Is it fair to test someone else’s gift? I’ll borrow a phrase from 16th Century British author John Lyly whose proverb “All’s fair in love and war” has been analysed by societies for centuries. My hubby and I aren’t at war and we are in love, but my track record for picking gifts has not been outstanding.
This year, I asked for suggestions and he immediately requested a Jabra Sport Coach Special Edition wireless headset.
Okay, said I, browsing the Internet for deals. I found one that fit my budget, and to my surprise, I was asked to review the product. OMG. I’ve always wanted to write a review, but I faced a dilemma. Is it a bad thing to try out a gift, clean it up and wrap it?
The answer came after a few sleepless nights. Of course not. With my luck, I’d fall on my favourite trail and the headset would be trampled in the dirt. What’s a wife/reviewer to do? Get two. Good thing I really liked this product after trying it.
My Favourite Sport Coach Special Edition Feature
May I start by saying that I’m not a lazy person, but these wireless buds are the first sports headphones on the market to offer those of us who are easily distracted the benefit of rep counting.
Wow. My mind is like a bullet train; I’m always distracted. So this feature is reason alone to have bought that second pair for me.
The sound is great and the noise cancellation feature keeps me focused on the task at hand. I set up the Jabra Sport Life App, inviting my personal “coach” into my head and not only do I get rep counting help but a guide that keeps track of distance, calories burned, the number of steps I take and even my pace and cadence.
In summary, this comfy little headset helps me make the most of every fitness activity in which I engage, including my runs.
Is That All There Is?
Hardly! My work-out history is retained and my achievements noted thanks to those aforementioned features, so I can get real-time readouts of my workout data on the fly. The Coach SE even sets me up for non-heart rate fitness tests when I need to figure out whether or not my performance is flagging.
Imagine how much money I save by not having to pay someone to oversee this type of test and report on the results.
Here’s all I have to do: run as far as I can in 12 minutes and my fitness level reportage tells the truth about whether or not I’ve accomplished anything. Did I want to double up on the S$198 per-product price tag?
Can’t answer that question with a yes, but I’m pretty certain hubby is going to like his holiday gift as much as I have come to like mine.
Technical Specs My Husband Will Appreciate
If you had to determine which of us talks the most and the longest, that would be me, so he’ll get plenty of mileage from the battery/power talk time of 5+ hours.
USB charging is fast and efficient given the number of devices in our collective library that require juice, and while I have yet to experience it, I believe Jabra when they say that the Sport Coach battery offers up to 10 days of standby time.
It’s Bluetooth enabled with a talk range of up to 10m. My husband never chats when he’s going about the business of improving his body, so I doubt he will take as much advantage of this feature as I do. Further, there are 3 sizes of foam tips and 3 ear gels included with the unit.
The handy protective bag that comes with this Jabra Sport Coach SE holds the USB cable plus the free app. All I had to do was add a gift tag.
Runner’s Boon
- Sound quality is excellent, so if you rely upon music to keep you going, you’ll love the bass notes especially.
- I can’t say enough about my virtual coach and that rep-counting innovation.
- Charging is no big deal because USB ports are everywhere I look.
- I’m delighted that this headset is comfy and comes with multiple buds and tips for a customised fit.
- Jabra construction is sound and reliable — true to the company’s reputation.
Runner’s Bane
- I’d like more than 6+ talk hours before re-charging, but this won’t be a problem for hubby.
- My girlfriend complains that her battery dies too fast. So far, I’m good, but I haven’t owned this product very long. She says that the Bluetooth connection drops out on occasion. Hope this doesn’t happen to me.
- If a purchaser can’t find one of the three bud/tip sizes to fit, this could present a problem.
- One must pay careful attention to the distance between the headset and phone or reception could get lousy.
- The app can take a little time to start up, so if you’re the impatient sort, better practice the Zen of Jabra.
Conclusion
I can’t see into the future, but something tells me that Hubby will love his Christmas gift this year. In many ways, it’s perfect for him: He’s a no-nonsense guy who takes his athletic endeavours very seriously, so some of the biggest complaints dissatisfied customers have registered won’t impact him.
He has been talking about going wireless forever (and I’m sick of listening to it), so that alone will delight him. Would I have preferred to spend less than S$400 to get two of these? Of course. But then, how would you know whether or not to consider buying this product for someone you love?
What’s on your Christmas list for runners in your life? Will you purchase something they ask for, or will you go out on a limb and get creative?
The Jabra Sport Coach Special Edition (SGD 198) is available in selected retailers in Singapore.
Get the Jabra Jabra Sport Coach Special Edition Now with a Special Discount
Get $30 off all Jabra Sports Headsets when you apply our special code: 30OFFJABRASPORTS at the online store. Offer valid till 31 December 2016.
