What is it?
A pair of wireless headphones that aim to offer enhanced safety for outdoor athletes.
Most runners and walkers prefer some music or podcasts to accompany them on their routes for staving off the boredom of repetitive loops. This can lead to harm when crossing roads if the athlete can't hear traffic or other potential hazards.
Plantronics are better known for their commercial headsets, but the BackBeat FIT 3100 is designed to aid wearers to better negotiate busy streets safely.
Good Points?
Build quality is excellent with robust materials that are not as fragile as other wireless headphones which is important when pounding the pavement for hours. The snug fit means the units are less likely to slip and adds to the overall comfort level.
The wearer can still hear their surroundings thanks to the Always Aware ear tips which don't quite make it all the way into the ears. This endeavours to make it less likely that you'll be surprised by cars with dimly lit headlights or bicycles on dark paths.
An accompanying smartphone app allows you to reconfigure the command controls of the device for a more personalised experience.
Bad points?
The My Tap feature in the BackBeat app doesn't allow for driver manipulation of bass and treble settings which is present in a lot of newer headphones being released.
Overall sound quality is lessened by the same safety design and main selling point. The gap between skin and bud allows too much ambient noise and can be really frustrating in windy conditions.
Best for ...
Those that exercise with music in built-up areas and seek a bit more awareness.
Avoid if ...
You need crisp tunes to get you going.
Score: 7/10.
Plantronics BackBeat FIT 3100, £129 (plantronics.com)
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