Suunto Sonic Headphones Review - “These headphones really shine on short trips or day hikes with its impressive sound quality, and its 8–10 hour battery life.”
Posted by Liam Hollinshead on Oct 22, 2024
When I started out using the Suunto Sonic Headphones, I never anticipated how impressive these headphones would perform.
Tech and Specs:
Starting off, connecting the headphones couldn't be easier. It's a simple process of connecting the headphones to your chosen device via Bluetooth. No proprietary apps, just connect and go! Included with the headphones is a charging cable (the headphones use a magnetic charging cable) and a bag for storage. Something I love about these headphones is the fact they have actual tactile buttons! A common gripe of mine with a lot of tech these days is abandoning physical buttons. But having actual buttons makes pausing, skipping, answering calls and adjusting volume a breeze. Especially when wearing gloves on those cold and wet hikes.
Using bone conduction technology, the Suunto Sonic Headphones allow you to keep you aware of your surroundings, so you can hear every passing car, for example. At first, it does take some getting used to (as a frequent user of in-ear and over-ear headphones) but you soon acclimatise to the weird but amazing sensation of being aware of your surroundings while listening to your audiobooks and tunes.
What I found particularly impressive is the sound quality of the Sonic Headphones. While they won't live up to the sound quality of higher end everyday headphones. As these are designed for the trail, not the bus!
The Suunto Sonic really packs a punch in the sound department. It handles the majority of music genres with ease but does struggle with intensive or low-end bass, but this is negligible.
Personal Use:
Having used these headphones on multiple hikes in various conditions. I was surprised by how comfortable they feel, I sometimes forgot that I was actually wearing them! They comfortably rest on your head, and they rarely move unless going down some rocky terrain, in my experience. One thing I noticed while wearing the headphones is that they do struggle in high winds and in rain hitting my waterproof hood. But can be solved by simple turning up the volume (but this will make the headphones buzz, which might be uncomfortable for some users)
Overall:
These headphones really shine on short trips or day hikes with its impressive sound quality, and its 8–10 hour battery life. Twinned with its comfortable design, the Suunto Sonic Headphones are my go-to choice of headphones when heading out for the day on the trail.