Skip to main content

SoundSwell’s new Bluetooth earbuds are smartwatch-powered and wipeout-proof

There are now plenty of wireless and true wireless Bluetooth earbuds that can survive immersion in water, but few — if any — can stay attached to your body after you’ve been rolled by a wave. But Hawaii-based SoundSwell has a solution: Its $150 Smartwatch Series headphones combine a set of IPX9K-rated Bluetooth earbuds with a necklace-style harness that can also securely house a smartwatch to create a fully wipeout-proof music setup.

The Smartwatch Series was designed to withstand the sometimes torturous conditions facing surfers, but it also solves a problem for those who simply want to swim with their tunes. Bluetooth signals can travel for more than 50 feet through the air, but once they hit the water, their ability to propagate drops off a cliff. In most cases, your source device (smartphone, media player) needs to be six inches or closer to your receiving device (earbuds).

Woman wearing SoundSwell's Smartwatch Series Bluetooth earbuds.
SoundSwell

That distance is nearly impossible to achieve even if you mount your smartphone to an armband. The Smartwatch Series closes the Bluetooth gap by letting you mount a smartwatch directly to the body of the wireless earbuds, guaranteeing that the signal will stay strong. When you’re on the beach, you’ll still be able to use your smartwatch’s cellular data connection to stream or download music from services like Apple Music, Spotify, or Pandora, and when you’re in the water, you can keep listening to any tunes that have been saved to the smartwatch.

Using a smartwatch as the source for waterproof music isn’t a SoundSwell innovation — H2oAudio already makes an Apple Watch adapter for its bone-conducting Sonar swim headphones. But that device is designed to mate to the strap of a swimmer’s goggles, which would likely be ripped from your head in a heartbeat should you wipe out while surfing. With its adjustable and securely fastened necklace, the Smartwatch Series looks like it will withstand a lot of abuse.

Recommended Videos

The headphones come with a set of Apple Watch- and Samsung Galaxy Watch-compatible adapters, letting you insert any size and any generation of these devices into the harness, where it should stay securely fastened until you’re ready to remove it. The headphones offer eight hours of continuous playing time on a full charge and come with four pairs of silicone eartips in four different sizes and designs. The built-in controls let you play, pause, track skip forward and back, and adjust the volume. They can be used with any other Bluetooth source device when you’re not using them with a smartwatch.

The SoundSwell Smartwatch Series is available for pre-order now through the SoundSwell site, with orders starting to ship on September 30 to the U.S., U.K., Australia, and South Africa. Mexico and Canada will get access to the headphones later this year.

Simon Cohen
Contributing Editor, A/V
Simon Cohen is a contributing editor to Digital Trends' Audio/Video section, where he obsesses over the latest wireless…
A hidden Amazon deal will save you 30% on Sony’s bass-heavy, ultra flexible outdoor speakers
Sony ULT Field 1 in four colors.

There was an era where everything was seemingly about bass. Is that era over? Every time I write about Beats headphones, there's a question that arises. Do I even need to quote the line from the review that inevitably mentions that they aren't as bass-heavy as the brand's originals were? Are bass heads in trouble?

The answer turns out to be no, all thanks to the Sony ULT series, and right now you can save big on their extremely versatile outdoor speaker. The Sony ULT Field 1 is usually $128, but you can get it now for just $89, a savings of $39. Please note that the store page says price hidden, but the deal is still there when you add the speaker to your cart. Tap the button below to see the deal yourself or keep reading for our take on the Sony ULT Field 1 and see what features make Sony's speakers designed for bass heads unique.

Read more
Samsung 2025 TV buying guide: Lineup and models explained
Samsung 2025 TV Guide

Looking for the best Samsung TV to buy in 2025? This complete Samsung TV buying guide walks you through everything in the 2025 line-up, from budget-friendly Crystal UHD models to cutting-edge QD-OLED displays.

Whether you're building a dream home theater or just want a reliable upgrade for your living room, we’ll help you figure out which Samsung TV fits your space, needs, and budget.

Read more
Best deals on Father’s Day gifts: 20 tech deals for Dad
Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones hanging on wall hook in front of a mirror.

Father's Day is coming up, which means time is running out for those who haven't bought a gift for their dad. If you need help in choosing what to get, we've rounded up 20 tech deals you'll want to consider, ranging from affordable gadgets to premium devices. You're going to have to decide quickly though, for two reasons: These discounts may expire at any moment, and you'll want to receive them in time for Father's Day!

JBL Clip 5 portable Bluetooth speaker -- $50 $80 38% off

Read more