I don’t think we have ever come across something as tough and rugged as this. The new ioSafe Solo external hard drives are not only just waterproof (something that many external HDDs are now claiming to be able to do) but also fire proof! If you’ve ever lost photos or videos from a defective memory card, you will know what that aching feeling is like.

Say you had some confidential data or valuble photos / videos that you want to keep safe but you’re worried about when your old PC hard drive might suddenly just not boot up again – in this case you might just consider any branded external HDD, however the problem with these are that they’re not safe from physical abuse, in other words disaster protection. This is where the Solo excels above others we’ve seen in the past.

Available in 500GB – 1.5TB capacities, Solo works just like any external HDD by connecting via USB and supports Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. What makes it unique is that it is proper disaster proof. Fire proof up to 1550F for as long as half an hour and flood protected for up to 10 feet in depth for three days. Additionally, the Solo also boasts theft protection, cable locks or floor mounts are optional. At the moment ioSafe is offering $1,000 data disaster recovery guarantee (on the basis of a one time, no questions asked policy), there is also a three year standard manufacturer’s warranty for defects.

Measuring in at just 5.0″W x 7.1″H x 11.0″L and 15 lbs in weight, we don’t think we have ever come across a desktop backup solution as well equipped and as secure as this. Pricing which starts at just $150 definitely makes it a highly competitive desktop protection hardware worth considering.

For those interested, we have also attached a short clip below demonstrating the ruggedness of the Solo external drive in action!