I've owned hundreds of dollars worth of bluetooth headphones ($20 to $40) at a time over the last few years. I'm an avid runner currently nearing my first half marathon, and I sweat buckets when I run. I also lift weights a couple of times a week. I've owned QY8 (terrible), AYL (okay), Blayz (decent), and several others I've forgotten.
Background:
Years ago, I got really awesome headphones in the form of these waterpoof beasts https://www.amazon.com/Sony-Walkman-NWZW273S-Waterproof-Swimming/dp/B00I05EFMG. With these I kickstarted my running habit and began to enjoy the sport more. From a physical standpoint, these are the best headphones I've ever owned. They are incredibly comfortable, lightweight, and easy to control aside from turning them on and off. The downside is that they are not bluetooth, and thus I can't use them with all my cloud-based music easily. Another downside is that they have trouble charging due to contact corrosion that has amassed over time exacerbated by sweat, and it's not great that they use a proprietary charger. If Sony made a bluetooth version of these in this same form factor, I would buy it in a heartbeat. However, Sony does not make a bluetooth version of these.
Anyway, I knew that the rigid-back formfactor could really work well from my experience with the Sony headphones. Unfortunately, Amazon is full of terrible bluetooth headphones with fake reviews that make it hard to dig through them all, and most manufacturers make the kind with a soft cable connecting them. I really think the only reason that style took off is because it is cheaper to manufacture. Anyway, after trying lots of disappointing headphones, I decided to give these a shot when I was weighing getting some bone conduction headphones since my wife (also a runner) got some.
I heard about these from a facebook ad oddly enough, and later found them again on Amazon. I was frustratedly comparing headphones when I stumbled across these the second time. The reviews appear to be genuine, which is rare in this product category. I've also owned Anker products in the past, and they have mostly been great. Even when one wasn't, they tried their best to make it right. Also, lots of friends of mine love their products in real life, and the price was right so I figured why-the-heck-not go for it.
These are the best bluetooth headphones out there that I have experienced. The wrap around back piece appeared a little too floppy in the videos, but it is more rigid than I expected once I got my hands on it which is a plus. These stay in my ears pretty well. The retention rubber band piece across the back doesn't slide when sweaty doesn't budge whereas the one on my great Sony headphones would slip all the way to the back of the band, so these are even better in that regard. The bluetooth signal is reliable, battery life has not been an issue, the startup and shutdown sounds are pleasant (like a record spinning up and slowing down). Also, the charger cover is sturdy, and it uses a standard cover. The earpieces are big rubber one piece jobs (not a little earbud nub, but a cover that goes around the speaker and has an earbud branching off of it) which makes it easy to rotate them for optimal positioning. Sweat hasn't bothered these. As far as signal, these don't lose connection when I have the phone in my waist belt and them on my head while running, though sometimes they do when I turn my head to the side. This sounds lame, but I'm tall and there are many headphones that can't even maintain a connection when my head is straight. When my phone is not pressed up against my flesh, the signal is great. I can leave the room with these in my house and stay connected, and at the gym I can leave my phone in one place while getting water or using a machine some distance away without issue usually.
My only real complaint with these is the controls. The controls are awkwardly placed. I have to scratch my ear to operate the buttons which are all crowded on the top of the right earpiece. I'm not sure why the controls weren't placed on the back or bottom of both earpieces. The sony's had track skip buttons and play on one earpiece bottom with volume on the other and power/lock on the back of one. It would also be nice if there was a track skip back button. However, while I'm bashing this one aspect of the controls, I have to commend Anker on the reliability of the controls for voice actions. I can reliably use voice dialing or control my music via voice by holding down the center button for a second or so. None of my other bluetooth headsets were as easy to do this on, and some (Blayz) totally omit that feature while costing more than these. It also helps that their instructions are very clear and well laid out, and they are probably the best headphone instructions I've seen.
So there you have it, these are the best I've used. The combo of price, comfort, and usability is astonishing frankly compared to the other garbage on the market. If you are on the fence about buying your tenth set of bluetooth headphones, I wouldn't be any longer with these. They are the last type I'll buy. I'm already considering grabbing another pair so I can have a backup set in case anything ever happens to these.
This product is available as Renewed.
Anker SoundBuds Sport NB10 Bluetooth Headphones, IPX5 Water-Resistant Bluetooth Headset (Renewed) $27.18
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Compare with similar items
This Item  Anker AK-A3260011 SoundBuds Sport NB10 Bluetooth Headphones, IPX5 Water-Resistant Bluetooth Headset with Adjustable Neckband, Sport Earbuds with Mic and CVC 6.0 Noise Cancellation for Work Out, |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | Currently unavailable. | -28% $35.99 New Price: $49.99 | -39% $42.99 New Price: $69.99 | -13% $69.99 List: $79.99 | $21.99 | -24% $37.99 List: $49.99 |
| Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Friday, May 17 | Get it as soon as Monday, May 20 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 17 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 17 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 17 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
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| Comfort | ||||||
| Sold By | — | AnkerDirect | AnkerDirect | AnkerDirect | LakuSound Store | PocBuds US Shop |
| connectivity tech | Wireless | Wireless | Wireless | Wireless | Wireless | Wireless |
| headphones form factor | Over Ear | In Ear | In Ear | In Ear | In Ear | In Ear |
| connector type | usb,wireless | wireless | wireless | USB Type C | wireless | USB Type C |
| noise control | sound isolation | active noise cancellation | — | active noise cancellation | sound isolation | sound isolation |
| cable feature | Without Cable | Without Cable | Without Cable | Without Cable | Cable Included | Detachable |
| control type | Media Control | Media Control | Media Control | Volume Control | Button Control | Voice Control |
| water resistance | water resistant | — | waterproof | waterproof | waterproof | water resistant |
From the brand
From the manufacturer
What’s In The Box?
