After the moment of wonder has passed, many will judge the athletes. Some may even call them irresponsible, suicidal, or someone just chasing an adrenaline high.

While some of this may be true, the athlete doesn’t feel that way at all.

Most extreme sports enthusiast have spent years, even lifetimes, practicing, learning of risks, and doing everything they can to keep themselves and those around them safe.

But, why do they do this? One way is motivation, and where does motivation come from? Being able to get into the zone and train effectively. Lots go into this including training, diet choices, and music – yes, music.

If you ask skydivers, BMX riders, bungee jumpers, and even parkour enthusiasts, one thing you will learn is they incorporate music into their training to keep them motivated.

As you would expect, an average pair of headphones isn’t going to cut it for these athletes. Instead, they’ll need a pair of headphones designed for extreme sports.

Top 10 Headphones for Extreme Sports

Rank	Picture	Name	Where to Buy
1		Soundcore Spirit X	See it on Amazon
2		Jabra Active Elite 65T	See it on Amazon
3		Bose Soundsport	See it on Amazon
4		Plantronics BackBeat Fit 500	See it on Amazon
5		Beats Solo3	See it on Amazon
6		Sony WF-SP700N	See it on Amazon
7		Skullcandy Crusher Headphones	See it on Amazon
8		Anker SoundBuds Wireless Headphones	See it on Amazon
9		Soul Electronics Flex 2High-Performance Sports Earbuds	See it on Amazon
10		Monster iSport Headphones	See it on Amazon

Extreme Sports Headphone Features to Consider

I’m going to be up front about this. Any time you get a specialty headphone, you’re going to sacrifice a little bit of sound quality.

But if you’re going to be rough on your headphones, it’s more important they survive. So, here’s a few features to look for.

• Durability. This is a tough one to measure. Look into build quality, for example the Plantronics BackBeat Fit 500 (#4 on the list below) are built with “P2i military-grade nano-coating.”
• Water/Sweat Resistant. We’ve put together guides for completely waterproof headphones and sweat resistant headphones. For extreme sports you’ll want something with an IPX rating of at least IPX4.
• Comfort. This is entirely subjective. We’ve put just about every style of headphones on the list below for this very reason. Some people (though I think it’s kind of crazy) prefer some over-ear headphones when biking or boarding, while others want earbuds.
• Wireless. This isn’t a must, but it’s about as close to must as can be. Also take a look at where the controls are located. For example, if you’re using them to ski, sometimes wired inline controls that sit just under your jacket are preferable to wireless.
• Secure Fit. This goes along with comfort to some degree, but if you’re not going with over-ear headphones (most likely because you’d e wearing a helmet for any extreme sport), then consider an extra feature that would secure the headphones. This could be an ear fin like Bose uses or an ear hook, or anything to help them stay in place.

Extreme Sports Headphones Reviews

#1 Soundcore Spirit X

Pros

The wireless headphones are created with sweatproof technology, which means it’s built to repel sweat and covered by a robust manufacturer warranty. Headphone travel pouch is created with a carabiner, which means you can take them with you on any adventure without the worry of losing them.

Cons

Controls are located on one side, which creates a bit of an imbalance that becomes problematic when continually turning head. An imbalance in sound can be detected after long periods of use.

#2 Jabra Active Elite 65T

Pros

A pocket-sized charging case is available, which makes it fast and easy to recharge. The earbuds are Alexa-enabled, which makes them perfect for wear near the house.

Cons

If you’d like only to use one earbud, you must use the right earbud only. The plastic design of the earbud may irritate wearers with sensitive cartilage.

#3 Bose Soundsport

Pros

Sweat and weather-resistant, so serious athletes, can get into their training without worrying about their headphones. Headphones can be paired with a device using voice prompts.

Cons

The earbuds may be hard to fit athletes with small ears. Bluetooth connectivity may fail in remote areas with a weak Internet connection.

#4 Plantronics BackBeat Fit 500

Pros

Plantronics BackBeat Fit headphones are waterproof, sweatproof, and allow athletes to hear ambient noise too. The flexible design means the headphones will stay in place – even during extreme workouts and rappelling or climbing.

