I was an early investor in the 听($100) when it launched on Kickstarter听in听2016.听Having previously owned the superb听, I was excited to try the new device, which promised the same excellent sound quality, along with other features like waterproofing, an internal听power bank for charging devices, easy pairing with other Turtleshells, and the ability to float. After two years of use, I've found the lives up to all that and more.听
I've tested the waterproofing of the speaker听in many hot tubs and bathtubs and it really does float and play music simultaneously. It's waterproof down to three feet, but as noted, this speaker floats gloriously on top of the water. Plus, the built-in microphone allows you to talk to Siri or take phone calls, so I don't have to fiddle with my phone when my hands are wet.听
This speaker is small enough鈥攁pproximately six inches long鈥攖o throw in my bag for after work adventures or weekend excursions. Its feet have extra grippy silicone to keep it firmly planted on surfaces. The underside also has a听camera mount threading system so听you can mount this on a tripod or lanyard for extra security.
I love that I can pair my听two Shells together to create听a complete sound system in听my house.听They've got a range听of up to 15 feet, which means that during parties, I can keep one inside and one outside while听controlling both from my phone simultaneously. This is a far cheaper option than investing in an expensive speaker system.
There听is also a built-in battery and USB port,听which holds enough juice to charge my phone once.
While I've found the Bluetooth connection to be finicky, once it recognizes a phone, it pairs quickly and maintains a connection of up to 30 feet.听听
If you're looking to turn up the volume on your summer, I highly suggest checking out the Turtleshell听3.0. Your ears鈥攁nd friends鈥攚ill thank me later.听