Music to My Ears - Koss Headphones Review

This post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Koss.

This last week I received not one but two pairs of headphones from Koss. These headphones are different from other headphones because they are made specifically for active women! In fact, they were designed by Olympic Gold Medalist, Dara Torres. I was sent both the FitClips - ear clip headphones and the smaller FitBuds - that fit in your ear. I have been on the hunt for new headphones and these showed up at just the right time! 

Gifts from Koss

The first pair that I tried on my run was the FitClips. The first thing I noticed about the clips was how light they were. They fit over my ear and didn't weigh it down at all. A lot of times the over the ear headphones will start to put pressure on the outside of my ears because of the weight, but not these, I hardly noticed that they were there. I also love the color. For anyone who has run the Nike Women's Marathon, these come in a great Tiffany blue teal color! They are also sweat resistant and come with three ear cushions, small, medium and large, to help you create a custom fit. 

I wore the FitClips for the California International Marathon Relay race on Sunday and they were a great fit and kept the music flowing during my six mile leg of the race. The also kept my ears a bit warmer than they would have been if they were exposed to the cold - in the low 30's on race day - brrr!

CIM Race Day Outfit - FitClips in the top right corner!

The second pair of headphones were the FitBuds. These came in a fun, bright coral color. I liked the fit of these headphones. I had to put on the smaller ear cover to keep the earbuds in my ears, but once I adjusted the size properly, they stayed put. I will be wearing these for training runs and when I'm listening to music around the house. Personally, when I am running long distances I will be wearing the FitClips because I don't want to take chance that I have to worry about my FitBuds moving. This is just a personal preference. I feel the most secure in the FitClips and they will be my racing and marathon headphones. 

FitBuds - sweat resistant and they do not fall out!

Both of these headphones have a lot to offer for a female athlete. They were designed for women, by women. They feature a 33% smaller fit than traditional headphones, fit more women's ears, are sweat resistant and come in stylish and bright colors. These will make great stocking stuffers or gifts for your fellow runners this Christmas season. Generally, these retail for $29.99, but during the holiday season they will be offered for a discounted price of $19.99. You can find the earbuds at many local retailers:

• Best Buy
• Wal-Mart
• Walgreens
• Kmart
• Sears

What are you waiting for? Grab a pair for yourself and one to give to a friend. At this great price, you don't want to miss out. When you snag a pair be sure to let me know what you think. Follow Koss on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for more holiday ideas!

Happy Running!

Inspired by Yurbuds!

I am always looking for headphones for two reasons. Reason number one is that I keep losing them! Reason number two is that they just DO NOT stay in my ears. Enter on the scene - yurbuds. I was skeptical at first, wondering if they lived up to their claim. I reached out to yurbuds and they sent me a pair to test and review. 

The first thing I noticed about yurbuds was the colors. They sent me the turquoise ones and they go so well with my running clothes. Feminine colors, check! After noticing the awesome color choice I noticed the box said that the pair I received was developed for women, by women. Awesome! Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against male designers, but when the product is specifically for a woman it just makes sense that a women would know what women are looking for best. 

"Guaranteed to Never Fall Out," was emblazoned on the front of the box and I was ready to test this claim out. I am a runner and earphones are always falling out while I do sprints or in the middle of my long runs. It's annoying! Day one I took them on a treadmill run. Lots of bouncing and sprint work on the treadmill and the earphones did not budge. This was one happy runner! 

Next stop was weights and then plyos and burpees. Twist, jump, bounce, nothing would make these earphones pop out of my ears. I credit the sweat and water resistant silicone ear covers for this. The earbuds also have a "Twist Lock" system that means when you put the earbud in your ear (specific for each ear), you must turn it sideways and then twist it back into your ear to lock it down. It helps the earphone stay in place. After three weeks of testing I can truthfully say I have had absolutely no problems with the earbuds falling out. I've run on the track, trail, road and even taken them through a cardio class with zero problems. 

As for my constant loss of earbuds, my pair of yurbuds came with a sport carry pouch to store my earphones in so that I don't lose them. It also keeps the cord from getting knotted when not in use. We all know how annoying trying to unwind headphone cords can be! They headphones also have two sizes of silicone earphone covers to adjust for different ear sizes and a clip to hold the yurbuds in place. Score!

As an extra perk, my yurbuds were equipped with a speaker so I can take phone calls without having to pull my earphones out. I got to test this out day two at the gym when my mom called. You can adjust the volume right from the yurbuds cord where the microphone is located so it is easy to use and hassle free!

In conclusion, as I train for my third marathon this fall at the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco, I am going to be sporting my yurbuds headphones on every run. I am one satisfied customer! Can you tell from my cheesy smile in the photo? These headphones are great for training. If you're looking for a new pair I suggest you check out the yurbuds website or your local running store. They have some amazing new styles and have the in-ear style like I am wearing or an over the ear version as well. There is something for everyone on their site. Check them out and let me know what you think! 

~Karen