Top athletes test new Hoop by Coloud headphones
Remember that New Year’s resolution you made? The one about being fitter and healthier in 2015? No, we’ve long forgotten, too. But, we think we’ve found a fresh motivator…
Integrating some clever exercise-focused features, and designed to be a perfect companion for your Microsoft Lumia, the Hoop by Coloud headphones could change the way we, and you, work out.
Built for an energetic life, these ultra lightweight in-ear headphones are splash, sweat and dust resistant. They have a tangle-free cable with a special coating that reflects in the dark (great for evening runs), and there’s handy in-line remote for switching tracks, volume control and taking calls.
The piece de resistance, however, is the clever adjustable support loop that prevents the buds from slipping out of your ear when exercising.
But don’t just take our word for it. We recruited the help of three world-class athletes to test the Coloud Hoop at the National Indoor Athletics Centre in Cardiff, Wales.
Christian Malcolm is an acclaimed British sprinter who has competed at the very highest level. With a personal best of 10.09 secs for the 100m and 20.08 secs for the 200m, this man can shift.
“I’ve got small ears and find that standard earphones slip out quite easily. Being a sprinter, that’s the last thing you want.”
“The more I used these, the more I refined the loop length to fit my ear shape. Even when coming out of the blocks, they were still nice and snug. They fitted really well.”
“I always listen to music when training. It switches me on and gets me in the zone, so using a pair that I know won’t fall out will keep me focused.”
“I also liked the fact that you can change where the cord sits [clips] on your chest. Running and lifting [weight training] are two different activities and I need the cables to be positioned differently for each.”
Megan Edwards is a semi-professional middle-distance athlete, specializing in 400m and 800m disciplines.
“I don’t normally wear earbud-style headphones as they always fall out. But these didn’t move when warming up, warming down or running round the track.”
“Music is such an important motivator for me while working out, so I create different playlists for the type of training I’m doing; lower tempo stuff for easy runs, faster paced for competition days.”
“Whatever the occasion, though, being comfortable while out training is really important. These earbuds are so lightweight, I forgot they were there at times. They’d be perfect for people wanting to run middle and long-distances. They look great, too!”
Jamie Baulch has won multiple gold medals for the 400m and a silver medal in Atlanta, in the summer of 1996. Sport and music remains a major factor in his life.
“I’m always playing music. Not just for sport, either. In my car, watching a gig, it’s a motivator for my life.”
“I’ve had loads of headphones over the years. I’m a bit of a headphone geek, actually! I’ve used big over-ears, which offer great sound but the fit hasn’t been good when running, cycling or working out in the gym.”
“But, I’d say these fitted better than anything I’ve ever worn when it comes to moving around while training.”
“I didn’t find myself constantly fiddling with them, either, which can be a distraction, and the noise isolation meant I could block out the world and concentrate on the job in hand; great if you’re jogging in a park.”
“I can see not only track and field athletes wearing them, but anyone doing any kind of gym work or physical activity. I’ve been running around the track, doing sit-ups and press ups and they’ve stayed in. Even when I got a bit sweaty!”
As you can see from our photos, the Hoop by Coloud headphones come in Lumia-complementary bright orange and bright green colors, and cost €29.
Photography by Richard Grassie