Product Review: iClever Bluetooth Stereo Fitness Headset

As some of you know, I'm an avid runner. If I miss a day running, I feel worse than if I run with the flu – which I also did recently. I'm hooked. I plan my runs every day by my schedule and hope that the day doesn't result in impromptu con-calls. I get extremely edgy if something interrupts my run or forces me to cut it short.

Finding a good, solid headset for running is tough and it took me a while before I decided on the Jabra Sport. The set has a great depth of sound, easy connectivity, and comes with "fans" that insert into your ear to ensure the buds don't dislodge due to jarring. I was skeptical when I first saw them but the salesperson demonstrated by shaking her head vigorously while wearing them. I was sold and the headset has been the best fitness purchase I've made in a long while.

The model I have, Jabra doesn't manufacture any longer. It's been replaced by Jabra Sport Pulse which sells for a whopping $177 on Amazon. That's nuts. My set was only $75. I'm not close to replacing my current set, but it helps to know if there are similar, less costly options available.

I was recently offered to test a pair of earbuds made by iClever. So, I set about to put the IC-BTH01 Lightweight Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 Sports Headphones through the paces (literally).

The iClever earbuds are very similar to my Jabra Sport set. They are comfortable, fit well, connect flawlessly, and have the ear fans I love. I was worried that the iClever fans aren't quite as sophisticated as the Jabra Sport, but apparently, even Jabra has gotten away from this style in its latest version.

Here's the difference…

As you can see from the picture, the iClever (on the left) and the Jabra (on the right) have different fan styles. But, after a few runs with the iClever I was surprised to find that it worked just as well. And, this is probably why Jabra has also now moved away from the wider fan – it's just not necessary.

The other thing I was worried about was sound, but the iClever is just as solid here as the Jabra.

There's one big difference between the iClever and the old Jabra model, and that is the bulk of the earbud itself. As you can tell from the next picture, the Jabra set has the controls packed inside an earbud "housing," allowing you to reach up to your ear to pause, switch tracks, and adjust volume. The iClever puts these same controls on the earbud's strap. In the picture, the Jabra is the top image and the iClever is the bottom.

Interestingly enough, Jabra has now done the same with its sports headsets, eliminating the controls from the earbud and putting them on the strap.

Both support hands-free calling and if you use Windows Phone, Cortana will help you respond to text messages during runs – completely hands-free.

Bottom Line

Jabra makes some great products, but after checking out the company's new offerings and finding how overpriced they are, I'm not sure I'll buy again. The iClever set is just as functional, has awesome sound, and the less bulky earbud is actually pretty liberating. Plus, the iClever earbuds are only around $56 on Amazon.

Check them out here: iClever IC-BTH01 Lightweight Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 Sports Headphones