Adidas FWD-01: The Wireless Earbuds for Runners

Adidas has partnered with Zound Industries to launch two new sets of sport focused headphones at IFA 2019.

The FWD-01 is a set of wireless earbuds connected by a neckband. The design is primarily for runners and the earbuds come with up to 16 combinations of sizing buds to keep them snug in your ears.

They support fast USB-C charging and claim up to 16 hours of playback time. The FWD-01 come with sweat resistance throughout, and the in-line controls are easy to use without being fiddly.

In use, the headphones gave a great range of sound and bass response, without totally blocking out outside sound. According to the Adidas representative, this was an intentional feature to allow safe usage for runners in urban environments.

While the earbuds are larger than most, they don’t feel heavy in the ears. The larger size is purportedly to accommodate better audio. There is no accounting for taste, but I like the chunky aesthetics.

While not in use, the headphones link under the chin via a magnet, which also acts as a pause button for any media playing.

Adidas also launched the RPT-01 over-ear headphones at IFA 2019. Designed to stay in place through the most rigorous workout, they are snug fitting and comfortable.

Again, fast USB-C charging features here, along with up to 40 hours of playback time. In use, they sounded great and felt good (though I didn’t have the opportunity to do a full workout with them on!)

It’s clear a lot of thought has gone into these headphones. There are no touch controls on the ear backs themselves, opting purely for solid buttons. Alongside standard controls, they feature three custom buttons, which can be assigned in the accompanying app to carry out a variety of functions.

Both headphones look and feel great, which is unsurprising for a sport/fashion company. We were quoted around $150 for the FWD-01 and $170 for the RPT-01, and they are available for pre-order from Adidas now.

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from MakeUseOf
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