Equipped with Bose’s proprietary StayHear+ Sport tips for a snug fit inside your ears, the SoundSport Free Earbuds are a next-gen set of wireless headphones “designed-for-exercise.” Still one of the best options for wireless earbuds on the market, wearers are able to experience high-quality acoustics packed in an earbud that weighs only 0.35 ounces (10g).

Wireless Headphone Technology

If you’re someone that requires tunes for motivation during a workout, there’s really nothing more frustrating than untangling a nest of wires tangled at the bottom of your gym bag. Even worse, one over-zealous arm-swing on the treadmill and you get the added bonus of having your headphones unexpectedly rip from your ears.

Thankfully, wireless headphones like the Zero Liberty + earbuds, Bragi Dash, Sound and the Air Headphones have revolutionized the wearable industry. Bose, with its newest wireless offering, is targeting consumers with an active lifestyle.

Intelligent Design Features

Compared to last year’s SoundSport headphones which required a cable to connect both earbuds, the 2017 Free model is completely wireless. Armed with a powerful wireless antenna system, wearers are able to pair their smart devices with the SoundSport Free Earbuds via Bluetooth connectivity.

This can all be done within a 30-foot range – so there’s no more need to rely on your smartphone to enjoy your favorite Pandora station while hitting the weights.

“The SoundSport Free is the closest thing to what people have always wanted in a sport headphone – a technology-packed solution that’s stripped down to just two rugged earbuds that feel great, stay connected, stay in, and sound amazing,” said Brian Maguire, director, Bose on-the-go products.

“We didn’t change anything that people already love – with the Google Assistant built in, and new choices for what you hear, we made it better.”

Earbuds Engineered for Durability

Engineered to “strike a new balance between size, performance, power, and stability,” Bose’s newest earbuds only measure 1.1” high x 1.2” deep. The SoundSport headphones are IPX4-rated sweat and water resistance and come with an action-packed acoustic package.

According to the company, the all-new SoundSport Free Earbuds include Bose digital signal processing, volume optimizing EQ, and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. In other words, wearers will get the latest in Bose nano-acoustic technology housed in two miniature earbuds.

Battery Technology

As for battery power, each charge gives users approximately five hours of use, comparable to Apple’s AirPods. Accompanying the earbuds is a magnetic charging case that provides enough power for two additional charges (10 hours total) – so running out of juice mid-workout is really hard to come by – unless you forgot your charging case at home.

Since earbuds are small and are prone to be misplaced or lost, Bose designed a “Find My Buds” feature in its BoseConnect smartphone app. Just simply open the app and it’ll show the spot where your buds were last used.

Like most of Bose’s consumer technology lineup, the all-new SoundSport Free Earbuds have a sleek, high gloss appearance making them look futuristic, yet fashionable. The SoundSport comes in Triple Black , Midnight Blue and Yellow Citron.

The Soundsport Free noise-canceling headphones have all the performance and features of the original Soundsport. They deliver the same industry-defining noise cancellation, audio performance, and up to 20 hours of battery life.

The same controls remain on the right earcup – audio volume, and the multi-function button for incoming calls and accessing Siri. And now, there’s a new Action button on the left earcup to connect to your Google Assistant – without having to grab your phone, unlock it, and find the app.

New Setting for Bose Noise Cancellation

Like its predecessor, the Soundsport Free’s noise cancellation is fully activated when the headphone is on, but the Bose Connect App now lets you choose to keep it on (high), turn it down (low), or disable it completely (off). The Connect App also lets you change the Action button’s functionality, so you can control the noise settings from the ear cup when you want, and switch back to your Google Assistant when you want.

Overall, while still being a couple years old, the Bose Soundsport Free wireless earbuds are some of the best earphones you can get. They can be purchased here on Amazon for $179.