Runner\'s World USA - 09.2019 - 10.2019

Marathoners, rejoice! Jaybird has rolled
out a new set of buds with two extra hours
of run time. The Vista lasts six hours on a
single charge, long enough to get you to the
finish line of your next 26.2. They’ve also
beefed up the durability, completely sealing
the buds from moisture and dust—go ahead,
try to kill these with sweat; we haven’t been
able to. Jaybird also built its own Bluetooth
chip, improving the connection with your
phone. They’ve stuttered a little in the most
challenging environments in NYC, but stay
interruption-free far more regularly than the
earlier Run XT. Bonus: They’re smaller than
all but AirPods and have a pocketable case
that stays closed in your gym bag.

The music from the Endurance Peak sounded

clear and balanced. Using the smallest ear

tips, the buds stayed in our ears and the

ear hooks didn’t ruin the fit when we wore

sunglasses, unlike other over-ear designs

in the test. Touching the right earbud con-

trols playback, starting and stopping music,

adjusting volume, taking calls, and skipping

tracks. Ambient sound was minimal; keep the

volume low in high-traffic areas. The earbuds

remained comfortable after hours of wear,

and the IPX7 waterproof rating means they’ll

withstand sweat and spills. The four-hour

single-charge battery life isn’t impressive,

but you get 24 hours from the charging case,

making them an ideal travel companion.

Have an iPhone? You’ll love that these connect

immediately when you take them out of the

case—as long as they stay in your ears. Unlike

most truly wireless earbuds, which use silicone

inserts to form a seal in your inner ear, AirPods

rest just outside your ear canal. The wiggle

room allows you to hear your surroundings

better, but it also means the sound, though

well-balanced and crisp, isn’t quite as deep or

rich as with other models. Some of our testers

got a great fit, but others said they kept falling

out. A single-charge lasts three and a half to

four hours. Midsummer rain hasn’t killed our

test pair yet, but the buds aren’t sweat-resistant,

and Apple’s warranty doesn’t cover them if

perspiration fries the electronics.

JAYBIRD VISTA

PRICE: $180 | STYLE: Truly wireless

STANDOUT FEATURE: Compact size

JBL ENDURANCE PEAK

PRICE: $120 | STYLE: Truly wireless with ear hook

STANDOUT FEATURE: Portable power

APPLE AIRPODS

PRICE: $159 | STYLE: Truly wireless

STANDOUT FEATURE: Crazy-good connectivity

96 RUNNERSWORLD.COM