As an occasional runner, a generally active person, and someone who can’t work out without listening to music, I have been in search of a good pair of gym-friendly headphones for years. You know, ones that won’t slip out of my ears if the workout gets too intense. After searching for a while, I found my perfect match in the Adidas FWD-01 Sport In-Ear Headphones.
Adidas isn’t exactly known for their tech accessories, but they are known for making athletic gear that actually feels good to wear at the gym, so I decided to give these a shot without very high expectations. They ended up surprising me in the best way: lightweight and comfortable, these are made with working out in mind, and it really shows.
For one thing, the cord is perfect: it’s long enough so that it doesn’t pull the bud out of your ear, but not so long that it bounces inconveniently against your chest with every lunge or jump you make. You can also wear it along the back of your neck, which I personally prefer. The cord is also thick, so it never tangles. The controls can be found there as well, and they’re very easy to navigate.
The headphones come with a few interchangeable ear tips and ear wings, so you can customize these to fit perfectly for your ear size and shape---I have very small ears and a lot of earbuds don’t feel comfortable for me, but I was able to get these to fit just right. The earbuds are also magnetic so that when you’re done using them, you can simply leave them draped around your neck without worrying about them falling off.
Another thing I love about these is the battery. I’m generally not a huge fan of Bluetooth earbuds because I find that the battery life is almost always terrible and I hate the inconvenience of having to remember to charge my earbuds after each use. But these have a 16-hour battery life and they truly do last that long---I sometimes go two weeks without having to charge mine.
Of course, the sound is also impressive. There’s no static or fuzziness, and music is delivered clearly to your ears. The passive transparency in them also allows you to hear your surroundings (unlike noise-canceling), which is especially nice while running outdoors.
Most importantly? The ergonomic design allows them to stay put in your ears no matter what you’re doing. I’ve worn them running, lifting weights, and just generally moving around a lot, and they don’t budge. They never feel like they’re tight or hurting my ears, but they also manage to stay in place no matter what, which is really what I look for the most when looking for gym-friendly headphones. In short, these are currently the only things I’ll wear when working out, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
adidas Fwd-01 Bluetooth in-Ear Headphones
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