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Pros
- Half the weight of the Turtlebox original (3rd gen)
- impressively loud with strong bass
- Waterproof/ dustproof rugged design
- USB-C charging
- Battery life up to 14 hours
- Built-in mic for speakerphone capabilities
Cons
- Fairly pricey
- No companion app
- No sound modes or equalizer options
Turtlebox’s new-for-2026 Cub Bluetooth speaker is essentially a shrunken-down version of the company’s Original speaker ($430), which is now on its third generation. While the Cub doesn’t play quite as loud as that speaker, I was impressed by how loud it does play for its size, with relatively clean, detailed audio, strong bass performance and slightly forward but clear-sounding mids, where voices live. Though it’s pretty pricey at $330, its rugged design makes it an appealing choice for outdoor enthusiasts.
Read more: Best Bluetooth Speaker of 2026
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The Turtlebox Cub (left) is about half the size and weight of the Original and costs $100 less.
Available in four colors at launch (white, gray, tan and orange), the 5.3-pound Cub is extremely durable, like all Turtlebox speakers. It’s fully waterproof (IP67), floats and, despite not offering the same rich, powerful sound or battery life as the larger, 10-pound original, has key advantages, including its more compact size. That makes it easier to carry around and pack in a bag or backpack. I also appreciate that it has USB-C charging instead of the AC adapter that the original speaker requires for charging.
Equipped with Bluetooth 5.4, you can pair it with another Cub to create a stereo pair, or you can link the speaker with other Turtlebox Cubs, Rangers, Gen 3’s and Grandes in party mode. Since there’s no Turtlebox companion app for its speaker, you do the linking and pairing with buttons on the speaker. Alas, there are no EQ settings, so you can’t tweak the sound profile, but the default sound profile is just fine and works particularly well for outdoor listening.
The Cub by the pool.
True to Turtlebox’s roots as a boating Bluetooth speaker, the Cub has a tie-down anchor on each side, and it can also be stood up vertically or laid down horizontally with the driver firing straight up. For those comparing the Cub to the even more compact Ranger (read my full review), the Cub definitely plays louder and offers bigger sound. But the Ranger’s smaller size and built-in magnets will appeal to those looking for a more compact speaker that can be stuck to metal objects, like the strut of a golf cart.
Why the Turtlebox Cub stands out among the competition
There are plenty of good-sounding Bluetooth speakers in the $250-$350 price range. The Bose Soundlink Max, which I awarded a CNET Editors’ Choice Award, lists for $399 but gets discounted fairly regularly to less than $350. I like the Marshall Middleton 2 (around $300) and Sony ULT Field 5, too, which also received a CNET Editors’ Choice and lists for $350 but sometimes sells for less than $200. And for those looking for a more affordable mini Bluetooth boom box option, Anker’s Soundcore Boom 2 remains a great choice for around $100, though its build quality is clearly a step below the aforementioned models.
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The speaker has anchors on the sides so you can strap it down.
Where the Turtlebox Cub stands out is in its durability and outdoor-friendly design, even though all of the speakers I’ve mentioned are fully waterproof. While it performs just fine indoors, its blue-collar, lunchbox vibe isn’t a great match for certain home styles, if you care about that sort of thing. That said, it would fit in quite well in a garage or workshop.
The Cub looks and feels like one of those speakers you don’t have to worry will get messed up outside, wherever you take it. While it doesn’t necessarily sound any better from a critical listening standpoint from the aforementioned competition (these are basically mono speakers after all), it plays loud, and that’s definitely a plus if you’re using it on a moving boat or dealing with other ambient noise.
It’s a fairly aggressive-sounding speaker that delivers punchy, full-bodied bass and offers decent clarity. As I said, the mids are a bit forward, so you really hear vocals. Battery life is also decent, though not exceptionally good, at around 14 hours at moderate volumes and roughly five hours at full volume. You can experience slight distortion at higher volumes with certain tracks, so I generally kept the volume in the 40%-70% range.
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The speaker in orange.
Turtlebox Cub final thoughts
While the Turtlebox Cub is missing sound customization options and doesn’t have any of the flashy party lighting found in some boom box-style speakers, it’s a rugged Bluetooth speaker that’s easy to carry around, weighing 50% less than the Turtlebox Original. Yes, it’s pretty pricey, but if durability is a priority — and the speaker makes sense for your use case scenario — it’s worth the cost.
