As made evident by the number of new products unveiled at this year's CES convention, the growing trend is bluetooth headphones and speakers. Another development has been the growing number of headphones made for athletes and runners. With this in mind, today, I will be reviewing the QAK Thump Bluetooth Headphones, the Colorado-based company’s only product.
I'm always a little apprehensive to use Bluetooth headphones for a number of reasons. First, wireless headphones mean that they need to be charged. While this may not seem like the biggest deal, at the very least it's annoying to have to remember to charge your headphones, and, in addition, it will require purchasing and bringing along a second charger to travel. That being said, I have to admit the Thump's charger is pretty small and the headphone battery life is pretty darn good. Their are a number of in-line controls next to the earbuds which I found worked well.
My favorite part of the Thumps is its durability and construction. I've tested other around-the-head headphones before, and the Thumps have a much thicker plastic construction than the norm, making them more able to stand up to daily wear and tear. Also, while the Thumps are not really adjustable, every person I had tried them on found that they sit comfortably and sturdily. My biggest issue rests with the ear tips. After only about 15 minutes of wearing them, they started to cause discomfort and I had to take them out. As such, I wouldn't recommend these for runners, but they could still be a great fit for biking enthusiasts. I hope QAK can alter the ear tips with the next generation Thumps.
As for sound quality, the Thumps are about what you would expect from affordable wireless headphones - not bad, not great. Personally, I prefer the tight seal you get from a good pair of traditional earbuds, but that's just me. However, if you're looking for a pair of around-the-head wireless headphones for biking or working out, the Thumps are a pretty good option.
Price: $79
Available Now
Pros
I'm always a little apprehensive to use Bluetooth headphones for a number of reasons. First, wireless headphones mean that they need to be charged. While this may not seem like the biggest deal, at the very least it's annoying to have to remember to charge your headphones, and, in addition, it will require purchasing and bringing along a second charger to travel. That being said, I have to admit the Thump's charger is pretty small and the headphone battery life is pretty darn good. Their are a number of in-line controls next to the earbuds which I found worked well.
My favorite part of the Thumps is its durability and construction. I've tested other around-the-head headphones before, and the Thumps have a much thicker plastic construction than the norm, making them more able to stand up to daily wear and tear. Also, while the Thumps are not really adjustable, every person I had tried them on found that they sit comfortably and sturdily. My biggest issue rests with the ear tips. After only about 15 minutes of wearing them, they started to cause discomfort and I had to take them out. As such, I wouldn't recommend these for runners, but they could still be a great fit for biking enthusiasts. I hope QAK can alter the ear tips with the next generation Thumps.
As for sound quality, the Thumps are about what you would expect from affordable wireless headphones - not bad, not great. Personally, I prefer the tight seal you get from a good pair of traditional earbuds, but that's just me. However, if you're looking for a pair of around-the-head wireless headphones for biking or working out, the Thumps are a pretty good option.
Price: $79
Available Now
Pros
- Durability
- Affordable
- Battery Life
- Ear-tips
- Not Available in Stores
- Average Sound Quality
1 comment:
THESE ARE THE WORST HEADSETS EVER. I received a set as a gift. Broke going in half just putting them on!!! THEN these guys try to make you by a "SPECIAL CASE" to provide a replacement. SAVE YOUR MONEY, go get some BEATs or other Robust product.
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