When you travel a lot, the one thing you’re conscious of most is space, because there’s never have enough room to pack in everything you need. So when you find a gadget that combines several functions in one, and also does it quite well, you tend to take notice. Which is why we decided to take a close look at a small rugged portable speaker which does a lot more than you’d expect for the money.

Just because you’re traveling doesn’t mean you are not in the mood to boogie. The Braven 625s Portable Speaker impresses us because it will let you rock out in a variety of places…in a hotel room, on the beach, or on the trail…while at the same time offering much more than you’d expect from a speaker unit.

Let’s face it, there are plenty of Bluetooth speakers out there, some would say too many. However this one is more like an all-in-one travel buddy. In addition to doing the basic boogie-ing (if that is a word) it also serves as a 1700mAh power supply and also comes with a slot in flashlight attachment. Think of it as the Swiss Army knife for us tech nerds.

It is one thing to be a digital Swiss Army knife, but what is important is that it performs the functions to an acceptable level. Take a look at my video review to see if it does the job.

So let’s review by feature –

* As a Bluetooth speaker – not bad… not bad at all. The Braven 625S has a very clean sound with only slight distortion on bass lines when played at top volumes. The biggest drawback is that the twin 3 Watt speakers are not neighbor-waking powerful. While there is enough sound volume to fill an average sized room it will never be confused with a home stereo.

* As a flashlight – The LED light works much better than expected. It is bright enough to light an area of about 20 feet (6 meters). You won’t buy a Braven 625s to act as your main flashlight, but on the trail, in the tent or a dimly lit hotel room it will serve you well.

* As a power supply – 1700mAh offers roughly the same amount of charge as the typical battery powered iPhone case. I wouldn’t call it a massive workhorse of power, but it will charge up a large number of devices and could come in very handy in an emergency.

* As a speakerphone – The internal mic and speakers combine with the Bluetooth to make for a very competent hands-free speakerphone. If you do a lot of calling on the move, this could be the deal clincher for your backpack.

So is the Brave 625s the world’s best Bluetooth speaker (if such a device exists)? No. However, it does offer a great combination of size and functionality which may make it the world’s best travel buddy. Priced at $149.99.