Being fed up with electronics is nothing new for me. In 2011, I forked over more than I care to admit on headphones endorsed by American rapper Ludacris. The bass was so dominant, I couldn’t hear lyrics. I bought my next headset because it was supposed to be waterproof. Guess where this investment landed and died?

My adventure into big brand buys at tiny prices turned me off to ear pods. Period. So, when I check out the new JAAP Wireless Sports Earphones I’m afraid my attitude was less than upbeat. Wow. Was I wrong. These earphones aren’t like anything I’ve seen in the past. But are they too good to be true? I put on my Sherlock Holmes hat and set off to find out.

About JAAP Wireless Earphones

I was curious about the name and learned that Jaap Haartsen is the dude who invented Bluetooth and these days, who doesn’t depend upon this essential technology to function efficiently?

But c’mon: even Jaap couldn’t be clever enough to invent ear-ins that don’t drive runners crazy. Do they fit all ears? Does the battery die a premature death? Must I be harnessed to a charging station endlessly when I’d rather be running?

In fact, these JAAP earphones check all the right boxes. You get truly wireless functions, behind-the-ear fit that stays put even if you’re sprinting toward a finish line and those Spin-fit silicon tips that don’t budge rotate 360-degrees.

Those tips feel as though someone made a mold of my inner ear and fabricated a pair just for me. The maker claims battery life extends to 6 hours. We’ll see, I said, putting these buds to work. In fact, they didn’t keep a charge for 6 hours; it was actually 6.5 hours. Nobody was more surprised that I was.

Features and benefits galore

In the interest of transparency, I must confess: I tried to find defects in this product, but every time I put these to the test, this JAAP product exceeded my expectations:

• The IPX5 rating means I have zero excuse to skip runs just because I’ll encounter rain, water or sweat-producing humidity.
• As is to be expected, the JAAP is Bluetooth enabled.
• Music playback time proved to be 6+ hours—long enough for multiple conditioning runs.
• The USB charging port is located in a convenient place and there are built-in microphones on both sides.
• There’s a one-year warranty on these buds.

The story behind the earphones

Despite the fact that this product is made by a company that's not very well knowing internationally, it's becoming so well-established, the firm was able to generate product development funds for these wireless earphones from a crowdfunding effort.

Despite the favourability rating I bestow upon these earphones, I synthesised my findings and drafted pros and cons to consider before you make a buying decision.

Runner's Boon

• That battery life extension deserves to be listed as the top reason to buy this product.
• Custom fitting is a factor that has eluded most manufacturers, but JAAP 360-degree Spin-fit engineering is so precise, I defy you to find anyone who can’t make these work in their ears.
• The company is eager to make good on promises, so returns and problems will get you immediate responses.
• Yes, you can talk for 15 hours, if that’s your thing.
• Weather issues are less likely to interrupt your enjoyment of this headset even if your run becomes a rain dance.

Runner's Bane

• Even the company admits Bluetooth performance “may differ even for devices of the same model due to different firmware and manufacturing variances.”
• There have been shipping issues outside Singapore and the U.S.; some countries aren’t eligible for shipping at all.
• The 1-year warranty may not be enough to your liking.
• Only one bud works when I make telephone calls so I had to keep switching ears in mid-chat.
• While I had no issues with Bluetooth disruptions, others report them—though they only last a few seconds.

How likely are you to buy products after learning their conception was underwritten by a crowdfunding effort? Very likely? Never? Or do you decide solely on a product's merits?

The JAAP Wireless Sports Earphones are available in Singapore's retail shop at Lend Me UR ears, No.1 Coleman St, The Adelphi #04-16, Singapore 179803 as well as at its official eCommerce store and Amazon.

You can use the code: run15000 to get a 15% discount at the official online store and Amazon.