I’ve all the time been skeptical about swimming headphones and I’m unsure why. Possibly it’s as a result of in 2023, I don’t have any mp3 music recordsdata to add onto them (if you happen to’re new to the swimming headphone sport like I used to be, you’ll must know that Bluetooth doesn’t work in water), or perhaps it’s getting over that worry of placing expertise in a swimming pool. Both approach, I’ve all the time educated within the pool in silence, till now.
I’m presently 5 months pregnant, and as a marathon runner, my bump is beginning to decelerate and shorten my runs because it grows. As a substitute, I’ve turned to the pool, the place I can fortunately swim with out the load on my pelvis slowing me down. It’s vital to notice right here whereas exercising when pregnant is really useful, it is best to all the time test along with your physician or midwife in case you are uncertain.
As my time within the pool elevated, I discovered I missed listening to music, podcasts, and audiobooks like I do when working, so I dug a pair of Shokz Openswim headphones out of the cabinet, the place they’d sat, unopened, for a very long time, and I’ve not seemed again. Learn on to search out out extra.
I’ve been swimming with the Shokz Openswim headphones — right here’s what I like
The sound high quality
Like a lot of the finest bone conducting headphonesthe Openswim headphones work by transmitting the sound waves alongside your cheekbones, reasonably than by the air. That is useful whenever you’re within the pool, because it means you possibly can nonetheless hear the lifeguard’s whistle and be absolutely conscious of your environment.
I used to be shocked at how clearly I may hear each my music and podcast dialog with my face within the water — there are two totally different modes on the headphones, one specifically designed for the water. The swimming mode provided a lift for voice-based podcasts the place the bump in quantity and readability felt most noticeable. The Normal mode was versatile sufficient to work for various kinds of audio each out and in of the water.
The battery life
To cost the Openswim headphones, you need to clip one facet of the headphones right into a small field constructed that is on the top of the charging cable — you gained’t need to lose this charger, because it’s not your run-of-the-mill cable. Shokz estimates you’ll get round eight hours of playback from a single cost, though I’d say this was a bit optimistic. That stated, any pair of headphones that shops music in addition to enjoying it’s more likely to have a shorter battery life.
The design
One other plus was that these headphones stayed put within the water, a lot so, I’d neglect I used to be sporting them fully. They weigh simply 1.05 ounces (round 30g) and I may simply slip them beneath my swimming cap within the water. I additionally discovered they didn’t transfer, even when pushing off from the facet of the pool, and didn’t get tangled in my hair on periods the place I’d forgotten to pack my cap.
The headphones got here with a helpful carry-pouch, to cease them from getting misplaced in my swim bag and by accident chucked within the washer with my towel. Additionally they got here with a set of swim ear plugs, which I didn’t want to make use of, however I think about they assist improve the sound high quality if you happen to’re swimming in a very noisy pool.
The headphones themselves had been simple to make use of within the pool — Shokz positioned three bodily buttons on the underside of the proper facet of the headphones to activate the headphones and regulate the amount up and down.
There’s additionally a smaller ‘mode’ button that lets you swap between the swimming and basic modes. As you possibly can’t join the headphones to your cellphone to see the battery stage, or what mode you’re in, there’s audio suggestions to let you know whenever you’ve switched modes, powered your headphones on or off, and a battery life standing.
I’ve been swimming with the Shokz Openswim headphones — right here’s what I don’t love
Remembering to add recordsdata
That is an apparent one, and an issue you’d encounter with any of the perfect swimming headphones available on the market, however remembering to add recordsdata onto my headphones earlier than leaving the home was a trouble. I’m nit-picking right here, after all. The headphones have 4GB of storage and the power to switch over MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC recordsdata and also you do this utilizing the identical proprietary cable used to cost the headphones. It’s a little fiddly, particularly nowadays, but it surely’s the worth you pay for listening to music as you swim.
Total, I’ve been impressed with these headphones and I’d suggest them to anybody seeking to beat the boredom as you lap your native pool. Take a look at the opposite headphones that made our finest waterproof headphones listing, in addition to the opposite finest bone conduction headphones right here.