Cons

Ponytails and long, loose hair tend getting knotted up with the wireless cord. The headphone controls require a bit of a learning curve, which means it’ll take a few tries to get comfortable with the functionality.

#5 Beats Solo 3

Pros

Created with Class 1 Bluetooth connectivity, which means you should be able to pair with a device anywhere there is a network connection available. The over-the-ear design makes it adjustable, so it has a universal fit design.

Cons

Since the headphones are worn over the ear, it’s not great for all athletes such as swimmers, BMX riders, etc. 40 hours of battery life, but only about 8 hours of that is dedicated to continuous play.

#6 Sony WF-SP700N

Pros

Created with digital noise canceling technology, which means an extreme athlete can disconnect from everything around them and focus on the workout at hand. Voice assistant command is compatible with iOS and Android devices.

Cons

The headphones are sweatproof and splashproof, but not waterproof. That’s great if you’re trying to workout, but if you’re thinking about swimming or skydiving, these aren’t the model for you. If the headphones can’t find a good connection, they will disable themselves.

#7 Skullcandy Crusher Headphones

Pros

Skullcandy added memory foam ear cups that seal around the ear to block out sound and distractions. Get up to 3 hours of continuous use on just a 10-minute charge, which means you never have to sacrifice your music.

Cons

The adjustable band can break if stretched too far. The bass amplifier is awesome but does create some noise leakage.

#8 Anker SweatProof Bluetooth Headphones

Pros

Anker created the sweatproof Bluetooth headphones with a battery that’s expected to last about 12 hours. The headphones are sweatproof and water resistant. The water-resistant technology also allows it to repel dirt and dust too.

Cons

The headphones are difficult to wear for some wearers. The connectivity between Anker headphones and devices may require steps to be repeated more than once.

#9 Soul Electronics Flex 2 High-Performance Sports Earbuds

Pros

Soul created these earbuds to be washable, which means if they get covered in dirt or grime after a sweaty workout, you can clean them up. The earbuds are available in several bright colors, so you can choose the color that matches your personality.

Cons

The headphones are charged via USB and are slower to recharge than some other models. When opting to wear the Flex2 in one of the other styles, it could compromise the integrity of the headphone.

#10 Monster iSport Headphones

Pros

The over the ear design of the Monster iSport headphones makes them perfect for running and biking extreme sports. Bright colors allow you to increase your visibility.

Cons

Climbers, swimmers, and those competing in muddy or dirty atmospheres might experience some slides. Some users with Android devices have struggled with connectivity that isn’t present with iOS devices.

Whether you’re climbing mountains, white water rafting, or parasailing over the Atlantic, you can take your music with you.

Get pumped, increase your heart rate, and tackle the next obstacle when you create the right headphones to wear during your workouts and events.

The post 10 Best Headphones for Extreme Sports appeared first on Workout Headphones Pro.

Best Headphones for Biking
AfterShokz Trekz Air Open Ear Wireless Bone Conduction Headphones

Finding the Best Biking Headphones of 2018 was by far the hardest of our “Best of ” lists. For one it is hard to include every type of biker, cyclist, trail rider, etc. in one single list.  Secondly many cyclists may give you the death stare if you even bring up using headphones while riding (mainly due to safety), while others will swear by listening to music.

With that said take a look at our criteria below for Best Biking Headphones, and we also highly recommend you check out our Best Overall Workout Headphones for additional options that we think you might love.

Biking Specific Criteria

1. Secure Fit. Listening to Lance Armstrong when it comes to biking or cycling is probably a good idea. So with that said we’ve left all earbuds off this list. You’ll only see neckband, clip on, or ear hook headphones. Why? Because the last thing you should be doing is trying to put your earbud back in as you cruise down the highway. We don’t agree that all earbuds will fall out, but why take the chance?
2. Sweat Resistance. Look at the IPX rating. You want at least an IPX4, which will indicate sweatproof (not waterproof).
3. Safety First. If you’re biking or cycling make sure you consider the consequences of purchasing noise isolating sports headphones. While runners may also have this same issue, it is even more likely that cyclists will be in and around traffic. In addition, in-ear canal headphones that aren’t noise isolating may also not be ideal. We’ll be staying with earbuds, with the condition that they have some form of neckband, vertical band, or clip. If you’re a trail rider and not very concerned with this, we recommend you check out
4. Helmets and Other Gear. Each rider is different.  And each rider wears different gear. Regardless of which headphones you go with, make sure you evaluate whether they will work well with the gear you’re wearing. For instance, will your helmet conflict with the location of your neckband?

