6 Durable USB Drives for File Transfer or Backup

The need for lots of secure storage is as omnipresent in the digital world as in your every day surroundings. Enter the durable USB drive. Unlike 'floppy disks' of yesteryear, these new super flash based solid state USB drives hold thousands of your files for years at a time without fail.

Here are 6 such drives with various levels of water resistance, shock resistance, and warranty.

LaCie ExtremKey

The latest in a recent series of 'durable USB storage drives' to hit the market (due in August 2010), LaCie ExtremKey is the most rugged to date. A 2mm thick shell composed of a unique metal alloy called zamac makes it almost impenetrable:

• Withstand pressure from a 10 ton truck
• Watertight to 100 meters
• Withstands over 5 meter drops
• Withstands temperatures from 392°F to -58°F (!)

Their claims are backed by military testing: MIL-STD-810F.

Click here to visit their website and watch a test video...

Corsair Voyager and Voyager Mini

Among the first 'durable USB drives', the Voyager (and Voyager Mini) is encased in a rugged rubberized housing making it both water and shock resistant.

Corsair notes their drive has been "baked, frozen, boiled, dropped, and even run over by a SUV" in third party reviews and continues to function.

Click here for their product website...

Patriot Xporter

Not to be outdone, the new Patriot Xporter is a high performance USB drive that is also durable. The housing is water and shock resistant, and the drive is backed by a lifetime warranty.

The Patriot Xporter XT also has among the fastest transfer rates in the industry for large USB drives at over 30mb/s (200x).

Click here for their website...

Sandisk Cruzer Titanium

The Cruzer Titanium series is a practical every day USB drive combined with a rugged metallic housing and a sliding plug. This gives it a characteristic shock resistance without being hard to buy: price or location.

Click here to view their product...

SuperTalent PICO

Among the tiniest of the tiny, the PICO comes in a variety of metallic housing styles with shock, water, and dirt resistance. A special design completely isolates the sensitive electronic components within the housing, exposing nothing. Additionally, it weighs only 6 grams! And rated for 10 years data retention.

Click here for more...

Verbatim TUFF-'N'-TINY

True to its name, TUFF-'N'-TINY measures just 1.19 x 0.5 inch, and 0.06 thick! It's also resistant to dust, water and static discharges, backed by a lifetime warranty.

Click here for their website...

Ultimately your choice should be determined by your normal operating environment. Extreme conditions necessitate the larger, more durable models (LaCie ExtremKey and Corsair Voyager). Every day wear (sports, work, and sometimes more) is easily met with the Patriot Xporter or Sandisk Cruzer Titanium. Finally for keychain-convenient uber mobility, try the SuperTalent PICO or Verbatim TUFF-’N'-TINY.