True wireless earbuds like Apple’s AirPods might be great for a lot of things, but most of them aren’t very good at staying in your ears during a run or a workout. JVC is aiming to provide a solution to this problem with its new HA-ET90BT fully wireless earbuds, which it says will stay in your ears no matter what.
JVC has employed a few different tricks when it comes to keeping the earbuds secure. The first is a rubber fin at the top that the company calls Pivot Motion Fit, which helps keep the earbuds in place. There’s also a slight oval bulge on the back of the housing that helps support the earpiece, while the vertical shape of the housing helps keep it in place. We haven’t tried the headphones ourselves, at least not yet, but these features should theoretically help keep them in place.
In addition to the fit, the headphones are also meant to withstand both rain and sweat with an IPX5 rating, making them perfect for your daily run. The HA-ET90BT earbuds come with two types of earpieces, each with three different sizes. One type is the standard you’d see with almost any earbuds, while the other is an “open” type that allows ambient sounds to come through, which is essential if your run takes you through anywhere with significant vehicle traffic.
You’ll find a multifunction button on the left earpiece for controlling playback without needing to reach for your phone, and a built-in microphone lets you take calls hands-free. The headphones’ batteries will provide roughly three hours of playback, while the included charging case will fully charge them twice, giving you roughly six hours from a fully charged case. If you’d rather leave the case at home, a soft carrying pouch with a belt clip lets you safely stow the earbuds when you’re not using them.
Rather than guessing how much battery life you’ve got left, JVC’s Headphones Manager companion app shows a 10-step battery indicator. The app also includes a sound mode selector that lets you choose from three different profiles. One profile enhances bass, one which enhances midrange and high frequencies, and another that is flat. The app also includes a feature to help you find your earbuds, causing them to flash an LED and play an alert sound to help you track them down.
The JVC HA-ET90BT fully wireless earbuds are available now and retail for $150. If you’re not sold on these or just want to look at your options, take a look at our list of the best fully wireless earbuds or our list of the best headphones for running.