Best Biking Headphones of 2018

Rank	Picture	Name	Where to Buy
1		AfterShokz Trekz Air	See it on Amazon
2		SENSO Bluetooth Headphones	See it on Amazon
3		Plantronics BackBeat Fit	See it on Amazon
4		Beats by Dr. Dre Powerbeats 2	See it on Amazon
5		Bose SoundSport Free	See it on Amazon
6		Jabra Elite Sport	See it on Amazon
7		Jaybird Freedom F5	See it on Amazon
8		Jaybird RUN	See it on Amazon
9		Bragi The Dash Pro	See it on Amazon
10		Nuheara IQbuds	See it on Amazon

Best Biking Headphone Reviews

We wanted to give you a closer look at our Top 4 picks. Take a look at the pros and cons below. If there’s something we didn’t cover that you want answered, feel free to drop us a comment at the end of the article.

#1 AfterShokz Trek Air Wireless Bone Conduction Headphones

Pros

The AfterShokz Trek Air wireless bone conduction headphones deliver music through the cheekbones, which allows them to hear ambient sound such as approaching traffic, sirens, car horns, etc.

The AfterShokz wireless headphones are compatible with IOS and Android devices.

Cons

AfterShokz created these wireless headphones with a limited volume capability.

Headphones are great for listening to music, but the microphone has left some listeners disappointed.

#2 SENSO Bluetooth Headphones

Pros

The SENSO Bluetooth headphones deliver true, clear bass sounds.

The headphones have an 8-hour battery life with 240 hours of standby power.

Cons

Some SENSO listeners have stated there is a bit of static when answering phone calls.

Headphones only have a line of sight connectivity, which means connections can be lost.

#3 Plantronics Backbeat Fit Headphones

Pros

The Plantronics Backbeat Fit headphones are waterproof and sweatproof, which means you can wear them in many different situations.

Plantronics created these headphones with reflective surfaces, which helps keep riders safer on the road.

Cons

Listeners with long or medium hair may experience some connectivity issues due to interference with her hair.

The battery may only last about 2.5 hours with continuous use.

#4 Powerbeats 2 by Beats by Dre

Pros

Beats designed the ergonomic headphones by Dre for athletes.

Powerbeats 2 is extremely compact.

Cons

Cyclists who want complete noise canceling may be disappointed with the Powerbeats 2.

When listeners turn their heads, the music may cutout.

What to expect in 2019?

Tracking, tracking, and more tracking.

What are we talking about?

Heart rate, distance, speed, and anything else you can quantify.  Sports headphones are becoming more and more equipped with some awesome technology.

In fact, pay close attention to the world of hearing aids. I know that might sound funny, but imagine a pair of headphones that connect to everything AND increase your hearing.

Starkey just released a pair of artificial intelligence hearing aids, and while they’re still a ways off from being sports headphones, it could be closer than we think.

The post Best Headphones for Biking in 2019 appeared first on Workout Headphones Pro.

Best Headphones for Basketball
Beats Studio 3

Whether getting in the zone in the locker room or warming up on the court, basketball players turn to music to help them prepare for what’s next.

This was one of our more difficult lists to make. The main reason is people don’t “play” basketball in headphones. It would be absurd to see LeBron James running down the court with a pair of over ear headphones on.

However, almost every NBA player we know has been spotted warming up and working out in headphones.

We went through a list of all the NBA icons to see what their preferred picks were, then we added a few of our own picks, while at the same time trying to balance great features like sound quality and style with more functional features like secure fit and sweat resistance.

Top 10 Basketball Headphones

Rank	Picture	Name	Where to Buy
1		Beats Studio 3	See it on Amazon
2		JBL Everest Elite 300	See it on Amazon
3		JBL UA Sport Headphone	See it on Amazon
4		Powerbeats 3	See it on Amazon
5		JBL Everest Elite 700	See it on Amazon
6		Jaybird X3	See it on Amazon
7		Bose Soundsport Pulse	See it on Amazon
8		Jaybird RUN	See it on Amazon
9		Plantronics BackBeat Fit 500	See it on Amazon
10		Monster iSport Freedom	See it on Amazon

10 Best Basketball Headphone Reviews

#1 Beats Studio 3

It’s no secret Lebron James is a fan of Beats by Dre. In fact, several NBA superstars such as Dwayne Wade, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, and Dwight Howard have been seen on and off the court wearing Beats.

