UNBOXED: Reviewing the JLab Flex Sport Wireless Headphones

One of the really cool things about following a company like JLab Audio is being able to see, firsthand, how aggressive they’ve become in expanding their portfolio of products. But it’s not aggression in the sense that they’re trying to throw a bunch of ideas at the wall and hope something sticks. Rather, they’re very calculated in their product strategy, and when they decide to go and attack a specific segment of the audio market, they do so in a way that’s smart and ensures they’ll launch a successful product.

The latest example of that is the recently-launched $99 Flex Sport Wireless Headphones from JLab. The workout headphones segment has long since shed its image of being a market designated for in-ear monitors. More and more today, consumers crave that more-comfortable over-ear experience, while not sacrificing the secure fit and workout-proof features that you’ll find in those smaller, in-ear options. JLab accomplishes that feat with these new Flex Sport Wireless cans in a way that very much meshes with the company’s mission of creating affordable and powerful sounding audio gear.

For starters, these are strictly wireless headphones. You won’t find a cord in the box that allows you to plug into a 3.5mm headphone jack. JLab has committed to the wireless design, and it results in a very sleek looking product from top to bottom. The product is constructed out of an incredibly lightweight material, and JLab includes two moisture wicking ear pads that can be removed and are machine washable. Keeping on-head security in mind, JLab includes two tension bands that provide a tighter grip on the over-head portion of the headphones. When neither is applied, the Flex headphones show where they got their name as they can be coiled ever so slightly—which really has no bearing on the actual performance of the headphones but was fun to do! An additional headband strap is included to provide yet another layer of comfort and on-head security.

JLab’s commitment to making their Flex Sport headphones the perfect workout partner also plays out through some of the other features that the brand baked into the product. There’s the Be Aware Audio mode that uses pass through audio technology so the wearer can be aware of their surroundings while still enjoying their music. That function is built into the right ear cup and is useful, but it’s something that I wish was available on both ears. It was oftentimes difficult to hear something happening on the left side of me, facing away from the microphone that’s built into the right ear cup. Another useful feature is the 20-hour battery life. Easily one of the best in class I’ve come across at this price point and in this segment, 20 hours is plenty of time to get you through a week of workouts before needing a recharge.

As for the audio quality, the Flex Sport headphones live up to the JLab standard. They come with the company’s Custom EQ3 sound, allowing the user to select a signature, balanced, or bass boost mode right through the headphones—no app required. All sounded great, but the signature JLab sound always seemed to be the setting that I landed on no matter what genre of music I was listening to.

All in all, the JLab Flex Sport Wireless headphones are just another example of the audio brand’s ability to produce some top-notch products that sound great, have a specific purpose, and won’t break the bank.