Skip to main content

Survey shows outdoor athletes love listening to music but hate their earbuds

Do you like to listen to music or podcasts while taking part in your favorite outdoor activities? Do you find that your earbuds aren’t especially well-suited for those outings? If you said yes to that last question, it turns out you’re not alone. A recent survey of more than 400 “weekend warriors” who enjoy action sports like mountain biking, trail running, and skiing shows that most of us aren’t very happy with our options when it comes to earbuds built for use outdoors.

The survey was conducted by a company called Earshot and reveals some interesting insights into how action sports athletes view their headphones. For instance, 72 percent of those surveyed indicated that they prefer to listen to music while participating in their sport of choice, although nearly 20 percent who chose not to listen to music said it was because earbuds aren’t built for use in their favorite activity. Another 16 percent claimed that their existing headphones aren’t very good or are just downright awful. And while 40 percent indicated that they had spent $100 or more on a set of earbuds, nearly half (49 percent) said the would spend even more if they could find a set better suited for their needs.

Recommended Videos

The biggest complaints that outdoor athletes had with their existing headphones were that the cords often get in the way (33 percent), they are uncomfortable to wear (23 percent), and they don’t fit properly (17 percent). The athletes involved in the survey also indicated that fit and functionality are the most important aspect they look for in their earbuds, with comfort and sound quality coming in second and third. Twenty-five percent said that they felt that most earphone manufacturers simply didn’t understand their specific needs.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

In a press release revealing the results of the survey, James Bell-Booth, Earshot co-founder, said: “To me, the most important finding from our research is that 35 percent of action sport athletes said they’re at least somewhat likely to abandon their activity if their headphones don’t work properly. As a community, we need to take more seriously the headphone requirements of action sport athletes, and get to work making products that meet their needs better.”

Of course, Earshot had ulterior motives in conducting this survey. The company has designed a line of earbuds that it expects to launch on Kickstarter later this month. With a magnetic locking system to hold them in place, long battery life, and completely wireless operation, they apparently have been designed with action sports in mind. They are also waterproof and rugged enough for use in demanding environments like those favored by outdoor athletes.

The new earbuds are expected to sell for $136 when they become available, although anyone interested in grabbing a pair can register now for a 40 percent discount.

Kraig Becker
Kraig Becker is a freelance outdoor writer who loves to hike, camp, mountain bike, trail run, paddle, or just about any other…
Be ready for storm season: Dual fuel portable generator is $150 off today
Pulsar dual fuel portable generator with gas can in background

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that a ton of early Black Friday deals have dropped. There are the usual suspects like laptops, electronics, gaming gear, and beyond. But me, I prefer to pick up unusual items during the huge holiday sales. You know exactly what I mean, the kind of stuff that doesn't usually go on sale any other time. One of those items is a portable generator. Where I live it seems like they rarely go on sale, and when you need them most they're never in stock. People flock to the stores to buy them just before a big storm. Well, right now, Pulsar and Walmart have an incredible deal on a 12,000-watt dual-fuel generator. Normally $900 it's down to $749 which saves you $151. It can run for up to 12 hours on an 8-gallon fuel tank.

 
Why shop the Pulsar 12,000-watt dual-fuel portable generator for Black Friday?

Read more
The BLUETTI Handsfree 2 is a solar backpack and power station — It’s $200 off
BLUETTI Handsfree 2 solar backpack and power station -- black friday deal

While you're busy shopping through all of the Best Cyber Monday deals, here's a little something that might pique your interest. You'll be even more excited if you spend a lot of time outdoors or off-grid. You might want to wait on grabbing that Cyber Monday portable power station deal. Allow me to explain. The BLUETTI Handsfree 2 is a backpack, like any other outdoor pack you might encounter, except for one thing. It's also a power station and solar generator. Believe me when I say this thing is insane and super useful. But for Cyber Monday, there's a deal that includes the BLUETTI Handsfree 2 and a 100-watt solar panel to charge it on the go. Normally $799, it's yours for just $599, saving you $200. Wow. You have to read what it can all do, so don't leave just yet.

 
Why buy the BLUETTI Handsfree 2 solar backpack and power station?

Read more
Cyber Monday is here: Shop these snow blower deals while you can!
The Ego 24-inch Self-Propelled 2-Stage XP Snow Blower on a white background.

When you think of Cyber Monday, you might think of Cyber Monday TV deals, but now is also the time for more practical items like snow blowers. We’ve picked out all the best Cyber Monday snow blower deals with big savings on popular brands, and we’ve also taken the time to provide you with some buying advice so you know what to look for when buying one.

With so many different snow blowers out there, we’ve considered everything you need to know about and included different budgets in our decision-making process, too. Read on, and we’ll take you through all these great Cyber Monday deals. If you’re looking for something a little more fun (but still practical), we’ve picked out all the best Cyber Monday Apple Watch deals, too. Let’s take a look together.
Our top pick: Greenworks 40V 20-inch Brushless Cordless Snow Blower -- $247 $420 41% off

Read more