Top 4: Best Wireless Bluetooth Earphones For Your WorkoutBy Claudine Levy
Looking for some fresh new wireless Bluetooth earphones for the gym? We’ve reviewed our top 4 favourites on the market right now. From sleek headphones to sustainable earphones made from upcycled materials, here’s what you need to know:
1. For a Stylish Earbud: Mifo 05 Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds
What: Mifo 05 Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds (£99.99)
The Lowdown: These bad boys are slightly chunkier than you might expect, and have a slightly rounded look. Although visually chunky, they fit snugly and comfortably with a tear-drop shape which locks them securely in place, and there’s never any worry that they’ll slip out. They also don’t feel too heavy when in-ear, which is a key consideration if looking to avoid neck ache (who isn’t?).
Again the battery life is very solid, and the ear-pieces themselves are water-resistant, which means you can wear them in the rain or at the gym. One of the best things about these is the speed of the Bluetooth connection – so often you have to fiddle with other sets to get them to connect, which can make wireless feel like more trouble than its worth. But these pair and reconnect with my phone when taking them out the case very quickly. Usually, by the time I had inserted them into my ears they were already connected, which felt very slick. There are also in-built microphones, so you can make calls, which tends to be a standard feature these days- but I would say the call quality was average at best, and the connection was frequently lost when trying to make calls.
That small quibble aside – for the price-point, the sound quality is generally very respectable. Some with slightly more sophisticated ear palettes may think the sound feels a little flat… but the sound can be adjusted via custom EQ settings to suit your preferences.
Where to Buy: Mifo
2. For a Sport: Jaybird Vista Wireless Earbuds
What: Jaybird Vista Wireless Earbuds (£159.99)
The Lowdown: Sweat and splash-proof, these earbuds are designed for sports in mind so they’re ideal for hitting the gym or exercising. They come in a light and sexy sleek black box with a handy toggle so you can hang the box on your key chain (nice touch).
The earbuds themselves are minimalist, and again incredibly light. In-ear they feel super comfortable, and the rubber-encased ear-set gives them a strong grip so you’re never afraid of them falling out. As someone with tiny ear canals (it’s a thing), I appreciated the various earbud sizes. They not only varied the size of the actual bud itself but also the size of the in-ear grip (wings and tips, if you want to get technical), meaning you can find your perfect fit.
As soon as you put them in your ear you’ll hear an announcement telling you whether they’re on or off, which is surprisingly handy. Once they get going the sound quality is immersive without being all-consuming (some earbuds make you feel like you’ve left the world, which can be slightly terrifying – depending on what you’re in to).
Jaybird Vistas are our absolute favourite wireless Bluetooth earphones on the market and they’re an investment you won’t regret.
Where to Buy: Jaybird
3. For a Sleek Pair of Headphones: LIBRATONE Q ADAPT On-Ear Headphones
What: LIBRATONE Q ADAPT On-Ear Headphones (£175.35)
The Lowdown: The Q-ADAPT are great sized headphones – which can be hard to find with over-ear headphones as they tend to be the size of tea saucers. The set is soft and cushioned by material, and the ears are comfortable, as long as your head isn’t particularly small (the smallest setting came out slightly too big for my head-shape).
One of the best things about this set is the adjustable noise cancellation, which means you can control how much of the world you want to keep in or out. It also means you can walk through London in a cosy little cocoon without fear of being run over by a car you might not have heard if you were completely zoned out. The only thing is you’ll hear an occasional hiss from the noise cancellation, which can feel slightly maddening, but you don’t notice it once you get something playing. These lovely little things also have incredible battery life, with over 20 hours of playtime.
The right earcup has Libratone’s cool touchpad, which lets you control volume, play/pause and use Siri if you have an iPhone. The annoying thing is that you can’t skip tracks, but that’s a small price to pay. Especially because of other intuitive features – like the headphones automatically pausing your music/podcast when you take them off.
The best thing about these is the design. Compact, minimalist and streamlined yet curvaceous. I have received a LOT of compliments on the look of these pretty little things and they come in black, pale grey and dusty pink.
Where to Buy: Amazon
4. For Sustainability: House of Marley Liberate Air Wireless Bluetooth Earphones
What: House of Marley Liberate Air Wireless Bluetooth Earphones (£129.99)
The Lowdown: These earphones score points for their eco-conscious design. Made from renewable, recycled and upcycled materials, we think the bamboo exterior is a distinctive and stand-out feature. Even better, a percentage of the profits goes towards reforestation too, which is another nice touch.
Now to the quality – the earphones are touch-sensitive. You can also accept calls and skip tracks easily, which some other earphones don’t do quite as well. The battery lasts for up to 9 hours and the cloth wrapped charging case gives an extra 2.5 hours charging time for charging on the go, which isn’t as much as some of the others featured here, but more than enough to not leave you in the lurch if you’ve forgotten to charge them. The microphone picks up clear audio, which is important for those hands-free calls.
While other wireless earphones can be on the chunkier side, these feel lightweight and super comfortable in-ear. They’re weighted enough to stay in place, but not so heavy so as to notice them too much. This lightweight feel coupled with the simple design makes for a clean and impressive set of earphones we’d be happy to call ours.
Where to Buy: House of Marley
