This little speaker is both sand-proof and waterproof, meaning you don’t need to babysit it like a nine-month-old hell-bent on shoveling dirt into his tiny mouth. Photo: Heyden
For as many days as I head to the beach to surf each week, it’s rare that I go to the beach. What I mean is time spent at my local is mostly business – check the surf, paddle out, shower off, change, and get on with my day. The idea of spending an afternoon lounging in the sun (or for the UV-averse, under an umbrella) reading a good book or even taking a nap sounds nice in theory. A reality I know all too well is a beach day with the wife (and now, baby) requires an inordinate amount of garb – towels, chairs, umbrellas, a cooler, etc. – and much schlepping. And when all is said and done, baby’s ingested his weight in sand and the following days and weeks are spent nursing a sunburn. Oh, how cruel the sun’s rays can be.
So, knowing now how I feel about the beach you can imagine my reaction when on one of the rare sunny days not plagued by Southern California’s dreary marine layer the wife hatched the idea of a family beach day. She’s a fan of the beach, so I obliged.
During nap time I packed up the car (read: an inordinate amount of garb) and when baby was awake we took off for the coast. Parking lots were jammed, and hardly a square foot of sand near the high tide line wasn’t covered by towel or beach blanket. Still, we nestled into a cozy spot and set up for the day. And once the umbrella was up, chairs were unfolded, towels unfurled, and baby occupied with a toy and fully slathered with sunscreen, I reached for a little Bluetooth speaker I was supposed to be product testing and got some tunes rolling. Quickly, our little slice of beach turned into a private oasis and what would normally be an anxiety-inducing afternoon was calm, relaxing even. And all because of the power of music to set the mood.
So, more on this speaker: House of Marley’s No Bounds Sport. The speaker is designed specifically for the types of environments any self-effacing electronic device might describe as “hostile.” Think water, dust, sand, grime, anything that can fry microchips and incapacitate capacitors. The No Bounds Sport is both water and dustproof, and in a pinch the thing floats making it the perfect beach-day companion.
Design-wise, the speaker is beautifully simple. A play/pause button on the top is accessible and straightforward, a twisting component on the top easily adjusts volume, and above all, it sounds great. An added bonus is that, like all House of Marley products, careful consideration is made for the environment. The No Bounds Sport is made from House of Marley’s Rewind Fabric, Regrind Silicone, Regrind Cork, and includes a carabiner made from recyclable aluminum.
Practically, it’s not helpful when your go-to Bluetooth beach speaker needs to be equally babysat as a nine-month-old dead set on grabbing sand and shoveling it into his tiny mouth, lest you intervene. The No Bounds Sport allows you to find a playlist, set it and forget it. And can stand up to the toll a life spent outdoors can have on your electronics. I couldn’t recommend this thing more highly.
Pro tip: the black No Bounds Sport is currently $77.04 (over $20 off) today for Amazon Prime Day. Buy here.
