Most sports headphones are disappointing. So many of them don’t live up to manufacturer claims. Waterproof? Only if you don’t sweat that much. Amazing staying power? Only if you don’t move that much. But, Monster claims to have made some new earbuds that are better than all the rest. Could it be true? Could these headphones be the ones I’ve been searching for all these years? I take the Monster iSport headphones for a run.

Price: Somewhat Off-putting

The first thing that I noticed about these headphones was the price. It’s hard to ignore that looming $99.95 price tag when it comes to a simple pair of headphones. But, I’m willing to do almost anything for sports headphones that perform as advertised. Are these headphones really worth nearly $100 dollars?

Listen to the Sound of Oncoming Traffic

It’s really great to go for a long run and tune out the rest of the world. The problem with this is that you also tune out traffic (or wild beasts if you live in a rural area). Tuning things out may mean getting into some kind of altercation or trouble. Monster’s new headphones have a great open design that lets you pop the earbuds in your ears, but still hear what’s around you.

Note: these are not noise cancelling earphones by any means. Of course, the downside to earphones that let in some noise is that sound quality is sacrificed slightly. So, it’s really a toss-up between great sound and hearing what’s around you. If you just workout at the gym, these might not be the best choice. If you like to run trails or on busy city streets, these are a good way to go.

But, just in case you want to get a bit distracted, these headphones also include a built-in microphone that’s compatible with iOS devices, so you can make a phone call when you are running, walking on the treadmill, or just strolling through town.

I also love the fact that these headphones don’t hurt my ears. Thanks to the open design, it is possible to place these earbuds inside of your ears without crushing your eardrums. If you’re looking for comfort, Monster definitely has that down perfectly.

Sound Quality

As mentioned, these earphones do let in some noise, which does sacrifice sound quality a bit. But, it also depends on what kind of music you are listening to. If you want to hear something with a lot of bass, these headphones do provide a good amount of bass, but they won’t be the best thing you’ve ever used to hear that seriously bass pounding song. However, if you’re used to Apple’s earphones, you will see a huge difference.

Monster is synonymous with great sound products, and these don’t disappoint. In the end, I enjoyed everything that the Monster iSport intensity earphones had to offer. You’ll find these great earphones online at major retailer. If you’re tired of sports earphones that can’t keep up with a casual stroll, give these Monster earphones a try. Sure, they cost a bit less than $100, but (in this reviewer’s opinion) they are worth the price!