Adidas Headphones seems to be on a mission to revamp its entire line of workout headphones. After announcing the ZNE 01 ANC true wireless in October 2021, Adidas is back with another new/updated version, the FWD-02 SPORT, which is said to “provide a superior experience for runners seeking freedom, uncompromising sound quality and innovative features designed to help them go further.”
The actual specs are unknown, but it’s promising that the new headphones were designed with the help of Adidas Runners, an international community of recreational runners, so it’s safe to assume that Adidas and Zound Industries, co-creators of the buds, have done their homework and tested the buds with real runners so that they provide a good user experience for active people.
Adidas FWD-02 SPORT: price and release date
The Adidas FWD-02 SPORT is available starting today, February 3, 2022, and can be purchased directly from Adidas Headphones for a recommended retail price of $169.
It joins the recently launched Adidas Headphones true wireless headphone family including Adidas ZNE 01 ANC and Adidas ZNE 01 as mentioned above.
Price and availability UK and AU TBC.
(Photo credit: Adidas Headphones)
Adidas FWD-02 SPORT: dry it while you store it
Notable new features of the FWD-02 SPORT include customizable ear cups and eartips to provide the perfect fit for any rider and a new touchscreen interface that allows riders to control media regardless of weather conditions, running gear or sweaty fingertips.
Additionally, the FWD-02 SPORT features a compact carrying case with a breathable mesh cover that displays the battery level and helps dry the headphones from sweat or water when stored. If Adidas could introduce blue light processing into the case, it would make the FWD-02 SPORT the ultimate headphones for workouts.
Adidas has even thought of people who run in cold weather by wearing the FWD-02 SPORT: the headphones have a force sensor so you can control the reading even when wearing running gloves. The FWD-02 SPORT is also waterproof to IPX5, so you don’t have to worry about it sweating or getting wet.
I wouldn’t recommend showering with them, though. Surely you can live without listening to music in the shower.
It’s not just the physical design of the buds that has been improved since the first iteration. The FWD-02 SPORT now has a sensitization mode that lets in external sounds so riders can hear approaching cars and bikes even if they’re not looking. Ambient noise mode isn’t cutting tech in 2022, but it’s good to know it’s included here.
As for battery life, the Adidas FWD-02 SPORT will last up to 6 hours between charges and there’s another 19 hours of juice in the self-drying case.
