Strong Women editor Miranda Larbi puts Sennheiser’s new wireless sport headphones to the run test to see just how good they really are.
I’ve been running with the same pair of headphones since 2017. They’re a weightless, over-the-ear number with a band that goes around the neck so they can’t just drop off if you break into a sprint. I’ve had about five pairs of the same model because they’re so good (and I’m so good at losing them). And then, one day, I ran to work wearing them and never saw them again – and the brand has now gone bust. Devastated.
As a committed over-ear headphoner, I’ve always thought that earbuds sounded uncomfortable at best; at worst, they seemed downright dangerous. When you’re running, you need to be able to hear stuff around you while also being able to enjoy jog-enhancing noise. Don’t earbuds just fall out of your ears half the time?
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So when Sennheiser brought out a pair of sport-specific wireless earbuds, I was slightly dubious. After all, it’s a brand famed for surround-sound earphones. Surely that’s not what you want from a pair you’re going to wear on the road/around traffic?
But the Sport True Wireless has a choice of open and closed ear adapters,v meaning that you can cut exterior and “body-borne” noise, while allowing for outside sounds to enter. That means (in theory) that you don’t have to hear your own thudding footsteps while still being able to stay aware of important things like traffic. To see just how good they are, I’ve been testing them out on speedy 5Ks, longer 10K runs, commuter cycles and in the gym.
Look
Small and black, no one would know that you were wearing earbuds – which has resulted in my partner thinking that I’m blanking him when I’ve come in from cycling home, still listening to a podcast. When I’m running alone, I don’t necessarily want to have obviously expensive gadgets on show, so the more minimal and discreet the better.
This pair is super-sleek and its charger box is so compact that it fits in the side pocket of my running backpack and vest – meaning that if I forget to plug them in beforehand, I can charge them at the start of a long run.
Comfort
It took a little while to get used to having something in my ear holes, but after a few days, I totally forgot that I even had them in. They don’t move when you run, and thanks to their size, have no impact on helmet placement when cycling. I still can’t wear them for more than a couple of hours at a time because my earholes get sweaty (sorry, that’s quite disgusting), but let’s be honest – bar a marathon, when are you going to be exercising for umpteen hours at a time? And during a marathon, trust me, your sweaty earholes are going to be the least of your problems.
Performance
Compared to my old pair or my backup iPhone wire headphones, the sound quality is exceptional. We’re talking clear surround sound, full bass and jog-proof. The battery life is also superior to other wireless numbers I’ve tried at nine hours (and another 18 hours with the charging case), so you could run an ultramarathon before they die.
Crucially, they’re also sweat, rain and splash-resistant. I’ve tried them while running, cycling and weight training, and they’re excellent whether you’re on the road or in the gym for cutting distractions while staying safe. Thanks to their sound-cutting capacity, they’re also brilliant at work; I’ve never been so productive in the office!
Value for money
At £119.99, they’re not cheap, but I tend to think that it’s worth investing in good pieces of kit if you’re going to use them. These are headphones to run, walk, work and travel with, and good battery life doesn’t come cheap. If I lose these, I’m fully prepared to buy the same set again.
Verdict
They’re everything you’d want from a pair of sports headphones. They’re lightweight, sturdy and long-lasting. And perhaps most importantly, they make my cringy Spotify running playlists sound epic. I’d probably argue that they’re not as safe as, say, the bone technology headphones that sit above rather than in the earhole, but they’re definitely great for events like Parkrun and Run Through where you’re not competing against traffic.
Images: courtesy of Sennheiser
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