JBL Endurance Zone Gray

I find the JBL Endurance Zone earbuds great for running. I wear them snugly over my ears and can hear everything around me thanks to the open-ear design. However, I have to get used to this, and they're not always comfortable.

Open-ear design The Endurance Zone earbuds have an open-ear design. This means they don't block your ear canal. They sit just in front of it, so you don't feel isolated from your surroundings. I especially notice this at lower volumes. While running, I can hear people talking to each other and cars approaching well in advance. This is a big advantage if you live in a busy city. At volumes above 50 percent, I find this more difficult. I also have to get used to the design. I know the earbuds are secure because of the ear hooks, but it doesn't immediately feel that way. The earbuds have a matte finish. This makes them feel comfortable and prevents dirt from sticking to them.

Good sound Open-ear earbuds often produce less deep bass, but this isn't the case with the Endurance Zone earbuds. I hear solid bass and clear treble in most music genres. For example, I can follow the entire bassline of a pop song, and I can hear every guitar part when I'm listening to rock music. In most genres, the bass, midrange, and treble are also well-balanced, and I enjoy clear sound. The earbuds struggle a bit more with intense music, where a lot is happening simultaneously. Think of metal, where you hear various guitar effects, the drummer hits hard, and the bass is even more prominent. In those cases, I find the sound balance less good, and I miss some details.

Long battery life These earbuds have a decent 8-hour battery life. There are earbuds with a longer battery life, but I find this more than enough. I use them all week during my runs without having to charge them. The wireless charging case provides another 24 hours of battery life, and after just 10 minutes of charging, the earbuds already have enough power for another 3 hours of listening time. In short, I'm not worried about the battery life of the Endurance Zone earbuds at all.

I'm very satisfied with the sound quality. When you're on a call, you hear little to no background noise. Music has a nice, clear sound. The shape takes some getting used to at first; the earbud sits over your ear. You tend to check them constantly. They stay in place well during exercise. Battery life is also surprisingly good. I can go a few days without charging.

This earbud is ideal for me because I hang it on my ear.