The Braven BRV-1: The Bikepacker’s Portable Speaker

Though we frequently concentrate on the journey and the gear and bikes we use for it, oftentimes the destination excites me too.  I really look forward to camp at the end of a good day of pedaling.  I enjoy arriving early with plenty of time to relax.  I don’t mind a little extra weight on the bike for a few small non-essential things that make camp so much more fun. One item that I definitely don’t mind the small weight and space penalty of is the Braven BRV-1 portable speaker.  At just 12 ounces it’s quite light, and measuring  4.75”x3.25”x2.25” it won’t take a lot of room either. This small package packs a lot of sound.  In fact it was the sound of the Braven that first drew me to it when I was shopping for a portable speaker for around the house, not necessarily around camp.  I listened to just about every portable speaker in Best Buy and even those that cost 2 and 3 times as much didn’t sound as good as the BRV-1.  The BRV-1 purely on its sonic merits is a lot of speaker for the $99.99 suggested retail. Add in the ruggedness and bikepacking friendliness of this speaker, and it was clearly the best choice of all the options.  The Braven BRV-1 is not just water resistant.  It has obtained the IPX7 Waterproof rating.  Rain showers and spilt bottles are no concern, and Braven even says that the BRV-1 can be fully submersed in up to 1 meter (3.3 feet) of water for 30 minutes.  The rubberized exterior not only helps sweaty hands grip the speaker, it also makes the speaker shockproof should it slip through your fingers.  So go ahead, play rough.  Toss it in a seat bag or backpack and don’t worry about the jars from the trail destroying the speaker. Another feature of the BRV-1 that makes it seems much less extraneous is the battery.  The 1400mAh rechargeable battery will power the speaker for up to 12 hours.  I have personally tested it to about 10.  But what really makes the Braven quite handy from a bikepacking standpoint is the fact that the battery of the speaker can also be used to charge your other devices.  Suddenly it’s a lot easier to justify the slight extra weight and space of Braven. The Braven BRV-1 can play over Bluetooth or through a speaker cable.  The Bluetooth is stated to have a 33 foot range, and it plays uninterrupted through walls and across the house. The Braven BRV-1 is well worth the cost and extra space in a bag.  Its great sound alone is enough for me to recommend this speaker, but its ruggedness, compact size, battery life, and its ability to charge other devices mean I can definitely say it’s the perfect speaker for us bikepackers.