Top Bluetooth Headphones Compared: The Expert Review

`Tis the season for holiday shopping which just so happens to perfectly align with this month’s tech review. SwimOutlet.com sent me five different pairs of Bluetooth headphones to test out and all of them are an excellent gift and stocking stuffer for your on-the-go loved ones.

Each of the wireless headphones I tested are either waterproof or sweatproof so they are a perfect option for the athletes or fitness enthusiasts in your life. I used a few different categories to compare and review the wireless headphones, including ease of connectivity, battery life, water or sweat resistance, sound, functionality and, lastly, the comfort and design of the earbuds.

This was the first time I have ever worn Bluetooth headphones, so I was thrilled when I found that each and every pair seamlessly fit into my active lifestyle. I don’t know why I waited so long to use them! Now I will sound off on each of the five brands to help pick the right pair for the active person in your life!

SCOSCHE SPORTCLIP AIR BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES ($91.99)

The Scosche Sportclip air headphones are lightweight and have several unique design features to improve the comfort and fit for every individual. They have moldable ear hooks that allow you to customize and bend the ear piece to the exact shape and size of your ears. Each box also includes a shirt clip to keep the headphones from bouncing around too much while working out and three different size ear buds for added comfort.

The Scosche headphones have the same functionality as most of the other earbuds but they have the added ability to answer a 3-way phone call unlike any of the other brands. The headphones were also very sweat and water resistant during my gym workout and were easy to clean afterwards due to the flex-fit materials. Total playtime per charge is about 7.5 hours of music or 7 hours of phone call usage. Overall the Scosche headphones are a great option for the everyday gym user at one of the higher price points among the group.

FRESHETECH FRESHEBUDS BLUETOOTH WIRELESS EARBUDS ($91.08)

The FresheTech wireless earbuds are a bit different from the other four pairs I tested because all of the technology and buttons are built into the earpieces and not in a separate housing attached to the headphone strap. The FresheBuds are all white and very lightweight due to the electronics being in the earpiece. This make it the best wireless headphone for running because there isn’t any added weight on the strap that could potentially pull the earbuds out of your ears. Each pair comes with three different ear piece sizes to choose from and charges in 1-2 hours.

The FresheBuds provide 8 hours of music, among the best of the headphones I tested. They also have a specific tone that indicates when the earbuds are turned on, connected to your device and powered down. The only thing I got tripped up on when first learning to use the FresheTech earbuds was that you have to turn them on and then press the multi-function button again to connect to your device. Most of the other headphones turn on and connect with one touch of the multi-function button. The FresheBuds were great in harsh weather conditions, I happened to run while it started to rain and I had no problems with my sound or connectivity.

TRAKK CARBON BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES ($64.39)

The Trakk Carbon Bluetooth headphones are very similar to the FresheBuds in style, design and technology. All of the functionality is housed in the earpiece and even boasts an ear hook for extra stability and fit while training – trail running anyone? The Trakk Carbon headphones definitely had the best sound quality of any of the earbuds I tested. They have noise canceling technology as well as crisp acoustics that make phone calls and music sound amazing.

Another cool feature of the Trakk Carbon headphones is the low power alarm. When the battery is waning the headset’s alarm will go off notifying you that there is only a short amount of battery life left before it will power down automatically. A full charge takes 3 hours but the battery life is an astounding 12 hours of playtime – among the best of the bunch. The Trakk Carbon headphones are water and sweatproof making them an excellent option for avid outdoor adventurers.

HYPERGEAR MAGBUD WIRELESS EARPHONES ($49.99)

The Hypergear MagBuds I tried came in a pale pink color and are magnetic so the earbuds stick together when hanging around your neck. This simple feature makes it easy to take a break from lifting or working out without the fear of losing your headphones in the gym. The MagBuds connected to my phone instantly with the touch of one button and took no time to sync up with my iTunes and Spotify music players.

The MagBuds like most of the other headphones have quite a bit of functionality using just three different buttons. You can answer and ignore phone calls, skip, pause and return to songs and turn the volume up or down as well. Most of the headphones also have a re-dial feature included as well. The only downside to the MagBuds is the battery life seemed relatively short during my testing compared to some of the other brands I reviewed. They take about two hours to charge and lasted for 5 hours of phone use or music playtime.

NAZTECH NX80 WIRELESS SPORTS EARPHONES ($39.99)

The lime green and black Naztech NX80 headphones are sleek and streamlined making them quite lightweight; a great feature for runners. The NX80 earbuds also have a really cool noise hush technology, which is very similar to the wel-known Bose noise canceling headphones. Before syncing to your phone, the NX80,“hush” the background noise making the sound quality once you are connected crystal clear.

Another unique feature of the NX80 headphones is the battery life indicator that appears on any Apple device. This allows you to see exactly how much time of the 6-hour battery life you have left to run, lift or sweat before your headphones will die. The earbuds are very comfortable and each box comes with several sizes and backup pieces to choose from. The NX80 headphone strap has a small clip attached to give you dual wear-ability, you can either connect the headphones to the front or back of your t-shirt while working out.