Earbuds vs. Earphones

Photo: Robert Snache - Spirithands.net, Flickr

Maybe I'm a simpleton, but I run with standard issue iPod earbuds when I want some extra motivation. I know a lot of people who loathe them, I'm just not one of those haters. But what if you curse headphones and those white earbuds? Well over at The New York Times, they're talking about the W-series Walkman, which is essentially two Bluetooth-looking earpieces with the mp3 player built right in.

I guess if everyone on the street knew you were listening to music and not on a conference call while running, it might be OK, but I wouldn't want to look like I just jogged out of a sci-fi movie. Our resident marathon runner and AOL senior health editor Jennifer Fields doesn't think they're geeky, but she's still not jogging straight to the store to buy a pair. "If you're already running with a fuel pack you can't really get caught up in looking geeky," she writes in an email, "but I probably still wouldn't wear them." In full disclosure, we haven't tried them out, so we're just going on looks here. But Marathon Tech Review seems to think if we can get over the sci-fi factor, they may be worth a shot.

If you're looking for something much more discreet, there's always the Arriva earbuds. But what's all this complaining about cords? "That sounds like one of those infomercial tactics where they try to make something seem so much more difficult than it really is," Jennifer says. I agree. But that may be because I'm only jogging a few miles at a time.Jennifer prefers the Nike Vapor headphones, which just wrap over the ear, instead of around your whole head. But what else is out there? The most hard-core athlete I know is my brother, an elite triathlete and qualifier for the Kona Ironman World Championship in October. Despite shelling out for high-priced racing gear, Spencer only trains in Sony MDR-A35 headphones, which cost about $15. "The best part is they fold up when you're not wearing them," he says. Again, I wasn't aware of all these problems people are having with earpieces being so bulky. But he swears they have decent sound and stay in place during his regular 10-plus mile runs.

What are some of your other options? CNET has a comparison for other fitness headphones. For now I'm sticking with my little white earbuds. Most of the time I lace up my sneakers for the sunshine and chirping birds anyway, not for the tunes.

What are you using to listen to music when you go running?