I’ve never loved using fitness headphones. When I run and cycle outdoors, I usually don’t bring headphones at all — I let my mind wander as I pick up miles. Earbuds block out too much sound and make it harder to hear nearby runners, cyclists and cars, a serious concern when cycling down a hill at 20mph or crossing big intersections. Open-ear headphones are better, but usually wrap around my ear, fighting for space next to sunglass temples and bike helmet straps.
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds (UOE) solves these problems and are my new go-to outdoor fitness headphones — in fact, they are some of the most comfortable I’ve ever worn. Despite the interesting design and clever fit, they won’t be the only headphones I keep in my bag.
SKIP AHEAD How I tried the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds | What I love about the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds | What I don’t love about the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds | What’s Bose’s return policy?
What to know about the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
- Incredibly comfortable
- Secure fit
- Unobtrusive
- Microphones could be improved
- Pricey
The Ultra Open Earbuds are a brand new product from Bose. Unlike the discontinued Bose Sport Open Earbuds and most fitness headphones on the market, the Bose UOE wraps around the side of your outer ear like an ear cuff leaving your ear canal open to hear the world around you. They have speakers pointed toward your inner ear, almost as if you had a portable Bluetooth speaker sitting on each ear. Each earbud has a large button that controls media, volume and calls. The earbuds connect through the Bose Music app, where you can adjust your immersive audio, equalizer and shortcut settings. They also come with a compact charging case that’s similar in size to Apple’s AirPods Pro and charge via USB-C.
Open-ear headphones are designed for hearing the world around you. They do not have noise canceling features you might typically use to block airplane noise or office chatter. Most are marketed for outdoor fitness activities like running and cycling, where being able to hear nearby cars, bikes and pedestrians can be safer than blocking everything out with noise cancellation.
Many open-ear headphones can be uncomfortable because they rest over the top of your ears. If you’re wearing glasses or a bike helmet they end up fighting for space around your temples, which can be irritating, in my experience.
Battery life: Rated up to 7.5 hours (immersive audio off) | Wireless Charging: No | Water resistance: IPX4 | Bluetooth Multipoint: No | Works best with: Android, iPhone | Ear tips: N/A
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How I tried the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
I’ve been testing the Bose UOE for about two weeks since receiving them from the brand ahead of its launch. I’ve tested dozens of wireless earbuds, including other models from Bose as well as open-ear workout headphones from brands like Shokz.
I wore the Bose UOE for all of my fitness activities, including indoor and outdoor running, cycling and weight training. While exercising, I used the on-ear controls to adjust volume, skip songs and answer calls. I wore the earbuds with sunglasses and with my bike helmet, as well as on their own with no additional accessories.
I also wore the earbuds in the office and while working from home. I once kept them on for eight hours straight to test their comfort and battery life. I’ve worn them for about 24 hours in total.
Three of my coworkers also tried them while relaxing at home, walking around the neighborhood, commuting to work, at the office and for indoor and outdoor exercise.
What I love about the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
Very secure fit
At first glance, the Bose UOE do not look secure, especially compared to the ear-hook and headband-style sports headphones I am used to wearing, like the Beats Fit Pro ($199) or Shokz OpenRun ($129). After running and cycling more than 15 miles respectively, these are some of the most secure headphones I’ve used. They were incredibly stable and didn’t move or jostle out of place during any of my fitness activities.
Comfortable and unobtrusive
These are some of the most comfortable headphones I’ve ever worn. I can usually wear a good pair of earbuds for about five hours before they start becoming unbearable. I wore these for eight hours straight and hardly even thought about it. One day while working from home, I finished a podcast and wasn’t listening to anything for over an hour before I remembered that I was still wearing these earbuds.
The ear cuff fit is designed to stay out of the way of important essentials like glasses and hats. Cycling with a helmet, sunglasses and headphones means a lot of things are fighting for space on my upper ear and temple. The Bose UOE are, by comparison, totally out of the way.
NBC Select’s Zoe Malin and Lindsay Schneider, who both have multiple ear piercings and earrings, say that the buds sit comfortably away or around most of their jewelry. Malin has flat-back stud earrings all the way up her ear — the Bose UOE comfortably wrapped around them.
What I don’t love about the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
Call quality
During my testing period, I made a few calls outside with the Bose UOE and co-workers had a hard time hearing what I was saying — they say I sounded quiet and distant (like I was on speaker phone) most of the time. Open-ear headphones don’t typically have amazing microphone quality, in my experience, but for $300, I was expecting a little bit of Bose magic. Other Bose headphones I’ve tried, like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds ($299), have great sound and call quality. Unfortunately, the Bose UOE does not deliver on that front: the microphones sound so-so, similar to many other open-ear and fitness earbuds I’ve tried.
In the video below I share how the Bose UOE microphones sound compared to a few other comparable headphones. If call quality is top of mind for you, consider the Shokz OpenFit ($179), or traditional earbuds like Apple AirPods Pro ($249).
Not very loud
To be fair, this isn’t unique to the Bose UOE — every pair of open-ear headphones I’ve tried is quieter than traditional headphones. In a crowded subway or bustling street market, I had to crank these to an uncomfortable max volume to clearly hear my music or phone call. But for outdoor fitness activities at the park or track, I never needed more than 50 or 60 percent volume.
Who are the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds best for?
These are great for outdoor fitness. They are small and light on my ears, and do not get in the way of sunglasses, hats or helmets like other open-ear headphones I’ve used.
They are also great for anyone who finds traditional earbuds irritable. The unique wrap-around design is incredibly comfortable, and leaves your ears free to hear the world around you.
Because they do not have any noise cancellation, these are not the best fit for noisy commutes or air travel. And the so-so call quality means they are not the best option for tackling a day full of work calls.
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What’s Bose’s return policy?
Bose offers a 90-day trial period on most of its products, including these earbuds. If you aren’t satisfied with your purchase for any reason, return it within the trial period for a full refund, according to the brand. Online returns are only accepted for products purchased online, directly from Bose.com — products purchased in store or from another retailer follow that retailers’ return policy.
Why trust NBC Select?
Harry Rabinowitz is a reporter at NBC Select who covers technology and fitness including guides to fitness trackers, running shoes and workout earbuds. He tried the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds for two weeks ahead of launch, wearing them working, commuting, walking, running and cycling after the brand sent him and the team a few pairs to try.
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