STACK #225 July 2023

TECH FEATURE

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Bose Sports True Wireless The Bose Sports earbuds are umbrella-shaped and have flexible wings to hold them in your ears, while the StayHear Max forms a tight seal with your ear canal to block ambient noise. Wing fit / IPX4 / Active EQ / Touch control / 15-hour battery Sennheiser SPORT True Wireless These earbuds give you the best of both worlds with multiple ear adapter options – Open style grants situational awareness for safer runs, while the Closed style blocks outside noise so you can better immerse yourself in your workout playlist. Wing fit / IP54 / TrueResponse transducer / EQ settings / Touch & voice control / 27-hour battery Shokz OpenRun Pro Wireless Open-Ear These sport vibrations through your skull. That’s backed by TurboPitch Enhanced Bass. It also keeps your ears free to listen for hazards while running. Over-ear fit / IP55 / Bone conduction / EQ settings / 10-hour battery LG Tone Free TF8Q True Wireless Active Noise Cancelling These earbuds have wings that swivel to tuck into your ear, and allow airflow to keep them cool and comfy. The case can sterilise the buds with UV light between uses, or plug into an AUX jack to act as a Bluetooth dongle for devices like stationary bikes. Swivel grip fit / IP67 / ANC / Multipoint BT / UV sterilisation / Plug & Play / 30 hours battery headphones use bone conduction tech, which sends sound waves to your ear bones via

EXERCISE ESSENTIALS What to look for in fitness earbuds Working out in complete silence just doesn’t feel right. Whether you need your get-pumped playlist or want to focus on an audiobook or podcast while you get your steps in, fitness earbuds are your ideal gym partner. Here’s what you need to consider before buying a pair. Words Michael Irving

Putting the “fit” in fitness Exercise is active business, and you don’t want to break your flow looking for a dropped earbud. Fitness earbuds are designed to stay put no matter how much jostling, jogging and jumping you do. Since everyone’s ears are different, fitness earbuds usually have a few different silicone tips to choose from, while some also have “wings” that hook onto your outer ear for a more secure fit. Others loop over the top of your ears so they won’t jiggle loose. No sweat their IP rating. The first number is dust resistance – 5 means dust-protected and 6 means dust-tight. The second number is water resistance – 4 resists splashes, 5 and 6 resists jets of water, and 7 means a device is completely waterproof. Control convenience Easy-to-access controls are essential for sweaty hands and constant movement. You don’t want to stop and reach for your phone to pause/play/ skip, or answer a call mid-workout. Fitness earbuds are worn when you’re challenging yourself, so of course they also need to shake off some sweat or rain. Check

Fitness earbuds for all budgets

Jabra Elite 7 Active True Wireless Active Noise Cancelling These buds are made of a special material

called ShakeGrip that keeps them firmly in the ear while still feeling incredibly soft. An IP57 rating means they’re waterproof and ready for anything. ShakeGrip fit / IP57 / ANC / Multipoint BT / EQ settings / Touch & voice control / 30-hour battery Sony WI-OE610 Float Run Wireless Specially designed for running, these over ear headphones will stay on no matter what. The buds “float” in front of your ear for better comfort and to let you remain aware of your surroundings. Over-ear fit / IPX4 / 16 mm drivers / Touch & voice control / 10-hour battery

20 JULY 2023

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