Good music often provides an extra motivation boost. It provides more energy and concentration and lets us forget aching thighs while the Christmas bacon has to be sweated down again in the gym.
That’s why we have listed 7 things that you should consider to find the perfect workout headphones.
7 things to look for in training headsets
A few criteria are of course generally applicable when it comes to headphones for sports, training or leisure. They should be comfortable, have good sound and be light. And the ultimate is when you can control music and calls without taking your cell phone out of your pocket.
This is about what qualifies a headset for a particular sport. For which it is perhaps more suitable than other sports. In short: everything that makes the headset perfect for your favorite sport.
We did a little research and came up with 7 specific categories that determine if a pair of headphones is right for you.
1: Resistance to water and sweat
Staying in shape can quickly become a mess. The pulse gets going, the body temperature rises criminally and the sweat shoots out of the pores like a highly active Icelandic geyser. It’s wet. So that the electronics are not damaged, headphones should be waterproof.
If water gets on the central parts, the metal can rust and the headphones are unusable. Of course, it can also be that you get caught in a monsoon while running … Water-repellent materials are always preferable.
2: Dust-repellent
Every now and then we stir up dust. For example when cycling. That is why outdoor headsets should be protected against small particles in order not to be unnecessarily affected.
Checking that the headset is waterproof and dustproof is pretty straightforward. Most training headsets are certified with the Ingress Protection Rating. Usually, the format is as follows: IP + two digits from 1-8. The higher this number, the more resistant the headset.
3: Assistance during training
Tracking is a good idea in some sports. For example, for counting, checking your pulse or measuring your pace. It is advantageous if the headset works with integrated functions that make it easier to keep track of things.
For example, you can have a voice in your ear that tells you how many repetitions you have left or provides information about your heart rhythm. Sometimes the headset works together with an app on the mobile phone to call up the training plan. Of course, this isn’t relevant to every type of exercise, but it’s a useful feature that is all too easy to get used to. And then no longer want to live without them.
4: Firm fit
Actually, all sports require that you don’t just sit still. Except for chess, of course. So you move often. For this reason, the headset must be particularly secure so that the earplugs do not fall out of your ears continuously or you are constantly busy adjusting the headband.
It’s good if the designers of the headset have already given some thought. For example, some headsets for training have small wings on the earplugs, while others work with small brackets with which you can “hang” the headset on your ear.
5: Hear the surroundings
Life just goes on around you, even if you have hammer bass on your ears. A bit of vigilance on the road is a good idea. But sometimes you are just in the gym and prefer not to hear anything from the person next to you. Depending on the sport, it can be useful if your headset allows you to shut out the outside world. Other times, however, it makes sense to be able to listen to the traffic.
6: Bluetooth connection
Cables are often in the way. Thanks to Bluetooth, you can also just leave the cell phone lying around. This means that no annoying cable can get tangled in the spokes of your bike.
7: Battery power
If you opt for a wireless variant, the battery often loses a little of its performance. Are you a marathon runner or you like to go on long bike tours, but with only 4 hours of battery power, it doesn’t really help you.
Running headset
If you are rather disappointed with the average pair of headphones while running, you are not alone. It’s nice to listen to podcasts or music while you’re running, but regular earbuds can often be a challenge: the cord is always in the way and the earbuds fall out of your ears as soon as you move too much or start sweating.
A headset for running should also be wind and weatherproof and at the same time designed to fit snugly in your ears. Unfortunately, in-ear and on-ear headsets often fall off the ears. But a bracket can work wonders.
Dust can be a problem on the beach or on dry country lanes.
Additional functions such as a heart rate monitor or, more importantly, a GPS tracker are useful. This is how you optimize your training and remain as effective as possible. The battery should be by your side reliably.