Underwater Audio Swimbuds iPod Bundle review
Great for long steady swims, though can be slightly fiddly to get going
Underwater Audio Swimbuds iPod Bundle review
For those who like swimming to a beat, American brand Underwater Audio have handily struck up a friendship with Apple, producing a waterproofed 2GB iPod shuffle and four styles of earbud to suit numerous types of lughole (two swim-specific, two miscellaneous).
Admittedly, Bob Marley probably wasn’t the most energising choice to get us through a lengthy threshold set, but the sound quality and fit of the earbuds (both swim-specific pairs) couldn’t be denied. It’s recommended you clip the iPod to the back of your goggles then wrap the wires around your straps, which is quite fiddly.
You can splash out on the mega bundle with sport headphones if this is an issue, but the earbuds stayed in our ears for our entire warm-up. Underwater Audio’s claim that Swimbuds are ‘flip-turn friendly’ is slightly exaggerated, as when you ramp up the pace you notice the wires pulling.
We couldn’t confidently do a hard set without them slipping out or feeling like they would, but it’s for those long steady swims you’ll want added entertainment, and this is a decent solution. You also get a zipped carry case, and although the iPod has been modified by Underwater Audio it’s supplied in Apple’s original packaging.
Verdict: Not completely ‘flip-turn friendly’, but great for steady aerobic swims, 84%
Contact : www.underwateraudio.com
Jamie Beach
Former digital editor 