King James owns a stake in the company and is the only NBA spokesperson for the company. He wears several pairs of Beats including the Studio 3.

The Beats Studio 3 headphones feature noise-canceling technology, Bluetooth capabilities, and have a 12-hour rechargeable battery.

The downside is the Bluetooth technology only works if your device is close. If your phone dies or you move out of the 30 ft. range, you’ll probably experience a disruption in your beats.

#2 JBL Everest Elite 300

JBL is the official headphone sponsor of the NBA.

Stephen Curry often wears the Everest Elite 300. And, the Golden State Warriors received blinged out, custom headphones after winning the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

However, due to the size of the headphones, the Elite 300 is best suited for traveling and chilling in the locker room and not for wear on the court.

The over the ear headphones are unique because they offer total noise cancellation to allow listeners to appreciate their playlist truly.  The design allows the wearer to adjust the amount of outside noise that can get in, which will enable them to balance how much noise gets in and offers the option to completely isolated from what’s happening around them or as aware as they’d like to be.

#3 JBL UA Sport Headphone

When players want a great on the court headphone, the JBL Under Armour Sport 16 headphone is perfect. Combining the technology of JBL and Under Armour produces a headphone that’s made for serious athletes in mind.

The same NBA stars that reach for JBLs off the court wear JBL wireless headphones on the court. The earbuds are comfortable to wear and extremely subtle. You’ll experience great sound when wearing these earbuds, but they do require more charging than other options on the market.

#4 Powerbeats 3

Another favorite headphone of Lebron James is Powerbeats 3another product created by Beats by Dre. The wireless headphones let players move freely and are often seen on the court because there are no wires to restrict movement.

The Powerbeats are often worn by James and a favorite of Kevin Durant and James Harden too. Many players appreciate the headphones sweat resistance and ability to supercharge it in just 5 minutes if the battery runs low.

#5 JBL Everest Elite 700

Players that love the Everest 300s from JBL often flock to the Everest Elite 700 too.

The headphone is similar to the 300 version with the addition of a microphone. With this feature, players, like Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers point guard, can answer calls without having to track down their phone, but the upgrade also comes with an increase in price.

Players have to decide if the increased price over the 300 is worth it to them for just a microphone, but the noise canceling and sculpted over the ear design delivers balanced sound every single time.

#6 Jaybird X3

Players who need music to prepare for a showdown on the court, but don’t want to wear an over-the-ear design will appreciate the subtle design of the Jaybird X3.

The sweatproof earbuds have a universal fit and long battery life. The downside is it can take some time for listeners to adjust the earbuds to their level of comfortable noise cancellation.

Jaybird headphones aren’t as popular with NBA players as Beats and JBLs, but serious basketball players know these headphones are perfect for the sport.

#7 Bose Soundsport Pulse

The Bose Soundsport Pulse is a popular headphone choice for basketball players but is most widely seen in the NFL.

Bose created these headphones with stability and comfort in mind, which means it lends itself well to both basketball and football. The sleek design allows the earbuds to stay in the ear, even during vigorous workouts thanks to weather and sweat resistance.

But, the battery life is only about six hours, which is significantly less than other models.

#8 Jaybird RUN

The Jaybird Elite Sports earbuds are marketed towards runners but lend themselves well to basketball players because they are truly wireless.

The small buds fit comfortably in the ear and come with interchangeable tips to create a customized fit. The headphones are sweatproof and water-resistant too.

The biggest downfall with the Elites from Jaybird is sound quality. It’s great for working out, but for the moments you want to chill and relax, the Elite Sports might disappoint because of issues with bluetooth connectivity and balance.

#9 Plantronics BackBeat Fit 500

Plantronics BackBeat Fit 500 offers everything a player wants from on-court headphones. Stability, comfort, protection from sweat and moisture, noise isolation, and long battery life.

