Holiday Gift Guide: Portable Speakers and Travel Headphones

October 12, 2016

by Peter Reese
Holiday Gift Guide: Portable Speakers and Travel Headphones

Audio books to indie sounds, there’s no reason not to take your favorites on the road or to the mountains. Read what our testers say about four of their product experiences. And find harmony with your decibel-powered desires.

Braven BRV-XXL

Braven BRV-XXL

Really, what music or audio book is worth such over-the-top, extraordinary speaker treatment? Only your favorites, of course, as this wireless speaker forces a moral dilemma on its owner. Play it safe or push the boundaries. Create a place of enchantment or send vibrations through the ground in the spirit of the 1990 cult classic sci-fi movie, Tremors (can you spot actor Kevin Bacon in his nearly-adolescent phase?). Despite the relentless, two-sided output fueled by four HD drivers and a single, throaty subwoofer, the frequency response of Braven BRV-XXL carries a crisp, linear treatment that puts many artisanal Bluetooth speakers to shame. Testers bounced this durable system from home to campground to park, noting the acceptable range from the source (iPhone or iPad) exceeded the 10m rating in nearly every scenario. It’s no wonder that, at 18lbs, BRV-XXL is beyond a nominal carry weight for many expeditions. However, for the rest of life, including relaxing and celebrating at home, this input- and output-rich system is a triumph of engineering. All hail the decibels. All bow – or dance – before this pillar of unstoppable sound waves. 

Best For: Upgrading or replacing any portable system for group use

Outdoor Tech Chips Wireless Helmet Audio

Outdoor Tech Chips Wireless Helmet Audio $99.29 - $128.66

“Universal wireless helmet audio” sounds over-reaching at best, a poorly-performing gimmick at best. Nothing could be farther from the half-pipe pulsing sound coming out of these gems from Outdoor Tech. Active Junky testers, athletes and travelers have taken their audio products and portable power supplies around the world with only minor recommended tweaks (after all, who’s going to argue with their sasquatch mascot?). Chips’ 2”x 2” x .5” dual tethered Bluetooth speakers tuck into popular helmets equipped with audio pockets. And transfer quickly between them. Testers are experimenting with retrofitting other brands and models as well, but few skiers and riders will have reason to deviate from popular and performance models from the likes of Anon, Smith, POC and Bollé. Charging the generous 40mm drivers takes some time, so stay ahead of the next dump for full-spectrum sound, instant sync re-pairing and max 112dB volume. Should reality call, your pack-secured phone is Chips’ best on-slope communication partner.

Best For: Front, back and sidecountry listening while always paying attention to nature’s warning sounds 

JBL Everest Elite 300

JBL Everest Elite 300

With wireless on-ear freedom, these noise cancelling headphones let the wearer mix external sounds with the full-range output of the headphones. While nowhere close to diminutive, the Elite 300 never feels bulky even as the user dials the level of ambient sound up and down to match the circumstances. On the airplane to Portland, screaming children two rows back? Create a listening cocoon. Waiting for friends to join you for a cortado at the coffee shop’s community table? Back off the tight, enclosed soundscape for a more expansive acoustic environment. Testers verified the headphone’s 10-hour battery life, sweet Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity and built-in auto off sensors in dozens of listening sessions. The mic with echo cancellation is adequate, while on-frame controls quickly became intuitive, using press-and-toggle motions for all functions, including ambient control. Spend twice as much to (perhaps) get truer frequency response. Or not. Dollars to downbeats, this is one of the best values currently on the market.

Best For: Noisy work environments, international and extended domestic travel where ambient control is critical

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