ in an Otter Box and a screen protector. Dropped it off a boulder once during deer season and ended up ok. Waterproof not so much but just don't swim with it.

 

[Aeon]

IP68 is the gs9 rating, you are good go in the water. No scuba but a fall in the pool will do nothing to it

 

[SurfNHuntSD]

Didn't realize that.. I still keep my phone in a ziploc in my waders when I'm duck hunting.. I always manage to drop $hit in the water

 

[nicapopolis]

Didn't realize that.. I still keep my phone in a ziploc in my waders when I'm duck hunting.. I always manage to drop $hit in the water

Yeah. The Galaxy phones have been water resistant/proof for some time now. I want to say it started with the S5.

 

[TheGDog]

IP68 is the gs9 rating, you are good go in the water. No scuba but a fall in the pool will do nothing to it

OH.. that's good to know because Mama has a a Samsung Galaxy S9 and was kinda hinting at getting a nicer one for herself and that I'd just take over that one. Sweet!

 

[TheGDog]

Big thing that's important for me is they have a good camera... and that I can go from in my pocket... to out and taking a pic in the shortest amount of time possible... AND... that I can set it up to use a hardware button to activate the shutter on the camera.

And if you guys happen to know of whatever the latest whiz-bang Android front-end interface is that has features that lends itself to hunters, I'd be interested to hear about it. I vaguely remember that the CyanogenMod use to be pretty kick-@ss. But appparently it looks like it stopped being supported out there.

 

[steveo007]

im also a couple of models behind we get the extra insurance, so my s6 finally bit the dust sent it in through the insurance they
no longer have a replacement so I got up graded to the s8 love it.

 

[BIGCIM]

I own and like the S8 but not so fond of the curved screen. Even with the $100 case on I manage to drop it right on the curved part and broke the screen. I have had Iphone but once you have a back button its hard to live with out it. I've found there seems to be a lot more free Apps with the Android. Sending videos through the android has always looked like crap, that advantage goes to Apple.

Now my struggle is finding an affordable provider. I don't use the phone enough to spend $100 a month. I use a lot more Data.