These are the best rugged phones you can buy right now

Smartphones are more refined than ever, with glass builds, tiny bezels, large displays, and impressive performance. They’re great for life in an office, but most of the phones come up short in harsh environments. For example, if you work in construction, you’re probably looking for a phone you can use as a trusty, durable tool. You need to be able to give it hell without risking it getting destroyed. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of the best rugged phones you can buy.

You won’t find all-glass designs on this list, but you will find plenty of durable MIL-STD and IP ratings to go around. Some of our picks even have unique features like thermal cameras and walkie-talkie capabilities to help you through your shift. Let’s get to it.

Buying the right rugged phone for your needs

There are plenty of rugged phones available right now, which can make choosing the right one a challenge. However, it’s not that much different from buying an everyday phone. You’ll have to decide which features you want most, and it’s essential to see what extras are available.

Here are just a few of the questions to ask while you research:

• How large is the battery? You probably don’t want to spend much time attached to a charger if you’re working a long shift. Some of our picks offer huge batteries, while others let you swap the battery for an instant charge.
• Does the phone offer durability ratings? Rugged conditions often require a phone that can withstand water and dust. It’s essential to check if your phone carries the latest IP68/IP69K ratings, though IP67 may also be enough. If you’re worried about dropping your rugged phone, you’ll also want to find a device with a MIL-STD 810H certification. A MIL-STD 810G certification is also good enough for most people, but we prefer the former.
• Is the camera any good? What about extra features? While none of these rugged phones are bound to end up among our best camera phones, having a relatively capable shooter is crucial. Accuracy is critical if you have to document anything at work, and a few of our picks offer underwater capabilities or even thermal cameras.
• What is the phone made of? Glass-bodied phones may look and feel good, but you might want metal, plastic, and rubber for your rugged phone. That way, you can feel a bit safer if it takes a tumble. It may come at the cost of wireless charging, but more rigid materials should last through even the longest shifts.
• Performance and features? Again, none of these phones will be among the best Android phones for general users. It’s also important that the general experience isn’t completely horrendous, though. And these days, some manufacturers make phones that do relatively well in this department.

Cat S62 Pro: The best rugged phone you can buy

If you’ve spent any time at a construction site, you’ve undoubtedly seen one of Caterpillar’s yellow vehicles. They’re a mainstay for their power and durability, and now Cat is in on the rugged phone market as well. The Cat S62 Pro is the best of the bunch and is currently our pick for the best rugged phone.

One of Cat’s standout features is the FLIR Lepton 3.5 sensor, which allows for thermal imaging on top of the 12MP Sony camera. That means you can check the temperature of a tool or machine before you use it. Unfortunately, the thermal system does replace the laser-assisted measurement feature from the Cat S61, so you’ll have to weigh which element you need more.

As for durability, Cat crafted its S62 Pro with an aluminum frame and a TPU back panel. It comes ready with IP68 and IP69 ratings, and a MIL-STD 810H rating to handle dust, water, and drops up to 1.8 meters. The Cat S62 Pro features a crisp 5.7-inch Full HD+ display made of Gorilla Glass 6. It packs 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which is solid for a rugged phone. Under the hood, you’ll find a Snapdragon 660 SoC powering all of Cat’s tough features.

By the way, the Cat S62 Pro is getting a bit old. It launched in 2020, but we keep it around because it is still a widely available phone from an important manufacturer, and it is Cat’s latest phone that’s available in the US. A newer Cat phone is available, but we haven’t made it our top pick because it isn’t widely available. That said, the Cat S75 ($573.99 at Amazon) could be a better option if you can get your hands on one. Aside from being a slightly better phone, it has awesome satellite features.

Other products worth considering

The best rugged phones:

• Nokia XR21: Nokia found a way to mix strength and style on the XR21. It looks like a phone you can use daily and offers good future update support.
• DOOGEE S200: DOOGEE may not be that popular, but it knows how to make a tremendous rugged phone. This one gets really close to flagship territory, comes with an awesome design, and won’t cost too much.
• Samsung Galaxy XCover7: If you want to go with a trusted brand, it’s hard to beat Samsung. It helps this is also a great phone with a competitive price, good specs, and a very generous update promise.
• Kyocera Duraforce Pro 3: If you want the fastest Verizon speeds, the Duraforce Pro 3 is the way to go. It has pretty good specs and is powered by the Verizon network. Not to mention, it has mmWave 5G support.
• Unihertz Tank 3 Pro: A massive battery, integrated flashlight, and super rugged construction make this one of the best adventure options. But what really makes it stand out is the integrated projector!
• Ulefone Armor 27T Pro: This is a rugged phone with a great design, a massive battery, thermal imaging, and even night vision.
• Cat S22 Flip: Those looking for a rugged Android device with a unique design will love this one. It’s a flip phone!
• Motorola ThinkPhone: This is your best bet if you want true performance on a rugged device.

Nokia XR21: Rugged but stylish

Nokia’s brick may have been the original rugged phone, but the XR21 brings the OEM into the modern era as one of the best rugged phones. The XR21 is one of the most stylish options on this list, with slimmer bezels and an eye-catching design that won’t look out of place anywhere.

The Nokia XR21 is not a bad phone, either. Specs include a Snapdragon 695 processor, 6GB of RAM, and a pretty sizeable 4,800mAh battery. The 6.49-inch display is pretty nice, too, offering a 120Hz refresh rate and Full HD resolution.

Of course, Nokia got some nice certifications to ensure users this phone won’t go breaking so easily. It is IP68/IP69K and MIL-STD-810H compliant. And it’s $500, which is pretty good for what you get.