The only problem basketball players and other athletes have mentioned are that the equipment almost always has to be removed to operate the buttons, so pausing and playing music takes a bit more effort than some other brands offer.

#10Monster iSport Freedom

Monster created the iSport Freedom wireless headphones to be easy to wear and use.

The electronics are robust, offer fantastic sound quality, and have buttons located on the side for easy use. The only problem with this choice is the over the head design. It’s great for players who like this design, but may be uncomfortable.

When your pre-game routine requires you to get in a zone via music, you’ll appreciate a pair of basketball headphones that help you get there. Check out the features and decide which one works for you.

The post 10 Best Headphones for Playing Basketball appeared first on Workout Headphones Pro.

The Bad: Technology might take a week or two to get used to if you haven’t used it before.

The Workout Worthy: Bone conduction headphones are perfect for people working out outdoors (i.e. running, walking, biking) where they need to hear their surroundings as well as the song or podcast playing, and After Shokz Bluez 2s are currently the best.

Full Review

We haven’t been able to test a new pair of bone conduction headphones in over a year now, but were thoroughly impressed with the improvements to the AfterShokz Bluez with the Bluez 2s.

We tested these headphones in the following ways (with an iPhone 6 and Samsung Galaxy S5):

• Walking
• Running
• Home workout
• Riding in the car (to test a phone call)

Sound Quality

We’ve tested several bone conduction headphones in the past and they often sacrifice a little bit of sound quality. However, we were really impressed by the clarity of these headphones.

At the loudest sound volume output (which you honestly shouldn’t be using anyways) the clarity does start to diminish some, and the vibration from the bone conduction is very noticeable.

We did multiple phone tests to see how the sound quality compared, and every time we got good results. The only complaint we received was the ambient noise was a little loud when we were outside (i.e. cars passing by, etc.).

One final thing to note is that in a quiet area, with the volume at moderately high levels, people within a few feet may be able to hear the sounds from your music. This may be a bit of a turn off if you plan using these predominately indoors.

Comfort and Fit

The Bluez 2s utilize a neckband and earhook style design. The headphone rests on top of your zygomatic arch (just below your temple) and uses subtle bone vibrations to transmit sound (as opposed to air conduction). As we mentioned above, the first time you use this tech the vibrations may seem a little weird, but after a few days you don’t even notice them.

Sometimes bone conduction headphones tend to be a little heavier because they have to carry an internal battery to provide the bone conduction, but these headphones were super light weight. They fit great.

They also include a tension band which can be quickly clipped in to provide a tighter fit for higher intensity activities.

Durability

The first thing to check out is always the IP Code (or International Protection Code). The Bluez 2s come in with an IP55 rating, which essentially mean they are dust protected and water resistant (not waterproof).

The next thing we look at is build quality. This headset is built with a pretty flexible frame, but doesn’t collapse. However, it’s one of the higher build qualities of headphones we’ve seen.

Controls

Unlike a lot of wireless headphones that put their controls just above the ear, the Bluez 2s controls sit on the underside of the neckband just behind the right ear (see picture below), and on the outside face of the headphone on the left ear (see picture above).

Behind left ear:

• Volume up/down
• Micro USB charging port
• Power on/off

On right ear:

• Answer/end calls
• Skip tracks forward/back

It takes about 2 hours to fully charge and according to AfterShokz the continuous play time is 6 hours.

What’s in the Box

As you can see above, the following items are  included in the box:

• Bluez 2s headphones
• Carrying case
• Two (2) reflective strips
• USB charging cable
• Tension band
• Instruction manual

Final Thoughts

If you do most of your workouts outdoors then you should definitely consider a pair of bone conduction headphones. And as of writing this the AfterShokz Bluez 2s are far and away the best bone conduction headphones.

Get the AfterShokz Bluez 2s here

The post AfterShokz Bluez 2S Review appeared first on Workout Headphones Pro.

Pros

Super Lightweight.  The neckband is flexible and lightweight keeping the overall weight of the headphones to a minimum.

Features and Controls.  We really like the location and ease of use of the controls for music and calls.

Multiple Colors Available.  You can find the Exercise Freak in blue, yellow, or black.  We’re kinda partial to the blue and yellow though.

