The ION Tailgater Tough is a portable Bluetooth party speaker with a rugged, boxy design for outdoor adventures. It has rubber guards on each corner for impact protection and a handle cutout where backlit buttons are protected from most falls. With an IPX5 rating for water resistance and a large rubber flap covering its ports, it has some protection from the elements, too. This compact speaker features FM radio and input ports for a mic or instrument, so it can handle everything from a road trip to a round of karaoke.
Our Verdict
The ION Tailgater Tough is passable for music. It lacks a rumbling low-bass, making it less suitable for genres like EDM and hip-hop, but a boost in the mid-to-high bass adds a punchy character. The mid-range has some narrow peaks and dips that affect the clarity of vocals and lead instruments. Additionally, the treble range lacks extension, making audio sound less bright and crisp. In the companion app, you'll find a graphic EQ and presets as well as 'Indoor,' 'Outdoor,' and 'Party' scenes to help you tweak the sound. Unfortunately, this speaker downmixes stereo content to mono, but the app offers stereo pairing if you have two of these speakers.
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Graphic EQ and presets.
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Supports FM radio.
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Requires a second unit for stereo sound.
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Lacks low-bass.
The ION Tailgater Tough is sub-par for watching movies and videos. It has some unevenness in the mid-range that affects the clarity of dialogue and lacks the rumbling low-bass required to bring action scenes to life. The speaker has to downmix stereo content to mono, making audio seem one-dimensional. While it can reach a decent volume, there's some compression as you turn it up, so you may notice some distortion and loss of detail. Conversely, the Tailgater has impressive Bluetooth latency, so you won't notice lip-synching issues on a paired device. Additionally, it offers a few options for connection: Bluetooth, USB audio, and an AUX input, which is handy.
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Low Bluetooth latency.
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Lacks low-bass.
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Sub-par directivity.
The ION Tailgater Tough is adequate for listening to podcasts. It gets loud enough to fill large rooms with sound and is very portable, so it's easy to bring from room to room as you finish a longer episode. It also has a dedicated podcast EQ setting, which is a nice touch. That said, it's more of a front-facing speaker, so the audio sounds different as you move around the speaker.
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Very portable.
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Sub-par directivity.
The ION Tailgater Tough is not compatible with voice assistants.
The ION Tailgater Tough is alright for outdoor use. With an IPX5 rating for water resistance and a sturdy plastic body with dense rubber accents, it has some protection from the elements and seems fairly tough. It gets loud enough to project audio in an outdoor setting, although there's some compression as you turn up the volume, so you might notice a loss of detail, especially in the bass range. The speaker is quite portable, making it easy to take with you, and it has a long Bluetooth range, so you won't lose connection, even from far away.
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Graphic EQ and presets.
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Outstanding Bluetooth range.
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Lacks low-bass.
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Sub-par directivity.
- 6.4 Music
- 5.8 Videos/Movies
- 6.9 Podcasts
- 2.6 Voice Assistant
- 6.8 Outdoors
- Updated Mar 13, 2025: Review published.
- Updated Mar 03, 2025: Early access published.
- Updated Feb 26, 2025: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Feb 13, 2025: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Jan 28, 2025: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The ION Tailgater Tough only comes in one color variant: black and red, and you can see the label for our unit.
If you encounter another variant, please let us know in the comments so we can update this review.
Compared To Other Speakers
The ION Tailgater Tough is a portable Bluetooth speaker with a rugged design. It's smaller than other speakers from the manufacturer, like the ION Pathfinder 280 and ION Pathfinder 320, which makes it more portable, but also means that it can't reproduce the impressive volume of larger party speakers like the JBL PartyBox 310. Like other outdoor-oriented speakers, the Tailgater has some water resistance. With an IPX5 rating, it can handle spills, splashes from the pool, or a little rain. In contrast, it lacks dustproofing, so you'll want to avoid taking it to the beach or onto a dusty job site. It has a strong plastic exterior with solid rubber accents, giving it a sturdier feel than other party speakers, like the Klipsch GIG XXL. However, it doesn't have a rating for impact resistance and this isn't something we test for. On the speaker's top edges, you'll find metal tie-downs so you can secure it against rough weather or movement. Like other party speakers, the Tailgater offers an input port for a microphone or other instrument, so you can host a round of karaoke or play alongside your favorite tracks. That said, it lacks RGB lights, which many party speakers include.
