TFS Review: Nike Sport Headphones: Flight and Vapor
Posted December 29th, 2007 at 8:30 PM by Paul Petersen
Section: Gear & Apparel, Gadgets & Acces., Miscellaneous, Motivation, Music, Product Reviews, Special Features, TFS Reviews
When I made the jump to running with an mp3 player, I quickly noticed two things:
- Running with music is fun and motivational.
- Stock headphones that come “free” with most mp3 players just don’t get the job done.
As a result, one of the first accessories I purchased were nicer, more comfortable, more stable ear clip headphones. Even these never quite fit my ears right and tended to jiggle around. Perhaps I should have first looked at a pair of Nike sport headphones.
I recently had the pleasure of testing the Nike Flight and the Nike Vapor sport headphones. I enjoyed both models, and each offered a unique set of pro’s and con’s.
The Nike Flight headphones (Pictured above) feature a behind-the-head design, and retail for $20. The aspects I immediately noticed about this model is that they are extremely lightweight and simple.
The design is very flexible, so I didn’t have to worry about accidentally breaking them while porting around, and with only one cord coming out of the back, tangles were not an issue. Sound quality was good and the unit stayed in my ears during fast and slow running alike. Fit was pretty good, without muffling out all other external noises (important for runners). The only negative was that the Flights would become a little uncomfortable in my ears during long sessions of use (similar to other earbuds I’ve used).
The Nike Vapor headphones (Picture right) feature individually adjustable earclips, and retail for $30 (although I was able to find them for $20-$25). The name of the game for this model is flexibility.
The earclips can be adjusted at three different points, and cord length can also be adjusted through an extender. All the pivoting, extending, twisting, and moving parts ensure a good fit for all users, especially those who haven’t had success with other models. However, all the pivoting, extending, twisting, and moving parts also may result in more cord tangles and longer setup time.
My experience with the Vapors was that it often took me several minutes to get all the adjustments “just right”, which was rather annoying. I found myself spending time fighting with the adjustable clips, when I just wanted to be out there running. However, once they were “in”, they were the best-fitting and most comfortable headphones I’ve worn. Yes, it took some effort, but the Vapors provided me a snug fit and excellent sound quality. Certainly no bouncing around with this model, and they stayed stable and comfortable at all speeds and durations of running.
I think both the Flight and the Vapors are good choices for those looking to upgrade to a nicer, yet economical, pair of sport headphones. At $20-$30, neither will break the bank, and both provide good fits and good sound quality. Although I liked the fit and sound quality of the Vapor better, I would probably go with the Flight as my favorite, due to their extreme light weight, hassle-free setup, and lower cost. The Flight also fit better underneath a stocking cap or ear band, which is important to a northern latitude runner such as myself. However, due to their adjustable nature, I would recommend the Vapor to runners who want a pair of sport headphones that fit “just right”.
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Tags: ear buds, ear clips, headphone, headphone review, headphones, ipod, jogging headphones, marathon headphones, mp3 headphones, mp3 player, nano, nike, nike flight, nike flight headphones, nike headphones, nike sport, nike vapor, nike vapor headphones, product review, running, running headphones, running with music, sports headphones, TFS review, track and field headphones
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December 29th, 2007 at 5:56 pm[…] Mp3 Players Depot wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt When I made the jump to running with an mp3 player, I quickly noticed two things: Running with music is fun and motivational. Stock headphones that come “free” with most mp3 players just don’t get the job done. As a result, one of the first accessories I purchased were nicer, more comfortable, more stable ear clip headphones. Even these never quite fit my ears right and tended to jiggle around. Perhaps I should have first looked at a pair of Nike sport headphones. I recently had the pleasur […]
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