The 9 Best Speakers For Tailgating

Built for a group gathered around one tailgate, the JBL PartyBox Encore Essential 2 pairs deep, punchy bass with a glowing light ring and a jack for a microphone or guitar. It runs about 15 hours on a charge at moderate volume, and a top handle makes it a one-hand carry from the trunk. It can link with other recent JBL speakers for wider sound. It handles splashes, not steady rain, so keep a towel or canopy handy.

If the forecast looks shaky, the JBL Boombox 4 is sealed against dust and water and can survive a dunk. It plays loud without straining at the top of the dial, and JBL rates the battery at more than a day of play, with a boost mode that adds a few hours. The sound fires forward, so aim it at the crowd. It's a heavy, awkward carry across a big lot.

Big bass at a fair price is the pitch for the Tribit StormBox Blast 2, and reviewers back it up: it shakes a parking lot and runs about 30 hours on a charge. A jack for a karaoke mic and light strips along the sides add to the party. It survives a dunk once the rubber cover on the back is shut. Push it to full volume and the sound loses detail.

When the crowd spreads past one car, the JBL PartyBox Club 120 steps in, pairing a bright light show with inputs for a mic or guitar. Its battery slides out, so a charged spare can carry a long game day. The handle folds flat for packing in a trunk. Each battery is rated for about 12 hours, and there are no wheels, so it's a two-hand lift across the lot.

For fans who want clear vocals more than chest-thumping bass, the Bose SoundLink Max plays loud with little strain, a result RTINGS confirmed in its lab. It survives a dunk, swings from a rope handle and can top up a phone. The battery is rated for about 20 hours. It suits a circle of friends rather than a whole lot, and it has no lights or mic jack.

Rolling a big sound system from the car to the party spot is the job of the JBL PartyBox Stage 320, which has a pull-up handle and wide wheels that cope with grass and gravel. It stays clean at high volume, takes a mic or a guitar, and its battery swaps out. Rated playtime is about 18 hours. It only shrugs off splashes, and it's heavy to lift into a trunk.

Tailgaters who stay through the postgame get the most from the Sony ULT Field 7, which is rated for about 30 hours and survives rain, sand and a spill. A bass button deepens the low end, and party lights and a mic jack come built in. Turning on the lights and the bass mode drains the battery much faster, and the bass settings add less punch than you might hope.

The ION Block Rocker is a rolling, all-in-one setup at a modest price, with a corded mic, FM radio and a phone charging port built in. Its battery is rated for about 35 hours at moderate levels, so it can run a doubleheader. Wheels and grab handles help on pavement, but the wheels are small and bog down in grass. Near the top of the volume dial, the sound starts to break up.

For a small group and a tight budget, the W-KING D8 puts out more bass than its price suggests and survives a dunk in a cooler of ice water. A strap lets you sling it over a shoulder, it can charge a phone, and a pair can link for stereo. The sound is punchy rather than detailed, and battery life falls well short of the claim when it's turned up.