The beach season is upon us and now is the last chance to burn off the flab for Beach 2016. If you´re reluctant to venture out on the running track, music is a great motivation and makes it easier to keep up the momentum. But the headphones you normally use at home or on the bus will not do at all for extreme exercise conditions. Then you´ll need sports headphones that stays in place even if it gets bumpy and that won´t be shorting if it comes a little sweat on them or you have to wash them.
The sports headphones in this test meets all the requirements. Unlike regular earplugs, they have a jumper to put behind your ear to keep them in place. Thus, it is perfectly fine to do both aerobics and running with them. They are also water proof so that they can cope with a sudden shower of rain. Or that you sweat on them and rinse them in the sink post workout. Even resilience is better than that of ordinary headphones so that they can withstand a blow or a jolt on the cord without breaking the cable.
When you train, you also want to get motivated and engaged by the music. Then it is important with proper bass so that you really feel the beat. This is achieved by having a tight seal between the ear plugs and ear canal. It also shuts out the surrounding noise, which can be an advantage at the gym when you want to concentrate. However, it can be downright dangerous to block out traffic noise, if you are out running or cycling. Therefore, get the right headphones for your favorite activity.
Test Criteria
Headphones used when exercising have completely different criteria than normal headphones and we have adapted the test after these requirements. Fit and build quality is more important than usual as they are both subjected to a strain and must remain in place at physical activity. It is also not a priority that they have a neutral sound as a bass-heavy, immersive sound is preferable. Instead of sitting on the couch and listen to jazz, we have been using them on the go and listening to the Spotify Ultimate Workout Playlist. The ear plugs in the test are included in the manufacturers' sports segment, which implies that they must withstand sweat and rain, and to be able to clean them without ruining them. To limit the selection of models, we have mainly chosen models that have an arc behind the ear to keep them in place, so-called "behind-the-ear". We have also opted out of the cheapest models as, in our experience, they´re not sufficiently resistant or have enough engaging sound quality.
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