Kyocera Brigadier

“Despite ho-hum specs and a rather disappointing camera, I'm still enamored by the Kyocera Brigadier. It's a rare worry-free piece of kit, and that alone can be quite liberating for something as essential as a smartphone. The Brigadier is a beast in the best way possible, nearly impervious to anything you can throw its way and far more durable than the ruggedized Samsung Galaxy S5 Active (an AT&T exclusive). And aside from the aforementioned Galaxy, most rugged devices, like the Casio G'zOne Commando, have even more modest specs than the Brigadier. Kyocera pulled off quite a coup by introducing the first mainstream sapphire-clad display, and it pays off here.”

“Not surprisingly, Kyocera excels at what it does best – making ruggedized phones that are meant to withstand all that life has to throw at us. With the Kyocera Brigadier, they’ve made the proper enhancements to make its offering suitable for the hardened user. Indeed, it’s one solid phone that’s nearly indestructible, enhanced further with the addition of Sapphire Shield glass to protect its display. Still, at the end of the day, it’s still a phone that largely targets one specific demographic, due to its rugged look.Flaunting a price of $49.99 with a 2-year contract through Big Red, it’s a great offering if you’re in the market for a ruggedized smartphone. In contrast, though, its $399.99 outright cost is rather steep. Looking solely at the ruggedized smartphone space, it’s no doubt a cut above the rest, but it doesn’t have the commanding authority to topple some of the generals in the smartphone universe.”

“It’s neither the slimmest nor the sexiest device out there, but the Kyocera Brigadier offers lots of extra value for its relatively moderate bulk. It’s not that much larger or heavier than a slightly older phone like the Motorola Droid MAXX, which offers similar battery capacity isn’t nearly as durable. Although it’s more expensive than comparable mid-range devices, it gives you the comfort of knowing that you’ll never have to pay for any future damages. All in all, even if you’re not out in the muck every day or working around smartphone-crunching objects, a phone like the Brigadier will keep your stuff safe and sound for years to come.”

“Like most heavily ruggedized phones, the Brigadier is a hyper-specific smartphone that caters to a small subset of users. Nonetheless, the mid-range phone performs well, has a battery that will easily last you all day, and is very affordable. Plus, you'll get a Sapphire Shield display and Qi-Wireless charging, which are pretty sweet features to have in a mid-range smartphone.Given that there aren't many rugged smartphones out there, if you're on Verizon Wireless and need a phone that can take a beating, the Brigadier most definitely gets the job done.”