I am a LOVER of my iPod. I spend tons of time working on playlists. Downloading books to run to (my current obsession on the long run). This past weekend I was even working on my Mile 20 playlist. My plan being to switch over to this list when I'm running the BMO Phoenix Marathon at the end of this month AT ... wait for it ... Mile 20! With all that being said headphones are important. I have at this very moment FOUR different kinds of ear buds residing in my purse. Another pair in my gym bag that goes to and from work with me every day as well.
What do you consider when looking to purchase ear phones?
- Do they stay in your ears when you sweat?
- Sound quality?
- Do you want wired or wireless?
- Do you need controls on the cord?
- Are they cute?
- Are they comfortable?
- How much do they cost?
I carry so many ear phones because they kind of all serve a different purpose. NONE of these were given to me. I paid my hard earned money for them all so you can trust what I say isn't influenced in any way.
Bose Sound True
I don't run with these. Simply put they don't stay in my ears. However, I include them in my list because these are HANDS DOWN the best sound quality I've ever experienced in an ear bud. They are pricey but you get what you pay for. I'm on my second pair. They accepted a trade in when the wires started to expose on my first pair, however they still worked fine. I would strongly recommend these for the listener looking for premium sound quality for times when you aren't working out. Retail - $116.95.
Skull Candy
I have lots of friends that love these. I think they're okay. They can fill the "cute" requirement if you're into that. They come in tons of fun colors. They are moderately comfortable. With moderate sound quality. I use them mostly just when talking on my phone. They are a good back up for the gym, generally don't fall out, but sometimes it can happen. But they are very affordable and for the cost I think you get a really decent ear bud. Retail - $19.99
YurBud Inspire (made for women)
As far as a corded earphone goes these are the way to go, hands down. I've been running with them for 3+ years now and they never, NEVER fall out. The sound quality is second best to the Bose at a fraction of the cost. You can sweat like a filthy animal and they won't fall out. They are SUPER comfortable. They have the whole lock in technology and it works. The only downside to these is that you really do have to be very careful with the rubber bits (seen in purple above) that go in your ear. They are lost EASILY. I've lost them, my husband has lost them, my dad has lost them, my friend has lost them. But, with that known just get something to keep them in and be careful when you're taking them off to put away. But if you DO lose them the company is AWESOME and you can buy replacements for $10. I LOVE that they have ones specially made for women's smaller ears. They really do make a big difference in comfort. You can also opt for over ear, in ear, with controls on the cord or without. Basic ear bud without cord controls (what I have) Retail - $19.99
Jaybird Bluebuds X
These babies are what I currently run with 100% of the time. They are an investment. I can honestly say that I would have never gotten these had my husband not stumbled on a KILLER deal, we paid about half price. BUT with that said, having run with them for over a year now I WOULD drop full price money on these. They are that great. I wouldn't have thought the wireless would make that big of a difference. But until you go wireless you just don't know what you're missing. No more untangling cords from under your layers when you get warm and drop layers mid run. No more catching the cord on something YANKING them out of your ears, causing serious pain. The charge is good for about 8 hours of battery (tested true). You can see a display on your iPod (at least my iPod touch does) that shows you how much battery you have on the earphones. I charge mine once a week the night before a long run, then run with them the rest of the week for my short runs on the same charge. They don't fall out due to that patented hooky thing (very technical talk here). Sound quality is decent (not as good as Bose). I love the wireless feature. I hook them in and power them up. Away I go. Plus the controls lay flat against my head, I can change volume, skip songs, stop music all together just from a one finger press of a button against my head. And yes, they are comfortable. You can even collect up the slack cord (fit them to your head one time) so there is NO slack at all. They come with different size ear buds and "hooky things", plus a nice carry case that holds the earphones and charge cord as well. And I've had no skipping issues or connection issues with the Bluetooth. You obviously would need a Bluetooth device to pair them with. I can't say enough good things about these earphones. Retail - $169.95
There you have it. The Jaybirds are my first choice. If you don't want to invest in wireless at this time then the Yurbuds are for sure my second choice. I've also seen that Yurbuds has come out with some wireless ones at a $99.99 price point. I've heard people complain about the weight of them but I can't speak for them myself.
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Do you run with earphones? Which is your favorite?
Do you have any song recommendations for my Mile 20 list?
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Edited to add: I came across this from RunHaven, a review of the Bluebuds, she says it better than me.
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Edited to add: I came across this from RunHaven, a review of the Bluebuds, she says it better than me.
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ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI also use foam/rubber ear plugs for music. Ear plugs plays big role in musicians or music lover’s life. I like the first one in the list because it’s more comfortable to use.