I’m one of those people who cannot have a successful run without my headphones (or gym session). If I forget them, I know my chances of hitting a PB just disappear further into the distance. Clearly, I rely too heavily on Chase and Status for my motivation (please, don’t judge my running music choices).
Thankfully, the chances of me forgetting them are slim because, as T3’s Active Writer, one of the perks of my job is to test workout and running headphones. I’ve tried plenty; some good and some not so good, but a pair that is pretty bloody brilliant, and are my absolute favourites, are the Cleer Arc II Sport Open Earbuds (these are what I’m currently using).
Now, I have to admit, I didn’t test these headphones for T3 my Editor, Matt Kollat, did and he gave them a prestigious five-star review. However, I took them off his hands immediately afterwards and I fell head over heels for them as quickly as he did.
What I mainly love about these headphones is the excellent sound they deliver. Despite the outside world being free to enter your ears, the sound you get from these headphones is crisp, clear and offers just the right amount of base without distortion (so, perfect for my Chase and Status). They also have a super snuggly fit, which is something I was questioning when I first saw these, but they don’t budge, even during high-intensity runs/workouts. Plus, I’ve found they fit well under my beanie and Oakley glasses.
They also have an IPX5 water and sweat rating and have a long battery life (up to 8 hours of playback).
I was honestly in shock when I saw them this cheap because I remember looking during last year’s Black Friday sale and the discount was nowhere near as good as this year’s. If a new pair of headphones is on your list, I'd highly consider these, you won't be disappointed and they'll literally help carry you through your runs/workouts – I'd be lost without them!
