Sonim XP3

[Cyberfly]

Anybody got experience with one of these phones?
I'm thinking of picking one up to replace my Tundra. I've loved the Tundra since it came out. In fact, I'm on my second one. I've tried smart phones, but it didn't take. I've tried other tough phones, but I didn't care for the Rugby. It seems that the hinge is the weak point in the Tundra and so I went searching for someting that had a bit more water resistance and since the Sonim is a candybar style, there is no hinge to worry about.
UK versions are pricey, but US versions are a lot more reasonable. Found a few locally and some on ebay. Not sure yet if I'll go with a slightly used or new one yet. I'm not choosy so if a used one wasn't abused, I think I could be happy with it, if its all it's advertised to be.
But I thought I'd ask if anybody here had real world experience with one.
One doesn't know if:
Are there issues with the speakers if the phone is submerged.
Can it actually handle being submerged regularly or is it simply designed to 'withstand' it should it happen accidentally.
I'm getting older and my hearing isn't what it used to be, is it easy to hear out of?
Keys are big enough and far enough apart for thick fingers to easily operate.
Things of that nature...
Any input would be truly appreciated.

[smpsmp]

Wish I could help fly. I had a tundra before and managed to break it, and yep broke at the hinge. But it was my fault, I flipped the phone open to answer a call, and was in a fairly salty mood at the moment. Phone still worked, but would just flop open.

I'm going to give the Rugby Smart a try next here since my current phone is on its last leg, but have an extreme hatred of touch screens so this is going to take sometime to get used to. But I do use my current phone for email quite a bit, so need to keep with a smartphone for now anyway.

One day I'll have a sonim, when I no longer need to check emails regularly.

[Esteves]

Looks like a nice phone. I have a tundra too, after the kidlet dropped the treo in the sink.

I've been pondering how to make an iPhone ruggeder, but haven't put that much think into it yet

[Cyberfly]

My first Tundra bit it due to similar circumstances. I had a ministroke when I was in the Navy and now my left hand is sort of numb. Anyway, I answered the phone with my left hand and dropped it face down. Bad ju-ju. Broke the hinge and made it a flip-flop phone. Still worked great, but sometimes I'd go to answer it and it would barely open and then close, hanging up on whoever calling.
I got this one used from an AT&T store about a year ago for C-note and its been a great phone.
I really considered the Ruby Smart, but I can't bring myself to add the data plan. If AT&T would let me pay as I go, then I would.
Mrs. Fly has an Otter box for her iPhone, then she got the LG Nitro and got a dual layer ballistic case, but it was just too bulky. She ended up going with just a snap on cover for it.
I saw this phone once when I ran into an old buddy from way back in the day. We had a mutual friend who was SAS and he told him about it. I'm guessing it originated in the UK?? Anyway, he had the Land Rover edition and thought the world of it. Basic phone for people who have basic needs, but it's supposed to be darn near bullet proof.
I just wanted to see if anybody else had hands on experience.
I can find complaints online, but considering that 95% of them are pay as you go users and they all have their own software that they install, I'm not so sure that's the phones fault.

[romer522]

Casio makes some impressively rugged phones....... You should see how beat up some of ours have gotten and still work just fine.

[jmz5]

I treat my iPhone better than a newborn baby.

[Rapier1772]

I treat my iPhone better than a newborn baby.

If you can't shake or drop your phone w/out fear of killing it, then it ain't worth having :p

[smpsmp]

I did a little digging for you fly, and a friend of mine has a sonim. He told he's abused the piss out of the thing. Ex: dropped it into a five gallon bucket of water, still worked. Dropped it into the river twice, still worked. Hit it with a golf club, still worked. Basically it's been bomb proof for him, and it has a ridiculous battery life.

The Tundra is actually waterproof as well. I tried it on mine, and it worked (I was curious). And the only reason I'm going with the Rugby Smart is because I get reimbursed for call/data plan, but I still have to put out the money for the phone itself.

[Cyberfly]

The Tundra is water 'resistant'. I dropped mine in a sink of dishwater and fished it out. The speaker didn't work so great until I set it in the window for a few days and let the sun dry it out real good. Maybe you had better luck with yours than I did. The internals didn't get wet and the little sticker that changes colors on you when it gets water damage didn't change colors, but I was just ready for a change and thought the Sonim might be a good one for me.
I found a used one on ebay for $130 an free shipping. It's only a year and a half old, still has a year and a half warranty on it, but I'm not sure if I should pull the trigger or not. I've tried other phones and still ended up going back to my Tundra. I gave away two first gen Rugby's because I just couldn't get used to them.