The Outdoor Retailer Demo Day is all about flashy new gear demos and loud fun. But tucked in between the DJ booth and beer taps was a modest booth belonging to a company called Yurbuds. I probably walked by it ten times before stopping to take a look. Yurbuds are earbuds that are designed for the athlete, taking into consideration the needs of someone always on the move. After a brief demo I was sold. I’ve seen ‘performance earbuds’ before but nothing that thinks the way these guys do.

The key selling point for Yurbuds is their custom fit and Ear-Lock technology – the earbuds simply ‘lock’ into your ear and don’t move. I was fitted with a pair at the booth and once they were locked into place I could tug and tug on the cord and they wouldn’t come out. As a runner and hiker this is a really important thing – I can’t count the number of times I have to put my earbuds back in during a run as they dislodge due to the motion and sweat.

I was really eager to try them out in real conditions so they provided me with a pair of the Ironman Performance Raising Earphones (retails at $49.99 – they have a more economical option available at $29.99). I’ve been using them on a nearly daily basis since receiving them and have been very pleased. They are without a doubt the most comfortable earphones I’ve used while on the move, with only a few minor drawbacks.

First and foremost is the fit and comfort. I was fortunate to be fitted by someone who knows the product with a little measuring device thingee he held up next to my ear.  I’m unclear on how or if  you could do this yourself if you were buying these in a store. They are ergonomically designed so you almost ‘snap’ them into place. If you have the correct size, once they are snugly settled in your ear they feel just right – and they aren’t going anywhere.

This is the first set of earbuds that I haven’t had to adjust while running. Even if I catch the cord on something and tug on them they don’t fall out. You *can* pull them out if you try but during actual use I’ve never had a problem. The soft design is also quite comfortable – I haven’t had any pain except in one case where I slept in them on an uncomfortable economy seat on an 11-hour flight.

These are not noise-cancelling earphones. Actually, they are quite the opposite. Runners and other athletes like to be aware of ambient sounds and noises and there are times when I have left my earphones at home due to safety concerns (such as running at dusk in a heavy-traffic area). I can hold a full conversation while listening to music at a normal volume with these earphones. I can hear people running up behind me. I can hear cars and bikes. I’m connected to my environment in a better and safer way than when I used more expensive headphones designed to filter out ambient noise. There is a small sacrifice in sound quality but I’m not very concerned with that when I’m listening to podcasts and motivational music.
The one thing that drives me nuts about these earphones is their unbelievable ability to tangle. The cords are coated in a rubbery material that’s ‘stickier’ (for lack of a better word) than the typical coating. The cords love to get tangled and this stickiness makes them harder to untangle. The Yurbuds come with a little pouch for carrying them and no matter how carefully I put them away they always come out in a tangled mess. I’ve *never* had earphones tangle like this before.

The Yurbuds earbud covers are removable and I’ve had them pop off a couple of times. The first time I used them was on that previously-mentioned 11 hour flight to Germany (the day after I returned from the OR Show). I had dozed off and taken the Yurbuds out at some point. They got tucked in between the seats and when I pulled them out one earbud was missing the nice cover. I crawled around on the floor of that 747 for far too long looking for it. Luckily I found it – I hadn’t even had the chance to run in them yet!

Verdict:

As a runner and hiker I have specific pain points when it comes to earphones. The main one has always been the fact that my earbuds will fall out or need constant adjusting when I am moving and sweating. I’ve gone through many pairs and nothing has been satisfactory – if they stay put they hurt. If they feel good they fall out. Yurbuds give me a comfortable earphone that stays put – and the small inconveniences are nothing compared to the benefits. You’re not going to get an extraordinary sound experience out of these and they are going to drive you nuts with the tangling, but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone with similar problems.