LAND ROVER EXPLORE OUTDOOR PHONE £599

USED BY Graham Thompson, gear editor and phone fuddy-duddy USED FOR 6 months

This phone brought me into the 21st century. I had been clinging to my ancient Samsung C3350 for years and felt its ability to send a text, make calls and have a battery that lasted for weeks was all I required. But the Explore Outdoor Phone gives me a massive 11x6cm screen, which is bigger than my favourite Satmap GPS receiver. The Viewranger software (already installed) looks amazing and is easy to use for navigation. Its durability is a step up from any standard phone too, thanks to it being able to withstand immersion in 1m of water for 30 minutes, keep functioning at -30°C and withstand knocks thanks to Gorilla glass and a rubber housing. The touchscreen design also works when wet, which is ideal for hillwalking.

There are some drawbacks, though, as the basic phone is

232g and 14mm thick, which is chunkier than others, and if you add the Adventure Pack, which magnetises itself to the back of the phone, the weight is 404g and thickness 28mm. But with this pack fitted you get double the battery capacity, so this lasts a couple of days with ease and longer if you are careful.

The camera is a bit basic compared to some phones, but this is not an issue for me, and it is fine for basic images of a trip that you might want to post on Facebook. Hillwalkers will have no need to take an additional GPS receiver, but non-hillgoers may feel it is not quite slick enough.

I liked it so much I bought one... so I guess I’ll have to look into internet banking next!

VERDICT

A rugged pho■e that performs o■ the hi●●s whe■ others strugg●e, but betwee■ outdoor adve■tures you may sti●● va●ue your s●eek city pho■e.