Sports Headphones – What’s Your Type?

Enter any gym and you will find most bikers, weight lifters, and runners plugged into their iPhones or iPods. After all, exercise and music are tightly linked. A study published in one of the reputed journals has revealed that music has the capability of boosting endurance while exercising by 15 percent!

If you are also the kind of person who likes to rock to music beats during the sweat sessions, then you surely need outstanding pair of headphones (specially designed for sports) that can help you keep upbeat and motivated. It is vital that the sports headphones you choose, not just sound great, but they must look cool, fit snuggly inside or over your ears, and be sweat-resistant.

As far as buying the perfect sports headphone is concerned, you can take different paths - earphones or headphones, wireless or wired, inexpensive or pricey. A wired headphone is more conventional, but wireless head gear can set you free from the tangle-prone cables. Headphones are worn over your ears, while earphones are inserted in ear canal, making a tight seal. Whichever you buy and whether you spend more conservatively or splurge, you'll end up having a great buddy for workout still!

Discussed here are some categories of sports headphones that you might want to read about before making any purchase.

Ear hooks headphones
If you are on a tight budget, earbud-type head gear that come with ear hooks, are quite affordable. These headphones are similar to the ones you get with most MP3 players and smart phones, but these come with a rubber attachment or curved plastic that clasps around your ear.

Advantages – Several affordable options available; stays firmly in the ears; provides satisfactory audio quality; generally comfortable
Disadvantages – Ear hooks are not very flexible and have a poor fit; not available in different sizes

In-ear attachment headphones
These headphones are also a good option for those on low budget. These are similar to ear-hook headphones and have ear buds with attachments made of silicone or rubber. These minimal sports headphones are available in a wide range of designs. These are flexible enough to be re-positioned for better audio quality.

Advantages – Have a firm fit; least skin contact; can be freely positioned; quite affordable
Disadvantages – Ear hook headphones are more secure than these; when taking off the headphone, attachments sometimes get dislodged

In-ear headphones (neckband style)
These headphones, specially designed for sports, provide a snug fit, with an added expediency of a single piece design which is easier to wear. These mostly have a single cord coming out from one side of neck band. This lessens the chances of snagging the headphones somewhere.

Advantages – Have a firm fit; elastic band and single cord are more resilient in due course
Disadvantages – Comfort depends on the fitting of neckband; similar to ear hook headphone variety; fussier listeners might not like the fixed positioning of ear buds

Some tips
•    While exercising outdoors, ensure that you are able to hear your surroundings.
•    Look for water resistant sports headphones.
•    You can also opt for head set versions of sports headphones. These come with remote for smart phones and built-in microphone.
•    Make sure you clean them regularly.