With Summer just around the corner and the desire to take our laptops alfresco soon upon us, we thought it might be sensible to pick up a storage device that can rough-it a bit and still keep on truckin’. So we’ve rounded up 5 consumer-level rugged external hard-drives for your considered perusal.
Lacie Rugged XL 1TB
First up is the Lacie Rugged XL which happens to be largest and newest drive on our list, as well as being the most striking.
The RuggedXL 1TB is an aluminium drive encased in a thick orange rubber sleeve that’s clearly designed with resilience in mind. The existing Lacie Rugged range is known for its internal bumper and heat dissipation systems to help protect from damage, and therefore costly data losses, but this new device takes personal storage to a different level even if it does "look like a pop stage for Fraggles", in the words of one of my fellow journos. Think standard Lacie Rugged but supersized, in every sense.
As well as featuring more storage space than you can shake a stick at the XL will also come packing the choice of both hi-speed USB or a zippy 3Gb/s eSATA connections meaning that getting data on and off the device should be a swift affair.
The drive is compatible with both Macs and PCs and will run to £159.99 inc VAT from the official UK Lacie site.
Buffalo MiniStation TurboUSB
The second item on our list is the Buffalo MiniStation TurboUSB drive which is quite a departure form the RuggedXL above.
The Buffalo device measures just W131xH83xD22 and weighs in at 190grams, that’s the same as 2 Sony Ericsson K770i mobiles. As the name implies this drive comes with a USB (2.0/1.1) connection that provides a maximum data transfer rate of 480Mbps, and also powers the device – meaning that lugging around a power pack wont be necessary.
The Buffalo boasts a "tough armoured shell and shock absorbant inner floating structure" to take the worst of the abuse and provide protection for data when it simply has to be taken with you.
It comes in 160GB-500GB varieties and will work with Mac and PC computers, it even comes with Firefox and Thunderbird software preloaded. You can pick up the 320GB version for £82.35 from Zoodex.
Transcend StoreJet 25 Mobile 
Third-up is another 2.5-inch model in the shape of the Transcend StoreJet 25 Mobile.
This little device comes in 80, 160, 320 & 500GB versions but still manages to weigh in at a respectable 206grams.
As with the Buffalo there’s only USB 2.0 here, no eSata or Firewire options. We’re assured that the StoreJet 25 meets strict military drop-test specifications thanks to dual-stage anti-shock technology, whatever that means specifically, we’re imagining that it should be able to take a little bump now and again.
Like it’s counterparts the Transcend is compatible with Apple and Windows operating systems, and you can pick up the 500GB version for £106.32 inc VAT from Stuff-UK.net. Alternatively if you don’t need that much space you can snap up a bargain 320GB version of this most hardy hard-drive for just £58.72 inc VAT from Digital Fusion.co.uk.
Freecom ToughDrive Sport
The Freecom ToughDrive Sport claims to be the "toughest and sportiest drive there is!", like some of the others here it comes with the top-end gubbins such as 256 bit password-protection, is USB-powered and works on Windows and OSX. If you’re running it on Windows you can make use of the Turbo USB drivers which promise speed increases of 30% over standard 480Mbps USB 2.0 specifications.
The drive itself has a portability-orientated design which means it features an integrated "climbing rope texture" USB cable and a handy loop which allows it to be attached to bags or belts at your will.
The protection for the drive is dual-fold; the casing is hardened plastic with a silicon coating and the internal disk itself is mounted inside a silicon shock-absorber to allow the ToughDrive Sport to withstand drops of up to 2 metres.
You can pick up the ToughDrive Sport 500GB version for £149.48 inc VAT from Dabs.com
Iomega eGo Portable BlackBelt 250GB
Unlike our other contenders, the Iomega eGo Portable BlackBelt comes in just one size -250GB and weighs in a little heavier than some, at 220 grams. It does however come with the usual USB 2.0 connection that provides power to the device and a data transfer rate of up to 480Mbps.
Protection of your precious data comes from the ‘Iomega Drop Guardâ„¢ Xtreme’ feature whch protects the drive from drops of up to 7 feet. On closer inspection this largely seems to consist of the ‘Power Grip’ band which is made of knobbly rubber and encases the drive when attached.
You can pick up the Iomega eGo Portable BlackBelt 250GB hard-drive for £78.20 inc VAT and shipping from Dell.co.uk
2 thoughts on “5 External hard-drives that can take a bashing”
In past time we worked manually and use very much stationary and it very difficult to manage or finding any data but computer solve every problem you can get a external hard drive and can travel your data anywhere safely and lightly it great achievement for world
It is great device In past time we worked manually and use very much stationary and it very difficult to manage or finding any data but computer solve every problem you can get a external hard drive and can travel your data anywhere safely and lightly it great achievement for world