Plantronics BackBeat FIT

Sweat and headphones becoming dislodged are just some of the issues faced by music-loving fitness fanatics. Plantronics is looking to tackle these problems through its BackBeat FIT wireless Bluetooth headphones.

The BackBeat FIT has a behind-the-head neckband design with a reflective finish and it’s available in green or blue. The BackBeat FIT has an open-ear design, which means outside noise is not completely blocked out so that you’re able to remain aware of your surroundings.

The headphones hook over your ear, which ensures minimal movement. The rubberised in-ear loop also aids comfort and stability. The headphones fit well, but they can be slightly tricky to get in at first. We found the FIT withstood even vigorous movement and the sweat-proofing also stood up well to the rigours of exercise.

The rubberised construction felt solid and at 24 grams the headphones still feel light. You might find that the neckband is a little too long if you wear a running shirt with a collar as it tends to snag if you tilt your head back.

The headphones come with a neoprene smartphone armband which, when reversed, doubles as a storage pouch for the headphones. While this is a useful inclusion, there’s no way to see or operate your smartphone’s touchscreen when it’s in the armband.

In terms of audio quality, the BackBeat FIT surprised us, as sound quality is often not the priority in fitness-focused headphones. Due to the open-ear design and lower frequency limit of 50Hz, the headphones lacked bass in our listening tests.

Mid-range and high-frequency sounds were rich and clear, though, and did not become sharp at higher volumes. The FIT headphones could be pushed to high volumes and, despite the open-ear design, there wasn’t too much sound leakage.

The BackBeat FITs stream music to your phone or MP3 player via Bluetooth, so you won’t get tangled up or catch them on gym equipment during exercise. Wireless range is reported at 10m and we had no problems with reception when working out in a gym with our phone left in one corner.

Each earbud has a number of useful controls. You can play, pause and skip tracks, adjust volume with the left earbud and accept or reject calls on the right-hand side. Power is provided by an internal, non-removable Lithium-ion battery, which lasts eight hours of listening or six hours of talk time. Charging is handled by a micro USB connection and the headphones take approximately 2.5 hours to charge fully.

The niche design and overall sound quality of the BackBeat FIT means you might not want to wear them every day. However, the BackBeat FIT is one of the best sets of sport-oriented headphones we’ve tested in terms of comfort, so if you’re not dissuaded by the high cost these headphones are a good choice.