Cons

Price.  Besides the Monster iSport these are the most expensive workout headphones we’ve reviewed.  The Denon name and premium quality does come with these, but you’ll have to decide if that’s worth it.

Earbud Seal.  This is kind of a pro and a con depending on how you look at it.  The round style silicone tips don’t seal the ear canal 100%, which means you lose a little bit of noise isolation.  However, it does allow you to be a bit more aware of your surroundings, which is a great thing if you workout outdoors.

Full Review

The Exercise Freak is the first pair of headphones devoted solely to sports by Denon.

Below is a pretty nice photo by Denon showing all the features and controls.  As we mentioned above we really like how the ear piece that sits behind the ear holds all the controls.  Our audiologist took one look at these headphones and said, “It’s about time the headphone manufacturers started taking note of how hearing aid manufacturers have been doing this for years.”

Take a close look at the large round button on the ear piece.  This is a tap-to-talk button that essentially switches between music and phone if you have it hooked up to your iPhone or other smartphone.  You’ll also notice the volume/play/pause controls are on the top/back of the ear piece and the microphone is just underneath the ear piece, which is a perfect location to avoid wind distortion when working out outside.

One feature not shown above is the reflective lining on the neckband, perfect for evening (or early morning) workouts.  If you’re putting safety first this is becoming a must have feature for those of us that don’t workout in a gym.

Another cool feature is the Sport App they’ve created to work seamlessly with these headphones (though any other sport app would work as well).  This is another common feature that we’re seeing with a lot of new sports headphones (i.e. the Motorola SF Series)

Overall we’re a big fan of the Denon Exercise Freak.  We think they did a great job with their first pair of Bluetooth sports headphones, and our only real drawback is the price, which is anticipated to be $149.  It’s hard to convince us to spend that much when other headphones such as the Jaybird Freedom are available for less.  We do understand a lot of people love Denon headphones and that may be worth the premium.

Specifications

• Bluetooth 3.0 Wireless connectivity
• Sweat-resistant
• Weight: 23 grams (0.8 ounces)
• Play time: up to 7 hours

What’s in the Box

As you can see from the photo above Denon includes all the necessities for a workout headphones kit.

• Denon AH-W150 Exercise Freak Headphones
• Mesh carrying case with carabiner
• Micro USB cable for charging
• (4) sets of anti-microbial silicon ear tips (XS, S, M, L)

Where to Buy

Click here to get the Denon AH-W150 Exercise Freak Headphones

The post Denon AH-W150 Exercise Freak Headphones Review appeared first on Workout Headphones Pro.

The purpose of these five new headphones is to accomplish the following:

Premium sound, excellent fit and a high resistance against external influences such as water, sweat or cold: these are the features that characterize the new range of sports earphones from Sennheiser and adidas.

While all of the headphones have similarities, Sennheiser has spent additional time in creating slight variations and even went as far as to create some of the headphones specialized more for indoor workouts rather than outdoor workouts.

One thing you’ll notice from these five headphones is that four of them are improvements on their predecessors.  Let’s take a look.

PMX 685i

Predecessor: PMX 680i

PX 655i

Predecessor: None

OCX 685i

Predecessor: OMX 680

MX 685

Predecessor: MX 680

CX 685

Predecessor: CX 680

All five of the new Sennheiser headphone models will be available September 2012 and once we’ve had a chance for a more in depth review we’ll report back what we find.

Source: Sennheiser USA

The post Sennheiser and Adidas Team Up (Again) With 5 New Sports Headphones appeared first on Workout Headphones Pro.

SOUL Electronics recently announced a new partnership with the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt.  The Olympic Athlete and track star will be representing SOUL throughout the year at several scheduled events.  You can also expect to see Bolt featured in a new video series called “SOUL of Greatness” which is being created to inspire people worldwide to reach their goals.

When asked about his new partnership with SOUL, Bolt replied, “I work hard at attaining my goals and in addition, I always try to inspire others to work hard and attain their dreams. I am looking forward to working with SOUL to deliver this message.”

In addition, Bolt will begin to work with SOUL on his own special edition headphones that are expected to be released late this summer.  They are rumored to be named the RUN FREE headphones by SOUL.  Little information has been released, but SOUL stated they will be Bluetooth earbuds with removable ear safety hooks for added stability.  Our best guess is they will be somewhat similar to the Jaybird Freedom, which also utilizes removable ear hooks.

