SONY Active Style Earbud-type Headphone: MDR-AS40EX

I've had these headphones for 11 months.  I would still have them, but I left my mp3 player somewhere and haven't found it in two weeks.  I'm going to buy them again.

One of the first runs I went on with these the worst storm of the year came up.  Rain was pouring down, then the hail came.  I was a little concerned about the size (>2cm diameter) of the hail, but while I could see it on the road it really didn't feel as bad as it looked.  I had my tunes going and I was booking it to get back to my car.  I happened to set a PR for a 5K thanks to the storm of 18:26.  The mp3 player barely got wet in it neoprene case, and the headphones were fantastic.  The ear buds stayed securely in place and kept the water streaming out of my hair from getting in my ears.  They suffered no ill effects, and continued to look and perform like brand new for the entire time I had them.

I used to go through headphones pretty fast.  Usually one side or the other would stop working and I'd run into the store to buy another cheap pair.  From the comments that have been made on the Sony website about these headphones I gather that they have the same problem.  I've learned to roll them up without putting undo pressure on the wire going into the plug before throwing them in my pocket or backpack, and I think that is why they have lasted.  The original X-Box controllers always died when the wires were wrapped up too tightly.  If you can pinch a wire nearly a quarter inch wide into shorting, then why would you expect to get away with abusing a headphone cord?

I've used them nearly every day, during all kinds of activities.  They have gone camping with me, over hurricane pass on the Teton Crest trail, into the Wind River wilderness, running on roads and trails over uncounted miles, and they were with me while I biked even further.  They held on so well I even took them on the trampoline.  The headphones stayed on and even held the weight of my mp3 player when it came unclipped during a back flip.  They were also very comfortable.  They went with me to the gym 3 times a week, which is where in a careless moment I left them not to be seen again.

They were great for biking, but I wouldn't recommend to anyone that they bike with headphones on unless there is absolutely no traffic.  Biking on a cold rural Utah morning can chill your ears, and so it was nice to have the headphones in even if I hadn't been listening to anything.  With the clips on these ear buds you can have them sitting gently in the ear so as to not block out other noises, or you can press them in to effectively block those noises. 

These are the best headphones I've ever owned, and that's why I'm buying more.  I research items before I buy them, and only get the best.  I wasn't let down this time.

Specifications:

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  Ear-bud style headphones deliver rich sound with deep bass
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  Moisture guard allows for moisture to pass around headphones
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  Short cord (2 feet) solution for arm-band use; extension cord (2 feet) is supplied
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  Supplied with 3 sizes of detachable soft hangers for ultra-secure and comfortable fit
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  Can also be used as standard ear-bud by detaching soft hangers
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  Gold-plated Mini Plug
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  Supplied Accessories: Hard Carrying Case, Three sizes of ear-buds (S, M, L), Extension Cord, Clip to secure the cord, 3 sizes of detachable soft hangers