Last weekend, I brought Anker’s Soundcore Boom 2 speaker upstate for my family’s annual “Cousins Weekend,” where 15 of my cousins and I spent the weekend in the Adirondacks relaxing on the beach and playing basketball. Of course, we needed a loud speaker for the occasion, so I decided to put the Boom 2 to the test. Needless to say, I think I have found my new favorite summer speaker.

We first used the Boom 2 to play the soundtrack for our three-versus-three basketball tournament, blasting a mix of Charli XCX, Fred Again, Chappell Roan, and Taylor Swift. Anker’s latest speaker easily filled the outdoor basketball court with booming bass, leaving all of my cousins asking where they could buy the Boom 2 themselves. After the tournament, I took the speaker to the beach, where it was tested against roaring waves, the sound of seagulls, and my family’s shouting as they argued over the rules of Monopoly. Despite all the outside noise, the crisp sound of the Boom 2 could still be heard.

It wasn’t just the speaker’s volume that impressed me the most, but also the lightweight and battery life. After only two hours of being charged, the speaker stayed alive for nearly the whole weekend. If you’ve been looking to buy a new speaker for late-summer beach parties or fall tailgates, here’s my full review of Anker’s Soundcore Boom 2.

Price, availability, specs

Anker’s Soundcore Boom 2 speaker is widely available and relatively affordable. The speaker can be bought on the Soundcore website or Amazon for $129, however, I’ve seen it as low as $99 on Amazon.

What I liked about the Anker Soundcore Boom 2

Lightweight, impressive sound, and long battery life

The Soundcore Boom 2 speaker surprised me in several ways, from the small details of the light-up speaker to the obvious fantastic sound. From a purely practical standpoint, the handle on top makes it easy to carry. On the aesthetic side, when playing any bass-heavy music, the sides of the speaker light up in sync with the bass, which adds a fun touch to any nighttime event. Shoppers can choose between three colors: explorer blue, adventure green, and phantom black. Plus, the speaker is water-resistant, making it a beach necessity.

Aesthetics aside, the first thing I loved about the Boom 2 is its lightweight. Weighing only a little over three pounds, the speaker is almost a full two pounds lighter than Bose’s SoundLink Max , which I’ve been using. The lightweight meant no one complained that they had to carry the speaker around; I happily walked a mile carrying the Boom 2 from the basketball court to the beach.

Of course, the most impressive aspect of the Boom 2 is the sound quality. According to Soundcore’s website, the speaker boosts volume to 140W and enhances bass by 1.6X. The improvements are noticeable. There was no need to turn the volume up any louder than halfway, even when we were playing basketball outside. The bassline and drums were palpable as we played our iconic “Brat Summer” playlist.

To top it all off, the Boom 2’s battery lasted almost the whole weekend. There’s nothing worse than having a speaker randomly die in the middle of a party, but that’s not a concern of mine with this speaker. The Boom 2 has over 20 hours of battery life from a single charge, and with its fast charging capabilities, it won’t take long to repower.

What I didn’t like about the Anker Soundcore Boom 2

Size and streamlined features might not be for everyone

Truthfully, I was hard-pressed to find any negative aspects of the Boom 2. The speaker is great value for the price, but if you’re after fancier features then you may want to look elsewhere. The Boom 2 allows you to adjust some aspects of the bass, but you won’t get the customization you can get on bigger speakers. If you’re looking for a more discreet speaker that you can easily fit into a bag and bring with you on the go, you may also want to go with a smaller speaker. The Boom 2 is lightweight, but it takes up quite a bit of space, and won’t easily fit into any smaller backpack.

Should you buy the Anker Soundcore Boom 2?

Overall, I highly recommend Anker’s Soundcore Boom 2 speaker. The price, sound, battery life, and weight make it the best option for a new summer speaker. I will definitely be bringing this speaker to more beach days and backyard get-togethers.