I was sent a pair of SOL REPUBLIC’s Relays headphones to review, headphones that are meant to be used for an “active life”. Meaning it has the benefits of a sports headphone but also a day-to-day set as well.
They are made to just pop right into the ear without need for lots of adjustments, but then they stay there throughout use: from “streets to the trails, train to the slopes” they aren’t supposed to fall out. And they do stay in. I even tried headbanging with them in and they didn’t move at all. My head hurt after that, but the headphones were still in my ears!
They are water and sweat resistant and include a clip so you can position the cable to stay out of your way. They include a mic with phone controls built in, which allows you to take calls and change the volume/tracks easily. The audio quality is very good. Very good! I was really impressed with how sharp everything sounded with these.
The two things I didn’t like about running in them:
1) I’ve gotten used to running with Far End Gear Short Buds
2) My Far End Gear earbud is also just that, an EAR BUD… no plural. It keeps one ear open to hear the surrounding world at all times. Something I feel is essential for safety.
So for testing these, I wore both earbuds inside the gates of my neighborhood, but when I left I removed one, just to be safer.
They come with four different sizes of ear tips, so you can choose the size that works best for you. I found that the smallest size worked best for me, and it was smaller than most headphones I’ve seen with the changeable tips. The smaller size is also what made this the first pair of that type of headphones that feel like they fit me properly. And what’s really cool about that, they have an “Ear Tips for Life” program. So if you lose the tips, SOL REPUBLIC will replace them. They’re the only manufacturer with that promise.
They retail for $79.99 at Verizon Wireless and will be available nationwide in Black & White, Horizon Blue and Lemon Lime at leading nationwide retailers in February 2014.
Jill Will Run 