The first time I wore the Plantronics BackBeat Fit earbuds was on a three-mile trail run on a brisk, breezy fall day. I put them in and started running, but then had to take them out. Put them in again, took them out again. Yes—there it was. The earbud’s distinctive rubber loop, which braced it inside my ear, was picking up the air blowing past my head, making an annoying whooshing sound. It was like wearing two miniature conch shells over my ears.
A beanie solved the headphones’ only quirk, blocking the wind-catching loops. Over a week of outdoor and indoor workouts, these light and sturdy Plantronics outperformed my expectations at every turn.
There's no better way to say this—these headphones sound amazing. Beyoncé’s vocal fry was as intimate as if she were singing over my shoulder, and Mariah Carey’s bat-whistle solos were so pure. With workout headphones, I appreciate a bigger bass presence, and I doubt I’m the only runner whose playlist resembles that of DJ’s nightclub set. The headphones also blocked ambient noise so well I took to wearing only one sometimes, so pedestrians and cars would stop sneaking up on me.
Wind-catching conch shells aside, the silicone earbuds fit securely. Three different sizes were available, and the smallest didn’t require the usual fiddling that I’ve had with other workout in-ear buds. They didn’t fall out while running, doing sit-ups, or lifting.
They were tough enough to shove into a pocket or gym bag, even without the protective mesh pouch, and they didn’t flinch when doused with sweat and rain. The Bluetooth range was astonishing. Plantronics advertises the range as 33 feet, but I placed my iPhone at one end of an empty studio and paced off 50 feet while the music continued to play. My jams remained clear with the phone placed next to me during studio workouts, and I was also able to freely move around the kitchen while my phone was charging.
