J Lab Epic Bluetooth 4.0 Earbuds

After ruining two pair of Jabra headphones, I decided to test out a more durable, waterproof pair of earbuds, the J Lab Epic Bluetooth 4.0. I contacted the brand manager over at J Lab who happily sent  a pair for review. Here are my thoughts:

The Good

There are two qualities about these headphones that really set them apart: 1) The battery life. You get TEN hours! Unless you’re running over 50 miles, you’re pretty much set for all long runs. And 2) they’re water resistant. I broke two pair of Jabra headphones because I took them out for runs in the rain… I know, I know. Not my best decision.
I like the fit. The earbuds and the earhooks have a matt rubber surface and come with six pairs of various eartips to choose from. They fit securely inside the ear and do a fairly decent job of blocking out exterior noise (good for the treadmill, maybe not so much for outdoor running). I’ve used these earbuds both indoors and outside. They never caused any pain or fell out. The sound quality is good. The bass is a bit heavy, but it works for running.
The controls are placed along the right side of the cable and are easily accessible to change the volume or skip a track mid-run. What’s nice is the buttons are easily distinguished (+ or -) by feel so you don’t have to take a gamble on what button you’re pushing.

The Bad

I like the fit of these earbuds, but they’re just not as comfortable as the Jabra Sport Pulse. I’m not sure if it’s the wrap around the ear or the earbud itself, but they never felt quite as snug. Also, a combination of profusely sweating and my pony tail swinging back and forth slapping the cables, made it challenging to keep the earbuds in place. As a quick fix I pulled the wires around to the front, rather than around the back of the neck. This worked well for the dreadmill miles.

Conclusion

The J Lab Epic Bluetooth Earbuds are a solid option for runners. They’re designed well, have a strong battery life and are water resistant. There are not many wireless headphones you can take out in the rain. Plus, for $100.00, you can’t beat the price point.