The tech world’s push to wireless
is frustrating if you don’t want
to spend a bundle on Bluetooth-
connected buds, so we appreciate
this $33 fix. The Spirit SweatGuard
didn’t excel at any one thing, but it
did everything our test team asked
of it. We liked the sound quality
The Tarah Pro is built to last. It has
an impressive 14-hour battery—we
got more than 12 hours during test-
ing, enough to get through a week
of training—and a five-minute quick
charge gives you two hours of play-
back. We also like the hard-wearing
woven cable and other ultrarunner-Skullcandy earbuds, although the
Soundcore buds would benefit
from more bass. The buds mostly
stayed in place; Anker includes
four sizes of ear tips and three ear
wings to fine-tune the fit. The con-
necting cord has a cinch, but it can
snag on hair or clothing. An in-ear
design limits how much ambient
noise passes through, but the IPX7
waterproof rating and eight-hour
battery make them viable running
earbuds for the money.brush off a sudden rainstorm, and a
cinch keeps the cord from bouncing
around. Our music sounded clear
and crisp, with a natural balance
of bass and treble that works with
every playlist. Our testers mixed
and matched insert sizes to get
the right fit that didn’t irritate our
ear canals and found that ambient
noise was minimal—you might hear
a diesel truck, but a Prius could
sneak up on you.ANKER SOUNDCORE
SPIRIT SWEATGUARDPRICE: $33 | STYLE: Wire-connected buds
STANDOUT FEATURE: Killer valuePRICE: $160 | STYLE: Wire-connected buds
STANDOUT FEATURE: Long battery life94 RUNNERSWORLD.COM