New earbuds first outing.... and last!!

[limberlou]

So I have been toying with the idea of earbuds for some time. I have several pairs of wireless headphones and they are fine, when I wear a ponytail, as I wind the cable up around the ponytail and this stops the on/off bit bumping against my neck when I run. But I have also been toying with the idea of having short hair so thought maybe earbuds would be the answer.

I’ve researched for a while and finally ordered some Urbanista ones from EBay, supposedly opened but not worn!!! They went back sharpish as I could quite clearly see they HAD been worn. By someone with really grubby ears too! 🤢

Then I settled on a pair, which were reduced from £44.99 to £27. Bargain I thought!! Made by Coumi and they come with their own little charging case so I set them up, ready to go and took them for their maiden voyage this morning.

All seemed good, sound was nice and clear, easy one tap to pair, 2 taps to Play/Pause, 3 to go back a tune, when in use 1 tap to send volume up. I experimented while warm up waking and although the left one fell out while I was fiddling I readjusted it and carried on. Then after I’d been running about 5 mins I wanted to cross the road and a nice man slowed and signalled me across so I smiled to acknowledge him and the left one fell out in the road, causing me to stop and pick it up, covered in embarrassment at holding the nice man up further. The right one was solid as a rock so I inserted left one again and “screwed it in” as instructed and all seemed well.

I carried on, up the lane behind B&M towards Rock Park, breathing well, legs a bit achey and they have been the last couple of days. Been getting my garden and greenhouse ready for winter and overdone it a bit. And then I was at the top, crossed the road and downhill all the way to the Park. I was flying now and glancing at my watch I thought this is going to be a PB run definitely and then...... I wiped the sweat from the left side of my brow..... and ... the bl*^%y earbuds shot out and disappeared into the undergrowth somewhere. By the time I realised and stopped and retraced my steps, gone was all hope of a PB and gone also was my flipping earbud. I searched as best I could through long wet grass, brambles, nettles and dogpoo, stinging my thumb in the process. My right ear bud did it’s best to help offering helpful hints like “ connected” and “ disconnected” as I moved up and down the track. But eventually even that gave up and switched itself off.

So I gave up too, carried and completed my run without music, which was okay but I’d lost interest by then. So moral of the story I’m sticking to my old £3.97 wireless headphones and chalking this up to experience. No PB by the way either. But 5k run, not the 8k I’d planned originally. And I’ve decided either I have one ear hole larger than the other or it’s because I use the muscle in front of that ear more. That’s the ear that I can wiggle too ( my party piece).

[Jonno34 Graduate10]

I use some Anker ones. Really good company. I have aftershokz for road use so am aware of what is going on.

[limberlou Graduate10 in reply to Jonno34]

They worked really well/ just that one would not stay in my ear!! Oh well back to the drawing board 😁

[Sybilw Graduate10]

Oh no! I ordered some wireless ones after an earring incident 😆 but found they felt as if they’d fall out if I blinked and only connected with my phone when it pleased! Like you back to the originals.

[limberlou Graduate10 in reply to Sybilw]

Yeah, no issue with the right one at all, like I said I think the left side of my face moved more, especially when I smile at people. That’ll teach me to be cheerful won’t it?

[Sybilw Graduate10 in reply to limberlou]

Not another thing to remember! 😳😂

[nowster Graduate10]

That's one reason why I don't use "true wireless" earbuds. The other is that my head's so dense (insert your own joke here) that they lose pairing regularly.

Also, the battery life on earbuds themselves is often poor (90 mins max). You need to keep putting them in the case to recharge off the case's battery.

[limberlou Graduate10 in reply to nowster]

Well I don’t intend running longer than 90 minutes nowadays. 🤣

[roseabi]

Oh dear! xx

[limberlou Graduate10 in reply to roseabi]

Indeed!! So annoyed!! And my thumb is really stinging too.

[roseabi in reply to limberlou]

Ouch! Nettles are nasty aren't they?!

[limberlou Graduate10]

Yup !!

[LulaHula Graduate10]

I have extra earrings various which means ear buds just don’t fit. I bought some over ear Bluetooth ones, they are great and I’ve had no disconnect problems and apparently they last for 8 hours

KAMTRON Bluetooth Running Headphones, Marathon2 Wireless Earphones

[Beatlesforever Graduate10 in reply to LulaHula]

I have the same ones! Love them and you can still hear the traffic so I feel quite safe crossing the road 👍

[limberlou Graduate10]

Thanks I’ll take a look. I’ve never had my old cheap ones come out of my ear in 3 years of running/ bit annoyed really.

[JonathanP Graduate10 in reply to limberlou]

I have those ones too and can recommend them

[Oldgirlruns Graduate10]

Oh blimey limberlou, it’s all going on isn’t it?! But you still managed 5km and there was probably a time when you thought that was an impossible dream! I’ve got the Apple earbuds and they’re OK most of the time but if it’s windy, they keep falling out so I spend most of the time fumbling around trying to put them back in! Irritating! I know Aftershokz are popular so I might try them one day or just go naked.....

[Week7 Graduate10]

Hi there. Love your tenacity but feeling your frustration!

Don't know if is any help but I recently got some Anker curve wireless headphones ( approx £25) which I now love. I mentioned to my son about the annoying wire against my neck. He gave me a dismissive look the only way your beloved 20 something year old son can and pointed to the small clip ( like a mini clothes peg ) provided with the ear phones and explained " patiently" that I should clip the wire to the bag of my running top to stop it moving-

Perhaps you could find a little clip to do this with your old headphones whilst researching your next purchase?

[limberlou Graduate10 in reply to Week7]

Ooh good idea

Thanks

[Week7 Graduate10 in reply to Week7]

* back not bag!