Make sure to check out our recommendations for the best portable Bluetooth speakers, the best outdoor speakers, and the best speakers for parties.
The JBL PartyBox 110 is a better speaker than the ION Tailgater Tough. Unlike the ION, the JBL doesn't have to downmix stereo content to mono, so the audio sounds more immersive. It also gets louder and has more extension in both the bass and treble ranges, making it a good choice for listening to a variety of music genres. The ION, however, is smaller, making it easier to take on the go. It also has a better Bluetooth performance, with a longer range and lower latency on both iOS and Android devices, so you won't lose connection even when you're far away or experience lip-synching issues when watching videos on a paired phone.
The JBL PartyBox Stage 320 is a better speaker than the ION Tailgater Tough. It has a more balanced frequency response overall with greater extension in both the bass and treble ranges, so it's better suited for listening to a variety of music genres. The JBL also has a better soundstage with less directivity, so music sounds more consistent from various angles, and it can play audio in stereo without downmixing to mono, unlike the ION. It can get louder, too, albeit with some loss of clarity as you crank up the volume. The ION, on the other hand, is more portable, even when considering the JBL's wheels and collapsible handle.
The ION Tailgater Tough and ION Pathfinder 280 are similar speakers with different strengths, but overall, the Pathfinder is a better choice for most uses. It has a slightly more balanced frequency response with a less directive soundstage, meaning audio sounds more consistent from different angles. With a 100 dB maximum volume, the Pathfinder can get much louder than the Tailgater, and its battery lasts significantly longer. Conversely, the Tailgater can produce a bit more low-bass and has better Bluetooth latency with iOS and Android devices, making it a better choice for watching videos on a paired smartphone. It's also smaller and easier to take on the go.
The ION Tailgater Tough and ION Pathfinder 320 are similar speakers, but you may prefer one or the other, depending on your needs. The Tailgater is smaller and more portable, with a slightly more balanced frequency response. It also has lower Bluetooth latency with iOS and Android devices, so it's a better choice for watching movies on a paired phone. The Pathfinder 320, however, gets louder and reproduces more consistent sound from different angles around the speaker. Its controls are also easier to use, and with almost 118 hours of battery life on a single charge, it lasts a lot longer than the Tailgater.
Test Results
The ION Tailgater Tough is a boxy black and red speaker with a simple design that prioritizes utility over style. Its plastic grille prevents large objects from impacting the drivers, but smaller items (like children's fingers or twigs) can still get through. The speaker has rubber feet on each corner, making it suitable for use in any orientation. Its rubberized buttons are backlit, making them easy to use in low light. There are also two metal tie-downs on the speaker's top edges. Unfortunately, this speaker doesn't have any RGB lights.
This speaker is impressively portable. It's more compact than most of the manufacturer's party speakers, making it just two pounds heavier than the ION Pathfinder Go. Its integrated handle with a dense rubber underside makes it easy to carry with one hand. Plus, it's battery-powered, so you don't need to plug it in to use it, which is ideal for listening on the go.
This speaker has a decent build quality. While the plastic it's made of feels low-grade, it's actually fairly solid, and the rubber accents, including the rubber feet on each corner, feel like they could absorb some solid impacts. However, it's not rated for impact resistance and this isn't something we test for. The speaker is rated IPX5 for water resistance, meaning it's protected from direct contact with low-pressure water sources, like rain or a hose. That said, it's not meant to be fully immersed in water or float in the pool. The input ports on its back have added protection from a large rubber flap, too. A set of backlit buttons are tucked beneath the handle cutout, where they're well protected, and the metal tie-downs feel tough, although their surface finish may wear away over time.
This speaker has adequate controls. The backlit buttons are large and clearly marked, making them easy to find and press. They're well-placed, so you can reach them in any orientation. While the primary functions are self-explanatory, the secondary input controls can be tricky.