SOUL stated that the new sport earbuds will be “a version of the company’s popular SL300 that pays a stylish homage to the athlete’s home, Jamaica.”  The SL300 (pictured above) are fairly bulky to be used for running or working out, so our guess is they may utilize the same sleek design, but will be significantly different.

Just before the 2012 Olympics started we told you Usain Bolt would be working with SOUL Electronics to develop some of his very own headphones, or at least SOUL headphones with his own twist.  The wait is now over.

After completely dominating the field in every event he was in Usain Bolt’s latest headphones by SOUL are also now leading the charge of Olympic inspired headphones.

These are essentially the SOUL SL300JAM with a little Jamaican flavor and the famous Usain Bolt pose on the earphones.  They’re a little larger than most workout headphones, but with hinges on the headband they may just do the trick.

Click here to get the Usain Bolt Headphones

The post Usain Bolt Headphones by SOUL appeared first on Workout Headphones Pro.

Pros

Environmental Awareness. These headphones have no portion that fits in your ear, which allows you to listen to your favorite song and still be aware of your surroundings.

Meets Unique Needs. If you have sensory aural hearing loss these headphones will be the right fit for you.

Reduces Chance of Noise Induced Hearing Loss. More and more people are being diagnosed with noise induced hearing loss, and much of this is contributed to younger generations blaring their music in their ears. The Aftershokz eliminate this concern.

Cons

New and Awkward. While bone conduction technology has been around for quite some time, combining bone conduction with sport headphones is still a newer idea, which means most people will find them a bit awkward.

Heavy In-Line Controls. Because these headphones are powered by bone conduction (essentially vibrations) they require you to charge a batter that resides within the in-line controls making it quite a bit bulkier than other cords. It does come with a sport clip, so that does help a lot.

Limited Use. While sports headphones are specifically tailored to increasing performance under training conditions, they can still be used for things like travel. With the Aftershokz you’ll be limited to where you can use these headphones depending on your environment.

Full Review

Our staff Audiologist had a field day with these headphones. She was so excited to talk about bone conduction that we had to stop her from writing this review. Either that or you may end up bored to death (shh, don’t tell her we said that).

There are 2 different sport models of the Aftershokz:

1. AS 300
2. AS 301 (includes in-line microphone, this is the model we’re reviewing)

Bone conduction audio devices were originally designed for the hearing impaired and more recently for soldiers who needed to be tuned into both their environment and radio communication. So, the technology has quite a history.

What exactly is bone conduction? Bone conduction is the vibration of the bones of the skull t7o detect sound. With standard headphones, sound waves travel through the ear canal which vibrates the eardrum and sends the signal to the inner ear. With bone conduction, sound wave vibrations deliver sound by vibration of the bones of the skull which delivers a signal to the inner ear where it is heard.

Aftershokz is not the first manufacturer to bring bone conduction to the sporting world. Audio Bone also has a pair of bone conduction sports headphones that we’ve previously talked about, but Aftershokz is the first to deliver this technology with a decent sound quality.

The Aftershokz come with an in-line controller that is used to power on and off the headphones as well as volume control and an in-line mic (if you choose that option). There’s not much you need to do when receiving a call, as all music is stopped instantly.

The in-line controller is a bit larger than normal because it houses the rechargeable lithium ion battery that powers the headphones. We didn’t do a ton of running with the headphones, but could easily see where the larger in-line housing could be kind of annoying if it started bouncing around a lot.

While the sound quality is decent, actually a lot better than the last pair of bone conduction sport headphones we tried, it’s still not quite the same as conventional earphones or earbuds.

At the end of the day bone conduction technology is nothing short of awesome. But for the same price you can get a much higher quality sound from conventional workout headphones.

Read additional reviews here

Specifications

• Sound delivery: bone conduction (typical headphones use air conduction)
• Connector: 3.5mm (standard)
• Compatible with iPod, iPhone, and MP3 players
• Water-resistant (sweat-resistant)
• Cable length: 51.2 inches
• Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Charge time: 3 hours
• Playback time: up to 15 hours (depending on volume level)

What’s in the Box

• Aftershokz Bone Conduction Headphones
• USB charger and extension cable
• Soft carrying case

Where to Buy

We tend to find the lowest prices on Amazon.

