JABRA SPORT PULSE, £200
Best for Features
Good-looking, feature-packed and — once you find the best-fitting buds for your ears from the selection provided — one of the best-sounding, most comfortable pairs of Bluetooth headphones available, the Jabras didn’t slip during our tests, although the heart-rate recording dropped in and out once we started sweating. As they take an average reading, that’s not a deal-breaker, and in fact the data proved accurate. Combined with the excellent Jabra Sport Life app for Apple and Android, this data opens up a host of workout settings, including the “VO2 max” ratings and other fitness tests commonly used by pro athletes to assess performance. The headphones themselves are robust and feature a Sport button, which reads out your distance travelled, time taken and heart rate — no need to fish a phone out your pocket.
Verdict A great training partner.
★★★★☆ jabra.co.uk
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SMART B-TRAINER, £230
Best for Accuracy
A variation on Sony’s W-series headphones-cum-MP3 player, the B-Trainer boasts built-in GPS, heart-rate monitoring (as well as five other sensors) and 16GB of storage for workout playlists. The earphones stay firmly in place, thanks to the snug neckband design; consequently, heart-rate monitoring was the most accurate on test. Although you could leave your phone at home and transfer data later, link a handset wirelessly and carry it with you and it will pick up heart-rate data, calories burnt, steps, pace, distance, cadence, stride and time, all through Sony’s Running app for Apple and Android. The result is excellent real-time feedback to help you hit your targets.
Verdict Fitness feedback and a great fit, but controls are fiddly.
★★★★☆ sony.co.uk
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SMS BIOSPORT, £130
Best for Price
Compatible only with the Runkeeper app for Apple and Android, the wired BioSports are cheaper than the competition, but the sound quality is very disappointing. And despite coming with a choice of three sizes of buds, the flimsy hook design did little to keep them in place, even during a gentle jog. As a result, heart-rate recording was sporadic and feedback wildly inaccurate. Not having to keep a Bluetooth battery charged is a bonus and keeps the weight down, but the Runkeeper app seems short on practical training tips and motivation. Hopefully more fitness apps will be made compatible soon.
Verdict Poor fit means unreliable heart-rate monitoring.
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★★☆☆☆ smsaudio.com
http://www.smsaudiouk.com/ Buyer’s guide
HOW DO THESE WORK?
The optomechanical heart-rate sensors in these headphones shine light against the skin in your ear to detect your pulse. They can also estimate oxygen consumption.
WHAT SETUP IS NEEDED?
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A smartphone app, linked over Bluetooth or, in the case of the BioSports, the cable takes measurements of your heart rate during a number of exercises. This data, alongside details such as your age, weight and sex, is used to calculate your resting and your maximum heart rate — the fastest your heart will beat before running the risk of damage. The app will then be able to offer personalised workouts to suit your level of fitness, pushing you to achieve a percentage of your maximum heart rate.
WHAT SHOULD I BE AIMING FOR?
Depending on the type of workout, your target heart rate should be between 60% and 90% of your maximum. As a guideline, 60-70% effort or 139-152 beats per minute burns calories most effectively; 70-80% effort (152-166bpm) gives a good cardio workout; and an anaerobic 80-90% effort (166-179bpm) helps to increase the lactate threshold, which improves performance.