DOOGEE S200: A good price, rugged body, and awesome specs

DOOGEE may not have the name recognition of either Nokia or Cat, but it knows how to make durable devices. The DOOGEE S200 is one of the latest offerings. It’s large and in charge with a hefty construction. It has an IP68/IP69K certification, as well as MIL-STD-810H. That’s all to be expected, though, right?

The phone also happens to look pretty cool. It offers a new “mech” design with a really cool 1.32-inch display in the back. The main display measures in at 6.72 inches, has an FHD+ resolution, and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. The Dimensity 7050 is also pretty capable, but what’s more impressive is the RAM. It has 12GB of native RAM, but it can also borrow up to 20GB from the SSD, totaling a max of 32GB of RAM!

We can’t forget about the huge 10,100mAh battery, which can be charged at up to 33W charging speeds. Of course, another standout feature is the inclusion of both a thermal camera and night vision capabilities, which will definitely help during your nocturnal adventures.

As if all of that wasn’t enough, the DOOGEE S200 is a $400 phone. That is pretty affordable by today’s standards, especially considering all the interesting features you get here.

Samsung Galaxy XCover7: Samsung’s most durable device

Samsung offers some of the best rugged smartphones, and the Samsung Galaxy Xcover7 is a true winner. For starters, this is one of the very few phones that still offer removable batteries, which means you can switch out the 4,050mAh capacity in seconds. It also runs on a MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ processor and 6GB of RAM to offer mid-range performance and keep the price in check.

There’s only one version with 128GB of storage. You also benefit from Samsung’s generous update policy, as the device should get four major OS upgrades and five years of security improvements. The Galaxy Xcover7 is already running Android 14. It also has Gorilla Glass Victus Plus and the latest and greatest MIL-STD-810H rating.

Kyocera Duraforce Pro 3: The toughest Verizon phone

Most of our rugged phones rely on 4G LTE for the bulk of their service, but the Kyocera Duraforce Ultra is the way to go if you need top speeds. It’s the only entry to support Verizon’s mmWave 5G network, even if it does come at a cost. This device is pretty expensive at $900.

At least the specs are OK. It comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor, 6GB of RAM, a 5.38-inch Full HD screen, and a 4,370mAh battery. The thing is, you can find plenty of much more powerful handsets at this price point, making the price less enticing.

If you can look past the price, though, this is definitely one of the best rugged phones you can find. The one downside is that this is a Verizon exclusive.

Unihertz Tank 3 Pro: A rugged phone with an insane battery and a built-in projector

Unihertz is known for being pretty bold with its new devices. Some are tiny, some have a physical keyboard, and most are rugged. The Unihertz Tank 3 Pro is definitely one of the most interesting of the bunch, though.

For starters, the phone comes with a massive 23,800mAh battery. That is more than most portable battery packs have! And the manufacturer even saved room for something else. Get this: the phone comes with an integrated projector. It’s not the brightest, but 100 lumens is still impressive, considering it’s in a phone, and it will do for watching anything in dark environments. Another interesting feature includes the large flashlight in the back.

It’s also not a bad phone otherwise, especially considering the $750 price point. Specs include a 120Hz 6.79-inch Full HD+ screen, a MediaTek Dimensity 8200 processor, 16-18GB of RAM, super fast 120W fast charging, and Android 13.

Ulefone Armor 27T Pro: Good specs, thermal imaging, and even night vision support

Ulefone is known for being a bold manufacturer and taking risks others wouldn’t. The Ulefone Armor 27T Pro is proof of this. This device has some really unique features for those who need a handy companion for adventures, as it comes with both thermal imaging powered by Flir and even night vision support.

Other specs are pretty nice, too. Especially the sizeable 10,600mAh battery. You can charge it using 33W wired charging, which isn’t impressive, but we were more surprised by the 30W max wireless charging, which is hard to find even in flagship Android phones.

It also features a MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor, 12GB of RAM, and a 6.78-inch Full HD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Considering the $600 retail price point, it’s not a bad deal.

Cat S22 Flip: It’s a flip phone!

It’s a flip phone! Need we say more? And it actually runs Android 11, but it’s the Go Edition. The only real downside is that it launched as a T-Mobile exclusive, but it is now older, and you can find plenty of unlocked devices out there. And it helps that it is very cheap now. You can always find it for well under $100 these days.

The phone features IP68 and MIL-STD-810H certifications. Otherwise, it’s a pretty basic phone focusing mainly on design. Specs include a Snapdragon 215 chipset, 2GB of RAM, and a small 2,000mAh battery. The display is also tiny at 2.8 inches.

Motorola ThinkPhone: A high-end experience on a rugged phone

The Motorola ThinkPhone is special. It comes with much more mainstream specs when compared to other devices on this list, but it is mighty expensive, and we don’t think it offers as much value as it costs. At least, that should be the case for most users. It’s not really made to be a rugged device, anyway. It just has rugged capabilities.

It’s made to be more of a business phone, as opposed to a rugged handset. You can definitely tell this by the look of the phone. It highly resembles Lenovo’s ThinkPad look. It’s pretty slim at just 8.2mm of thickness, and it doesn’t look like an indestructible beast. That said, it was granted the MIL-STD-810H and IP68 ratings. Theoretically, it should handle torture as much as the best on this list. Looking at it, though, we’re just unsure if it actually can in practice. We’re sure the fancy aramid fiber, Gorilla Glass Victus, and aircraft-grade aluminum help.

The performance should be excellent, though. The device has a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor, 8-12GB of RAM, a pretty nice 6.6-inch P-OLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate, a triple-camera system, and a sizeable 5,000mAh battery.

You may not be happy with what the best rugged phones offer in terms of performance, features, and specs. These can be underpowered and have an overall lacking experience in comparison. The best way to get the best of both worlds is to find one of the best Android phones available and throw one of the best rugged cases on it.