THE original iPod earphones don't cut it. Neither does that pair of $150 hi-fi earphones boasting noise-cancelling ear buds, which are too expensive to get drenched with perspiration.
If you want music - a natural companion to sports - while you work out, you need the right earphones.
They need to be something that hang on better than the loose-fitting ones that come with the iPod, plus they have to put up with perspiration. And as all that rough and tumble tends to wear things out, they should, of course, not cost much.
Enter the sports headphone.
Usually perspiration- and water-resistant, these let you enjoy the content in your MP3 anywhere, whether it is the gym or East Coast Park.
They also promise to fit well, despite vigorous movement, and are not priced as premium hi-fi parts, which is a good thing as hi-fi is not needed unless you can hear the difference in a Pet Shop Boys' song while panting hard.
Just how good are these earphones? To find out, I tested five pairs of earphones and headphones. Each offers something different for the sporty.
A good pair, more than anything else, has to fit comfortably, and stay on during a serious workout. With this in mind, I tried out each model, wearing them while taking slow jogs around my neighbourhood for between 20 and 40 minutes each time.
