Review: Fender Rockster Cross Speaker

Good music deserves a good speaker. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but your beloved iPhone's speaker stinks—the sound quality is poor, and it ain't loud enough to overcome background noise. The good news is that the Fender x Teufel Rockster Cross portable speaker can solve both of these problems, whether you're tailgating in the Bridger Bowl parking lot or working out on your patio.

This sleek, well-designed speaker is weather-resistant and rugged, sluffing off light rain, blowing snow, cold temps, and the occasional hard bump or short drop. Sixteen hours of battery life let the good tunes roll, all night long—and with true stereo sound, just as loud as you can handle it. Tacky, sizeable volume and pause/play buttons work with both cold fingers and light gloves. When your phone dies, plug it into the back of the speaker for a quick recharge. And when the party chatter and other ambient sounds increase, hit the Outdoor Mode button to filter it all out.

For connectivity, Bluetooth your phone's playlist directly to the Rockster—or, for better clarity, plug 'er into the audio jack, USB, or micro-USB jack. For portability, it includes a carry-strap. So with this speaker, you can enjoy great sound however you want, wherever you want. Just don't be that guy blasting gangsta rap halfway up the hiking trail. Keep it in the parking lot, please, where it belongs.

$180; us.teufelaudio.com.