If you can lose important data via a single hardware failure then you are at fault, not the hardware.

I have the 32gb one. Bounces of walls pretty well.

I've had 2 of these drives and both failed on me, 1 fell apart the USB end just snapped off. I would avoid at all cost

Some get warm, some get hot. And some get very hot. Which is this one?

If you're not bothered about size and have an old Laptop HDD lying around, consider an Inateck USB 3.0 housing (they're tool-less design these days) . For about £12. It will be a lot faster and you can have a lot more space. You can also put your SSDs in there someday.
My Sanddisk extreme started falling apart, so went down this route.

flash disk are not a good long term storage, and with the "improvement" of manufacturing process they will get worse and worse (unless they change the principles of how they operate, some new breakthrough technology).

In practice current flash drives should hold the data, but rather in the time-frame of a few years (I don't think this was well examined, as the flash storage started being in more heavily used in the last 15 years or so and as I said the new versions have shorter life than some of their predecessors; I'm especially suspicious about all TLC based memory) whereas other mentioned media could probably out-live them (if not physically damaged of course; they are also battle-tested).

Bear in mind that increase in storage temperature can significantly shorten the data-life of flash based storage media (but this actually is true probably for all of the data storage ways)

Had a couple of these in the past. Smaller capacity but identical design. Both corrupted and useless within a couple of weeks. Probably got shipped out to some unsuspecting punter as 'refurbished'. The rubber housing loosens up fairly quickly, too.

Best you can get, heat added

Just use an USB extension lead

Nightmare to get into a PS4 USB slot. Have one and wouldn't recommend if that's what you are going to be using it for.

If you would avoid at all costs, I don't think you're on the right forum

I personally would I setup one backup and then the company does there own backups so multiple geographical locations. It is not at the same location as me so fire isn't an issue.
I would pick one of 4 companies not just any old so folding isn't a problem as if they did I would still get access to my data for 30 days.
As for the data not being mine I don't have anything that important to a conglomerate BUT even if I did rar and password protect and everything if good.
As for speed it runs in the background I don't care how long it takes.
I have internet so backup will run and if i didn't have internet and wanted to restore I would just go to one of the other connections I have access to.

I personally don't think any of those problems are massive and not all companies take ownership of your data.

Biggest consideration is I cba/forget to do backups as many other people don't but anyone can flick the switch and be safe that the backup will be there what ever happens.

It is just my opinion but the convenience and reliability is what does it for me

From a build point of view. I have the old gtr usb 2 refurbished stick. The thread had the same kind of comments about failure but mine is still intact and working perfectly years on. Not heavily but regularly used I must admit.

I would never ever put 1 as the cloud .. Infact i wouldn't class it as a back up medium

Why
1 company can fold.
2. loss of data from far more factors then the data being in your own mits
3. The DATA IS NO LONGER YOURS.
4. Three again
5. slowest medium to back up to
6. No interent - no data backup

Including OPs Mum.

Standard question: does this get hot when in use?

Scan were selling the 16gb (I think) version of these a while ago as refurbished products. I bought two. One failed within a couple of months but the other works fine. Bit of a gamble.

thanks jamhops

i am waiting for a 256gb X2 slider deal..

Are USB sticks good for backups or would something more robust be better to use?

If you can lose important data via a single hardware failure then you are at fault, not the hardware.

This was my main use drive at uni until it corrupted and I lost my dissertation

Also speaking from experience on the build side, I've had issues with these drives. Despite the marketing 'bumpf' the casing is not very strong, especially at the connector. This caused mine to weaken quite quickly and have issues.

I've got two of the older red 64GB versions. Best flash drives I've used.
Heat added; order placed.

gas 3

I have the 32gb one. Bounces of walls pretty well.

I've had 2 of these drives and both failed on me, 1 fell apart the USB end just snapped off. I would avoid at all cost

Any flash drive is going to eventually get hot when in use.

i must say this is very good usb drive. i own 2 gb corsair gt usb stick from last 8 years and had not a single issue else then i lost its cap.