SPECS: Goal Zero Rock Out 2 Speaker
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WEIGHT: 340gms
DIMENSIONS: 17.8 x 6.4 x 9.5 cm
POWER SOURCE: USB Rechargeable built in lithium battery
RECHARGE TIME (MANUFACTURER CLAIMED): 2 Hours
RUN TIME (MANUFACTURER CLAIMED): 20 Hours
PROS:
- Attaches to bike very easily and securely
- Super rugged and water resistant design
- Very good bass and loud enough to be heard over traffic
- Good battery life
- Quick charge time
- Uses AUX cable to attach to device instead of bluetooth so doesn’t drain devices battery as much
- Function buttons on outside of case make it very easy to control while riding
- All in one case design means it protects and stores your MP3 device safely during use
- Glove friendly large rubberized zippers to open case
CONS:
- Slightly heavy / bulky for cycle touring
- Despite manufacturers claim, the battery does not last for 20 hours
- Slight distortion at high volumes (very slight)
- My first speaker purchased malfunctioned and had to be returned to manufacturer
OVERVIEW:
I need music while travelling. There are times when my brain turns to sloppy mush after a hundred plus kms in the saddle and I need distracting with some tunes. So there was no way I could survive a round the world cycle trip without some speakers along for the ride!
The Goal Zero Rock Out 2 speakers ticked all the boxes for me on paper. USB rechargeable, water resistant, system for securely attaching to the handlebars and uses an AUX in cable instead of Bluetooth. So far they have survived 7000kms across Canada and I am extremely happy with their performance and very glad I chose these over other products on the market.
SOUND:
The sound is crisp and incredibly clear for the size of the speakers and the bass is rich and deep. Far far better than I could have hoped for! I listen to a wide variety of music from punk and metal through to softer folky acoustic stuff with the occasional bit of hip hop chucked in for good measure and for me the sound is lossless. I don’t feel like I’m listening to a track through a tin can like with some other portable speakers.
These bad boys get LOUD!! There have been times where the traffic has been screaming past us or flying down a mountain with the wind howling past my ears and I can still hear the Goal Zero Rock Out 2 speakers pumping out the tunes over the top of it all!
Overall I am very happy with the sound quality the Goal Zero Rock Out 2 speakers offer. I have only ever had any sound quality issues when they are on maximum volume and some slight fuzzy distortion occurs on the bass, but really minor in comparison to other similar portable speakers.
DURABILITY / FUNCTIONALITY:
The Goal Zero Rock Out 2 speakers are as tough as nails! I feel very confident that they will be with me for the rest of the trip and survive perfectly. The outside material is made from some form of tough woven nylon material wrapped over a lightweight wooden or plastic box with the front face plate made of hard plastic with metal screws attaching it to the box.
I have dropped these and they survived perfectly with the added bonus of protecting my mp3 player inside which is housed in a mesh pocket with bungee cable and soft plush liner.
They are water resistant, but definitely not waterproof. I have ridden with these in the rain because I’m an idiot and forgot to take them off the handlebars and had no issues with the speakers getting water logged or damaged, however there were drops of water inside the case that I suspect leaked through the zip so there is the potential for rain to get inside the case and damage your mp3 device if left out in heavy rain. I believe light showers would be fine, but if it gets heavy pack them away hombre!
The control panel is a total breeze to use with all the function buttons (power, reverse track, forward track, play/pause and volume controls) set out in a clear obvious manner and easily accessible on the front of the speakers. The buttons are low profile and rubberized and set a mm or so apart from each other making it easy to know which button you are pressing when you’re on the move.
The zippers to open the case and access the mp3 player and leads are large and rubberized making it very easy to open and close while wearing gloves and feel solid and durable.
The inside of the case is very neatly set out with both the usb charging cable and built in aux cable recessed into the plastic case with a hook to keep them in place when not in use. The built in usb cable is a very handy feature and the perfect size. Not too long that it gets in the way and not frustratingly short like some other speakers.
One of my favourite design features of the Goal Zero Rock Out 2 speakers is the attachment system on the back of the speakers. It uses a super neat bungee cord and five small plastic hooks that can be configured in multiple different ways allowing you to attach the speakers to various different things however you see fit.
I have them set up on my handlebars and looped around the handlebar stem. It’s quick and easy to attach and they do not move or bounce around at all. It’s an absolutely rock solid attachment set up and no way of them working themselves loose on bumps or rocky trails. When you hit the campsite they detach easily and can be hung from a tree, inside the tent or where you want them pumping out sound! I can also imagine them being handy and very easy to attach to a pack for hiking.
The only slight downside to the Goal Zero Rock Out 2 speakers is the weight issue, but I feel 340gms for the quality you get is actually pretty good. For me there is no point taking any of the smaller ‘pop up’ style speakers as you can’t actually hear them while riding unless you’re on a dead quite back road with no wind. They are small enough to stuff into a pannier or backpack without really taking up a whole lot of room. Also, they feel pretty light in your hand while still being super tough and durable and capable of protecting your device and keeping everything neat with no cables sticking out all over the place.
SUMMARY
I give the Goal Zero Rock Out 2 Speaker
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