Adidas is so assured in its ‘Powerfoyle’ photo voltaic charging know-how that it ships the Bluetooth RPT-02 SOL headphones with no charging cable.
What may very well be worse than a charley horse midway right into a run? The reply incessantly beeped in my ear as my wi-fi earbuds alerted me their time was nigh.
As much as the purpose, I had an awesome stride and was cruising on what could be one in every of my final summer time runs. However with my legs outlasting my headphones, that vibe was gone. And I used to be caught with the ambient sounds of distant ambulance sirens, close by street building, and the “swoo-swee” of my operating shorts.
This wasn’t a one-off both. As a lot as I take pleasure in operating and recreating with music or a podcast, there’s all the time an opportunity the battery will die (and having made the bounce from corded headphones, I cannot return).
Adidas realized this and this summer time provided up an answer: solar-charging headphones. For the final 2 months, I’ve been testing the RPT-02 SOL on-ear headphones.
And in that point, I plugged them to recharge precisely as soon as. The remainder of that cost, after near-daily use, got here from daylight. If these appear too good to be true, learn on for the complete rundown of what I believed.
In brief: When you suppose the concept of wi-fi Bluetooth headphones that just about by no means run out of battery seems like a fallacy, suppose once more. Over the past 8+ weeks of testing, I plugged the RPT-02 SOL in solely as soon as to totally recharge. More often than not, the ability drain contained in the headphones was both mitigated by daylight, or the battery really went up with use. However they aren’t excellent for every part they usually come at a excessive worth. So think about these a worthy funding in the event that they match your way of life.
adidas RPT-02 SOL Wi-fi Photo voltaic-Charging Headphones Evaluation
I used to be instantly impressed by these headphones even earlier than placing them on. Opening the field, it was clear adidas wished to make an enormous assertion — the model doesn’t even embrace a charging cable within the package deal.
That’s proper, if these run out of juice, you’d higher have a USB-C cable mendacity round (or wait till morning to make use of them once more). However the message is evident: These actually do cost from the solar.
Fast Begin
When you’ve used any wi-fi Bluetooth earbuds or headphones, you’ll most likely handle to navigate the RPT-02 SOL intuitively. On the very least, you’ll doubtless be capable of begin listening proper out of the field.
A management button sits on both aspect, and these ought to face backward when worn correctly. Your grasp management rests on the best headphone. This can be a “five-way” toggle, so you may press it up, down, left, proper, and depress inward.
Up and down management quantity, left and proper advance or reverse tracks. Urgent the toggle inward controls play/pause, or solutions calls.
On the left ear is your “motion button.” Regardless of the identify, I not often used this function. The button is programmable — form of — in that you could assign it to play sure Spotify playlists. You can’t assign it to any app you please and, a minimum of in my thorough try, it received’t management podcasts.
You too can set this button to carry out completely different capabilities in response to the variety of occasions you press it. So one press will illuminate the built-in gentle meter to point out you ways robust the sunshine is. Two presses can launch Spotify, and three will entry voice assistant (“name Arlo”).
A fast observe on the sunshine meter: I by no means used this. I determine if I can see the sunshine meter, I can see whether or not or not it’s brilliant exterior. What’s extra, this consists of three concentric rings and isn’t a exact quantitative measure of the cost — for that, you’ll want the app!
adidas Headphones App
You don’t must obtain the corresponding headphones app to make use of or benefit from the headphones. I didn’t at first, and every part labored high quality. However after I downloaded the app and paired the headphones, I like to recommend you do the identical.
The app will can help you customise your motion button, set your equalizer in response to your preferences, and most significantly, it’ll present you the battery degree and whether or not your battery is draining or gaining milliamps.
And on a brilliant, sunny day, you’ll really see your battery going up as you employ them — wild!
Nice for (Some) Exercise
As a result of I’m accustomed to earbuds that relaxation throughout the ear, I questioned how a lot use I’d get from the on-ear RPT-02 SOL. I’m pleased to report that these headphones do a reasonably good job hanging robust throughout exercise.
For path runs and jogs about city, they stayed put the overwhelming majority of the time. Sure, a few occasions they began to slip again — however that was simple to repair with somewhat adjustment (the earphones every slide a number of notches up and down alongside the headscarf — and they are often adjusted individually).
I additionally wore these on the basketball courtroom and located them OK, however not splendid. For severe high-output actions, these is not going to show as secure nearly as good earbuds.
On high of this, the headphones carry IPX4 water resistance. You’ll be able to’t take them swimming and I wouldn’t advocate sporting them in a soaking rain. However they are going to stand as much as sweat throughout sizzling days, no drawback.
Match & Really feel
Whereas these headphones remained very secure throughout testing and proved typically comfy, I discovered they wore out their welcome after about an hour. These usually are not true over-the-ear headphones, in that they sit in your ear, however they don’t cowl it.
This isn’t an issue for average intervals of time, however I can marathon a podcast sequence whereas catching up on my weekend honey-do listing. So, I seen strain factors alongside the center of my ear and tightness across the sides of my head.
Readjusting the match and placement helped relieve this considerably, nevertheless it has been the primary concern for me in testing.
Tech Specs
For audiophiles and electrical engineers, listed here are the gritty particulars.
adidas RPT-02 SOL Headphones
- Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz
- Driver sensitivity: 105 ±3dB @1KHz 179mV 10mm
- Driver sort: Dynamic
- Driver impedance: 32Ω ±15%
- Drivers: 40 mm
- Battery life: 80 hours (w/o daylight); “near” limitless with enough gentle
- Charging time (USB-C): 2 hrs.
- Vary: 10 m
- Microphone: Sure
- Worth: $229
Whereas I’m not an skilled on audio or sound, I’ve used my fair proportion of headphones. The RPT-02 SOL presents wealthy, balanced sound — and with customizable EQ, I can fine-tune the expertise to my preferences. Zero complaints.
Conclusion: Who Ought to Purchase
When you can swing $229 for a pair of headphones, I believe you’ll most likely be very pleased. That mentioned, if you’re prepared to spend that a lot, you could have extra distinguished audio preferences than I do.
But when the worth is correct and longevity is of main concern, I can nearly assure you’ll love these headphones. I think about with the onset of winter, I’ll must be extra aware of recharging these manually.
However with an 80-hour saved runtime and near-infinite cost in summer time, it’s a no brainer for me. The RPT-02 SOL works nice for a lot of of my out of doors actions, and up to now works higher the extra I take advantage of them.
My Charley horses, alternatively…
