Sounds that matter and exercise, too

MANILA, Philippines — I am not the type of person who likes walk/running with a pair of earphones. But for the Fitbit Flyer, I broke my vow of silence – sort of.

After all, the Fitbit Flyer is a sleek pair of wireless earphones with a fitness-focused design that fits my ears well, and does a lot more. Fitbit is moving on up – to my ears, that is. Fitbit Flyer wireless earphones are chic, simple, sweat-proof, and deliver rather good sound quality for a first foray into audio.

I liked that I was able to listen my Zen tunes. Not being much of a loud music person, this helped me focus on my breathing – a must at any age. The cable that came with the earphones and connected each earpiece is flat, with an adjustable clip that slides up and down the midpoint of the wire to reduce bouncing when I am in motion.

Perfect combination: Fitbit Flyer and the Fitbit Adidas Ionic

There’s a three-button control box near the right earpiece, with buttons for adjusting volume, answering calls, and going through the three tunes on my playlist. The right earbud holds a small power button that’s also used to initiate pairing. There is also a protective pouch, a micro USB charging cable, and an array of eartips, wings, and fins so it fits almost any ear. The default fins have a flat, faceted shape that slots into the ridge of your ear; you can swap them out with more secure wings for a tighter fit. After a bit of experimentation, I was able to get a very secure, comfortable fit with no awkward pressure or annoying wiggling.

The sound of fitness

So, I paired the Flyer with my Fitbit Ionic Adidas Edition smartwatch and my smartphone. I was ready. This way, I could wear the Flyer for my music and have the Fitbit Ionic Adidas count my steps and keep my breathing in control, too.

As was my case at the start, I was a bit bothered by the sound in my ears, but after a few minutes (maybe 10), I got the hang of it.

I liked that I could pair the Flyer with two Bluetooth devices at once. In essence, this gives you the option of a phone-free workout since you can directly play music from the Adidas Ionic.

Made to match: Fits all ears

Fitbit estimates battery life to be six hours, though the effective battery life will depend on what type of music you play and at what volume. That’s a long time as far as I am concerned since I only can run/walk for about an hour.

For Fitbit’s first foray into audio, the sound is surprisingly strong and well-balanced. The earphones let you toggle between two sound settings: Signature, for everyday listening, and Power Boost, which amplifies bass for thumping workout playlists. Of course, I was happy to keep the Flyer on Signature.

Fitbit has made a very good first attempt at fitness-friendly earphones in a market that’s already saturated with them. The Flyer’s fitness angle doesn’t extend beyond a gym-friendly, sweat-proof design with heart rate monitoring or workout tracking. What makes it  unique is its integration with the Fitbit Ionic smartwatch. I liked what I heard that day for my workout. And for those of us who work out regularly, that is enough reason to make sure you get one.

Keep working out.