Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

The Speaqua Barnacle Pro 2.0 waterproof speaker is perfect for pickleball

Speaqua Barnacle Pro 2.0 Bluetooth speaker
Yep, that’s a speaker attached to that net. Speaqua

Do you love to play Pickleball, or know someone who does? The newest, trendiest sport now has a tech companion in the Speaqua Pickleball Barnacle Pro 2.0 waterproof speaker.

What makes this miniature speaker designed specifically for listening to tunes while playing Pickleball? Technically, it isn’t. But the clever marketing suggests a few features that make it ideal for use on the court while you’re playing a heated match of that game, or similar ones like tennis.

First, there’s an integrated carabiner clip and universal mounting system that makes it easy to attach to the corner of a net, bag, or other surface. It also comes with a GoPro mount adapter if you want great sound to accompany your action videos. The removable industrial-strength suction cup can adhere to a variety of surfaces, from paddle boards to shower tiles for listening to tunes during your post-workout shower session, too.

Second: It’s housed in a rugged, shockproof chassis that’s rated IP68 for resistance against both water and dust. In fact, because of its waterproof rating and spherical design, this waterproof speaker can even float, making the speaker a great option to use at the beach, by (or in) the pool, or while engaging in other water-related activities.

Speaqua Barnacle 2.0 waterproof speaker
Its customized sound profiles are designed to enhance sound based on your music preferences, and it offers EQ settings optimized for both indoor and outdoor listening. There’s also the option for dual-speaker pairing so you can get more immersive stereo sound. Set one up at each side of the court so both players can enjoy the best experience possible. Once you’re done putting in your active minutes for the day, keep the audio going by taking it home and using it in your office as a deskside speaker, or even a speakerphone.

Finally, the internal memory can accommodate up to 2,000 songs, so you don’t have to worry about connecting your mobile device to stream. This avoids draining its battery and leaving your precious phone out in the sun. Play your game, then get on with your day with your phone safely tucked away in your bag and at full charge. The speaker does offer a Bluetooth connectivity option, if preferred, for streaming. Connect it to your mobile device and listen to music, a podcast, game commentary, even live coaching. The speaker itself boasts an eight-hour battery life, enough for a week’s worth of pickleball sessions or more.

Speaqua Barnacle 2.0 waterproof speaker
Speaqua

So, while the Pickleball Barnacle Pro 2.0 is merely inspired by the popular game, it’s just a standard waterproof Bluetooth speaker with built-in memory and custom audio modes like any other. But if you’re looking for a speaker to bring on the court with you, you might love this option and its matching namesake.

At just $70 and available in a wide variety of colors, the Speaqua Pickleball Barnacle Pro 2.0 is the perfect Father’s Day gift for a dad you know who loves to spend time on the court or enjoys outdoor activities and adventures.

The Pickleball Speaker
Christine Persaud
Christine has decades of experience in trade and consumer journalism. While she started her career writing exclusively about…
Bose SoundLink Flex is a waterproof speaker that knows what’s up
Bose SoundLink Flex Bluetooth speaker in blue.

Bose has introduced the latest member of its SoundLink family of Bluetooth speakers and headphones, the $149 SoundLink Flex. It's available starting October 13 at Bose.com and other retailers in three colors: Black, white, or blue.

The SoundLink Flex's IP67 rating for water and dust resistance makes it a pretty good pool and beach companion, and should it actually go for a kerplunk, it will float back to the surface of the water so you don't need to grab a mask and snorkel to retrieve it.

Read more
The Sonos Roam just put all other portable speakers on notice
Sonos Roam

Sonos has just taken the wraps off its second portable speaker, the $169 Sonos Roam, which will be available in black or white when it hits retailers starting April 20, 2021. We had been expecting Sonos to deliver a mini version of its $399 Sonos Move, but thanks to better protection from the elements and wireless charging, the Roam is much more than a scaled-down Move. Here are all of the details.

Super small
We were impressed by the power and sound quality that Sonos had managed to pack into a rugged speaker like the Sonos Move, but our chief criticism was that despite being billed as portable, it was simply too big and heavy to be a true alternative to popular portable models like the UE Megaboom. The Sonos Roam, on the other hand, is ultraportable. At just under one pound and standing only 6.6 inches tall, the Roam is smaller and lighter than the $150 UE Boom 3.

Read more
Sonos likely planning a smaller, cheaper Move portable speaker
Sonos Move outdoors on a picnic bench.

The Sonos Move is an excellent portable speaker, and so far, it's the only Sonos model that sports the versatility of a Bluetooth connection. But if a recently spotted FCC filing is any indication, we could soon see a much smaller, and possibly less expensive edition of the Sonos Move -- a Move Mini, perhaps.

As The Verge points out, the drawing contained in the FCC documents clearly illustrate a device with its own wireless charging cradle (a design that is similar to the existing Move) but that also has a round, cylindrical shape.

Read more