- Power Button: Double-press to toggle voice prompts on/off.
- Bluetooth Button: Press once for AUX mode, double-press to pair a device, or activate stereo pair mode.
- +/- Buttons: In FM mode, press to seek the next station or hold for the next strong station. In Bluetooth or USB mode, hold - to return to the beginning of the current track, hold + for the next track, or double-press for the previous track.
Unfortunately, you can't use the speaker's buttons to control the volume in FM radio mode, so you either have to set the volume first or use the app. There's also no display to show the current station. On the upside, you can save your favorite stations in the app. See more controls in the user guide.
There are a variety of useful indicators to make navigating the controls easier. You'll hear voice prompts for power on/off and when a device is connected. A five-point LED display indicates the volume level as you change it and the battery level when it's plugged in.
- ION Tailgater Tough speaker
- USB-C to USB-A charging cable (1m / 3.29 ft)
- Quick Start Guide V1.5
The ION Tailgater Tough produces a slightly bass-heavy sound with an uneven response across the range when placed handle-up in 'Indoor' mode with other EQ settings disabled and its drivers pointed toward our mic array. It lacks the deep, rumbling low-bass found in genres like hip-hop and EDM, but a boost in the mid-to-high bass gives the sound a punchy quality. The mid-range response is a bit uneven, with narrow peaks and dips affecting the clarity of dialogue, vocals, and lead instruments. There's also a boost in the high-mids that can make audio sound somewhat nasal or honky. A slight de-emphasis in the low-treble softens the edginess of vocals and harmonics, while a peak in the mid-treble adds a little bit of shrillness. The high-frequency extension begins to roll off in the mid-treble region, imparting a somewhat closed-off sound that lacks sparkle.
Luckily, there are a range of sound customization tools to help you tweak the response to your preference. You can find a 3-band graphic EQ and eight preset EQ settings in the app. With that in mind, several of the presets are pretty similar, so if you want to make a significant change to the sound, you're better off using the graphic EQ. There are also 'Indoor,' 'Outdoor,' and 'Party' EQ scenes, but in our tests, we found that these only affected the volume level. You'll also find that this speaker's sound will change depending on the way you position it.
The ION Tailgater Tough has a poor soundstage. Its front-facing design means that audio sounds different from various angles around the speaker. It also has to downmix stereo content to mono, so music sounds less immersive.
The ION Tailgater Tough has alright dynamics. It gets fairly loud, making it suitable for use in large rooms or smaller outdoor events. However, there's some compression as you turn it up, especially in the bass range, which impacts the clarity of your audio at louder volumes.
While the speaker is advertised to last 10 hours on a single charge, it lasted almost 14 hours in our tests. That said, it takes a while to recharge. To save power, the speaker automatically enters standby mode 15 minutes after audio playback ends. It also doubles as a 2600 mAh power bank, and while that isn't a very large capacity compared to most dedicated battery banks, it's a handy feature.
This speaker doesn't offer voice assistant support.
The ION SOUND CONTROL app is available for iOS and Android. It lets you control most of the speaker's settings and check the battery level from your phone. The app features a 3-band graphic EQ and preset EQ settings so you can adjust the sound to your liking. You'll also find options to control media playback, volume, voice prompts, source selection, and gain for an external microphone so you can create the perfect karaoke mix. The speaker supports FM radio stations from 87.5 to 107.9, and you can save your favorites in the app. If you have a second ION Tailgater Tough, you can also use the app to connect them as a stereo pair. See more in this video of the app.
You can connect a device through the USB or 3.5mm AUX input for audio playback. There is also a 6.35 mm AUX input for connecting a mic or other instruments, which is handy if you want to host a round of karaoke or jam out alongside your favorite tunes. The speaker also doubles as a power bank, so you can use the USB-A port to connect and charge other devices.
This speaker has an impressive Bluetooth performance. It has a long range, so it stays connected even when you're far away. Latency falls within good limits for iOS and Android devices, too, so you can watch videos on a paired device without lip-synching issues. Unfortunately, you can't pair more than one device at a time, which isn't ideal if you want to take turns managing the music at a party.