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Reddit Reviews
I use the powerbeats3, with a corded connection between the two so I don't drop them. The larger tips block out most of the noise. I work alone, so I'm not to worried about someone else being deaf to events around me.
I just bought the Powerbeats3. I have really small air canals and I freaking love these things. They don't hurt my ear. They stay in even when I go to sleep with them.
I’ve been using JBL Endurance Race 2s for a bit and if you’re open to in ear they do have an audio pass through ‘aware’ mode - very good for the price, when compared to the equivalent Bose. I prefer Bose in ears for sound quality and noise cancellation, but each generation has problems. The Bose QC 2 Ultras would be my #1 best ever (if money was no object if the touch controls didn’t react to water. I’m a sweaty man and after 3-4 miles the noise cancellation controls start rotating. Shokz really are the way for true awareness. I just don’t think music sounds good through them… so I do prefer in-ear. Beats Sport lines are better than AirPod for similar tech (both owned by apple). I’d say my Beats lasted through my sweat the best of any headphones I’ve had over the years.
What devices are you planning to use them with? If you are in the Apple ecosystem it might make sense to go with AirPods or Beats because there are some features they have limited to their hardware. I have had a pair of AirPod Pro 2s for several years and they do a solid job of noise cancellation. The AirPod 4 ANC do a good job as well but not quite to the same level as the Pros (presumably due to the difference in the seal in your ear being different between the models). I love the option of transparency mode for if I need situational awareness like commuting or at the dog park. I tried Beats earbuds and liked them, the sport ones stay on well if you have trouble with that and they have similar features but not quite as many as the AirPods with an Apple device pairing. Good options to consider for an alternative that isn’t an extreme price point, they have more types of earbuds in terms of physical form factor. Can’t really comment on Android, my AirPods work fine with Windows but switching to my Windows work computer is annoying (unlike Apple to other Apple device that is pretty simple/seamless) so I mostly don’t bother and use a separate headset for my work PC. And yeah notably BIFL is kind of not realistic. iFixit does have info on changing batteries in AirPods but not everyone is willing to go through that effort so ymmv there.
i'm on my 3rd pair of Powerbeats. Each pair has lasted me 3 years, at which point one of them starts to fail w/ a rapidly diminishing battery. But for me they're the most comfortable, have the best physical controls, sound pretty good w/ music, and they're easy to switch between devices. Downside is the cost. But i've had no issues w/ sweat, i wear them in the shower.
Powerbeats! Great sound and don’t come out no matter how hard you try to get them to fall out.
Powerbeats! Great sound but can’t hear much traffic over them which has never been a problem for me but is for others.
Ditto, I’ve had my PowerBeats since they came out. Very secure, sound quality is good enough for running. For training I run with both in. For Ultras I run with one in ear + one in pocket, and swap when the battery goes flat. For 10+ hour events I will carry the case and charge on the go, or just swap to another pair of headphones at the aid-station with bag drop. Siri integration is great for pause/skip commands, plus I can listen and reply to Messages on the go too, obviously only valid for iPhone users. Heart rate function on the newest PowerBeats is a bit of a waste of time for most ultra runners, as you’ll have a wrist or chest HRM. So just turn off the PowerBeats HRM and increase battery life. Case of the newest is smaller - so that’s a plus.
Powerbeats. Wireless with ear hooks so I don’t worry about losing them.
Rankings by Use Case
Top recommendations from others in the same boat
Best for Air travel

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Apple - AirPod Pro Series
Best for Audiophile sound quality

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Technics - EAH-AZ100
Best for High-intensity workouts

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Beats (Apple) - Fit Pro
Best for Industrial hearing protection

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Sony - WF-1000XM5
Best for Meetings & video calls

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Apple - AirPod Pro Series
Best for Situational awareness (when running, cycling, parenting etc)

Top pick
Shokz - OpenFit Series





