Do you struggle to find wireless earbuds that fit your ears? Then you might be interested in the latest true wireless earbuds from Under Armour and JBL, which are specifically designed for smaller ears and come with a host of sports-friendly features that make them ideal for working out.
According to Under Armour, the UA True Wireless Streak were "developed in collaboration with athletes to help them reach their peak performance", and come with "Sport Flex Fit Ear Fins and Tips" ranging in size from extra-small to medium.
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An IPX7 water-resistance rating means the earbuds can easily withstand a little rain or sweat during your workouts, while Fast Pair and Bluetooth 5 connectivity means they should be easy to pair without the risk of annoying dropouts.
Battery life comes in at 18 hours in total; that's six from the buds themselves, and a further 12 hours off from the charging case. That's not the best battery life we've seen, but it should be enough to get you through a few workouts.
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In terms of sound, Under Armour says the UA True Wireless Streak boast "boldly tuned rich bass for motivation", courtesy of JBL Charged Sound. Pounding bass can certainly help to bolster your performance, but we hope the lowest frequencies aren't too overpowering, as that can really impede the overall sound quality.
If you do need to tune into your surroundings, there are TalkThru and Ambient Aware modes: TalkThru "lowers the music volume and amplifies speech so athletes can easily chat with a workout partner or trainer", while the Ambient Aware feature "increases background noises for additional awareness when exercising outdoors".
You can control the earbuds via the touch sensitive housings, allowing you to adjust your music playback or take calls with the tap of a finger.
Dual beamforming mics also offer wind-blocking technology for outdoor training sessions, which should ensure your voice sounds clear when you use the wireless earbuds for making phone calls.
Available to buy now in the US, the UA True Wireless Steak will set you back $149.95. That works out at roughly £115 / AU$200, though global availability and pricing is yet to be confirmed.
Why does size matter?
Finding a great fit is incredibly important when it comes to wireless earbuds, ensuring your buds feel secure and comfortable as well as providing a good seal against your ear canal for noise isolation.
If your ears are on the smaller side – whether that's the outer ear, the opening of the ear canal, or both – this can be really tricky, and sound quality as well as comfort can suffer as a result.
There are also health implications: if your wireless earbuds don't fit correctly, you may resort to turning the volume up to dangerous levels, which could lead to hearing loss.
While most wireless earbuds ship with multiple eartip sizes in the box, the smallest sizes aren't always sufficiently compact for some users – and custom moldable earbuds can be very expensive indeed.
If you struggle to find earbuds that fit your ears, look out for models that come with a mixture of silicone and memory foam eartips. While the latter is more easily molded to the shape of your ears, some find silicone tips more comfortable. Giving yourself the option to try both styles should make finding a good fit a little easier.
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