It might seem like a minor perk, but you’ve clearly never had your headphones die midway through deadlift day and been forced to listen to what Retro Fitness considers “gym music”… I had no idea so many Jonas Brothers had singles.Īs far as durability, I see no reason why these shouldn’t withstand a fair amount of banging around the plastic, memory foam and fabric all feel well made and without any seams or gaps, and there aren’t any obvious weak spots. The first thing you hear is “Power on…phone one connected…battery power high”. Finally, and this might be a Plantronics thing in general, I love that the headphones give you a battery update when you turn them on. I wish the headphones folded up, but the adjustable ear cups do make it slightly more compact. Also, the ear cups flip out so they can lay flat on your shoulders when around your neck, or fit more comfortably in a bag. It is responsive, it is intuitive, and it doesn’t require a guessing game of holding down one button for just the right amount of time. For one thing, the physical on/off switch is phenomenal. There were a handful of things that really made the Backbeat Fits stand out. I don’t like having to adjust my earbuds under normal circumstances, and if I’m holding 150 pounds on my back, I can’t exactly reach up to fix a dangling bud so it becomes a distraction and safety issue. That’s the number one deal breaker for me, and the main reason I can’t stand most earbud-style headphones. Once they were adjusted and set on my head, they stayed put. Most importantly, the Plantronics did not budge on their own. In my view, sports headphones, in particular, should be dead simple to use no one wants to stop their workout to fiddle with a half-dozen settings or make sure they’re holding the right button to power on. Nothing is more annoying than needing to skip a song or turn your headphones off, and trying to remember which button did double or triple duty. I really appreciated this layout, and it’s clear that Plantronics took full advantage of having extra space with the over the ear design to allow each button to only have one function. One of the ear cups has rewind/play/forward buttons on the outside, volume buttons along one side, and the micro-USB and 3.5mm ports along the bottom, while the other ear cup has the on/off switch. The band across the top is also padded, and it fits my head fine even with a baseball cap in the way. The ear cups aren’t oversized, and that makes them slightly more breathable, plus they don’t pinch or create pressure when worn for a long period of time. I also found the headphones to be incredibly comfortable. Plantronics describes the sweat resistance as “military grade nano-proofing”, and it definitely works to keep the ear cups from drowning. In any case, the Backbeat FIT 500s held up extremely well to my sweat, and while the ear cups stayed right on my ears they did not overheat. Which is terrible for me, but great for this review. So even my normal level of sweaty grossness is increased. I usually lift weights at the gym, and with the recent cold snap, my gym has apparently put 100% of our membership fees towards heat, because it’s incredibly hot there even at 5 am. Wireless range is reported at 10m and we had no problems with reception when working out in a gym with our phone left in one corner.More importantly, I used the Backbeat Fits at the gym. The BackBeat FITs stream music to your phone or MP3 player via Bluetooth, so you won’t get tangled up or catch them on gym equipment during exercise. The FIT headphones could be pushed to high volumes and, despite the open-ear design, there wasn’t too much sound leakage. Mid-range and high-frequency sounds were rich and clear, though, and did not become sharp at higher volumes. Due to the open-ear design and lower frequency limit of 50Hz, the headphones lacked bass in our listening tests. In terms of audio quality, the BackBeat FIT surprised us, as sound quality is often not the priority in fitness-focused headphones. While this is a useful inclusion, there’s no way to see or operate your smartphone’s touchscreen when it’s in the armband. The headphones come with a neoprene smartphone armband which, when reversed, doubles as a storage pouch for the headphones. You might find that the neckband is a little too long if you wear a running shirt with a collar as it tends to snag if you tilt your head back. The rubberised construction felt solid and at 24 grams the headphones still feel light. We found the FIT withstood even vigorous movement and the sweat-proofing also stood up well to the rigours of exercise. The headphones fit well, but they can be slightly tricky to get in at first. The rubberised in-ear loop also aids comfort and stability. The headphones hook over your ear, which ensures minimal movement. Best headphone deals: The latest deals and best prices on headphones
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