Click here to see the low price we found for the Aftershokz

The post Aftershokz Sportz Bone Conduction Headphones Review appeared first on Workout Headphones Pro.

Pros

Unique Control Location.  This is the first pair of workout headphones we’ve seen where the controls are nowhere near the ears.  Some will like it, some will hate it.  We thought it was innovative.

Secure Fit.  You can instantly tell these headphones were built to fit securely.  The question becomes, are they a little too snug?

Cons

Short Battery Life.  We hate to be picky because we don’t foresee any 5+ hour workouts in the near future, but these headphones will only last that long on one charge, 2-3 hours short of the usual average for Bluetooth sports headphones.

Awkard Earbud Fit.  These earpieces are very similar to the iLuv FitActive, only they seem to be made with a material that doesn’t flex very well and is a bit uncomfortable.

Note: Arriva has addressed this issue by including Acoustibuds (which work great)

Full Review

The Arriva Leo is straight up funky…in a good way.

This is a very unique pair of workout headphones, visually, but how do they stack up?

It’s pretty clear from the get go that Arriva is marketing these headphones for extreme sports, but we found it a bit odd that their web page clearly goes out of the way to state these are not waterproof and then accompanies that with a photo of a guy skiing.  No big deal, there’s very few headphones outside of H2O that are 100% waterproof anyways.  They are however water-resistant, which should be enough for most (good) skiers or snowboarders.

The sound quality was average, nothing great, nothing horrible, so not a lot of comments there.

Out biggest hang up was on the most obvious feature, the noodle like arms.  Arriva did a great job in creating a frame that stays put, but at the same time we found 2 problems with that frame:

1. It’s not all that comfortable, until you break them in for a bit
2. It doesn’t hold it’s shape

Attached to those arms, on the very back of the headset, are the controls which we actually did like.  We tested these with a few different style helmets and didn’t have a problem getting them to fit, so that was definitely a plus for bikers or snowboarders.

Overall we like the idea behind the Leo and could see a use for them if were were having difficulty with other style headphones staying fit.  But we feel as though they definitely have some room for improvement, so hopefully we’ll see some LEO 2.0s in the future.

Specifications

• Bluetooth 2.1
• Charge time: 1.5 hours
• Music time: 5.2 hours

What’s in the Box

• Arriva Leo Bluetooth headphones
• (1) pair Acoustibuds
• (4) different size earpieces
• Micro USB wall charger
• Carrying case

Where to Buy

Click here to get the Arriva Leo Bluetooth Headphones

The post Arriva Leo Bluetooth Headphones Review appeared first on Workout Headphones Pro.

We’ve seen a number of swimmers walking to the with headphones on refusing to take them off until moments before slipping into the water before an event.  Unfortunately a lot of fans have been expressing dismay towards this popular trend.  Many of the fans have never been athletes and just don’t understand how much focus is required to compete at such high levels, and for many Olympians, music is the key to that focus.

So, who all have we seen so far wearing headphones?

Well, Sun Yang was seen sporting a pair of Beats by Dre prior to his gold medal performance the other night.  This isn’t all that surprising seeing as how Beats by Dre have possibly become the most popular headphones in the world and seemingly in just a couple short years.

What really gets people talking is when Michael Phelps, possibly the greatest Olympian ever, starts wearing headphones before all of his events.  Phelps has been seen wearing a massive pair by Sol Republic.

When Kevin Lee, chief executive of Sol Republic, was asked about Phelps wearing Sol Republic he said he did not know that Phelps would be wearing his company’s headphones during the Games.

It doesn’t end with just Michael Phelps and Sun Yang though.  Ryan Lochte, Park Tai-hwan, and Liam Tancock have also been spotted warming up mentally with a pair of sports cans.

With Track and Field events starting you can bet that you’ll see even more athletes wearing headphones prior to their events starting and we wouldn’t be surprised to see Usain Bolt in a new pair of SOUL headphones at all.

The post Olympic Swimmers Use Headphones to Help Focus appeared first on Workout Headphones Pro.