- SoundBuds Sport NB10.
- 3 pairs of eartips (S/M/L).
- Micro USB cable.
- 2 FitClips.
- Travel pouch.
SoundBuds Sport NB10
Earphones That Hold-Fast When You’re At Your Limit
- Interchangeable eartips and the FitClip provide a fit secure enough for the most intense workouts.
- Incredibly lightweight for greater comfort.
- Bluetooth 4.1 provides universal compatibility and rapid pairing.
- Enjoy clear hands free calling through the wireless mic and CVC 6.0 Noise Cancellation.
- Up to 6 hours of playtime—nearly a week’s worth of workouts in every charge.
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Super-Secure Fit3 points of support ensure an ultra firm fit for those who push their limits. |
IPX5 Water ResistantSweat it out in the gym or run in the rain. The water resistant shell and internal nano-coating provide a double layer of water protection. |
Isolated SoundOval shaped eartips create a gentle seal to reduce noise and enhance audio quality. |
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| SoundBuds Sports NB10 | SoundBuds Basic | SoundBuds Magnetic IE20 | SoundCore Sport XL | SoundCore mini | SoundCore nano | |
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| Customer Reviews |
2,267
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2,771
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2,652
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366
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| Price | — | — | — | — | $24.99 | — |
| Design Style | In-ear Wrap-around Design with Adjustable Fitclips | In-ear Earhook Design | Ergonomic In-ear Design | Durable Toughness | Multi-function | Palm-size Speaker with Aluminum-alloy Shell |
| Bluetooth Pairing | V4.1 | V4.0 | V4.1 | V4.1 | V4.0 | V4.0 |
| Waterproof | IPX5+Nano coating (washable) | IPX4 (splashproof) | / | IP67 Waterproof | / | / |
| Sound Quality | 12mm driver unit (enhanced bass) | 6mm driver unit (clear sound) | 10mm driver unit (balanced sound) | 16W Output with 2 Subwoofers | 5W Stereo Sound Mono Speaker | 3W Big Sound |
| Bluetooth Range | 33ft | 33ft | 33ft | 66ft | 66ft | 33ft |
| Playtime | 6 hours for workout | 8 hours for daily use | 8 hours for smart use | 15 hours | 15 hours | 4 hours for movies/presentation |
| Different Sized Eartips | S/M/L | S/M/L | In-ear:S/M/L/XL Semi in-ear:S/M | / | / | / |
| Weight | 0.6 ounce | 0.56 ounce | 0.52 ounce | 20.8 ounce | 8.8 ounces | 2.9 ounces |
| Features | Secure fit/ Sweat proof/ Noise isolation | Sweat proof/ Noise cancellation | Smart magnetic control /Aluminum enclosure /AptX lossless sound/ Noise cancellation | Waterproof/ Dustproof/ Shockproof/ Enhanced Bass/ Built-in Mic/ USB Charging Port | Bluetooth/ Micro SD support/ AUX/ FM radio | Big sound with small body/ Super portable |
Reviews with images
Excellent audio performance in a perfectly formed minimalist package.
As a Live Sound Engineer working in the music and events industry I have always found it difficult to find headphones and other audio accessories that I am happy with, the perceptive nature of sound also makes it very hard to say what is right and what is wrong when listening to something.With that in mind this review contains my honest opinion of these headphones which on the whole is very good!As with most Anker Products, the packaging is excellent and very well thought out with a classy matt black finish and simple graphics.The headphones feel very well built and are very small compared to my existing pair of iEC technologies SHINE wireless headphones, as you can see in the pictures. The ANKER product also feels slightly more sturdy as the area where the cable joins the ear pieces feels more well reinforced.The controls are simple, having independent volume up / down buttons and a single multifunction button to the centre which turns the device on / and off and and activates the bluetooth pairing. There is a very small LED indicator on the reverse side of the control side headset.In terms of the audio performance they are very impressive. Not quite as loud as my other set but the audio quality is much more impressive, and more consistent. The low end is most impressive with a strong punchy kick drum and excellent reproduction of sub type sounds, the mid range is smooth and well rounded and the high end is very nicely balanced at almost every volume until the point where the device pauses the music and plays a shot tone to warn you about the high volume. At this point the high end can get a little too much, but then the device has warned you that the volume is getting a little silly, so what can you expect.In terms of features they aren’t what you might call feature rich, but they are very good at what they do. And that is the most important bit they provide a very impressive sound, they fit very securely, and they are almost half the size of many of their competitors. Which when you are looking for a set of headphones to keep with you and use on various activities and sports is what you want the most.
Top reviews from other countries
Alejandro Argüelles
Se adapta muy bien a mis oídos, y el diseño es muy agradable.
Reviewed in Mexico on August 6, 2022
Ava Han
Battery cannot last if you’re out all day
Reviewed in Singapore on October 10, 2022