Sweat proof. Heart rate monitor. Full wireless. Meet Jabra's Elite Sport earbuds

Jabra's Sport Elite is a totally wireless waterproof headphone that features two separate cord-free earbuds and an in-ear heart-rate monitor.

David Carnoy Executive Editor / Reviews

Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET's Reviews team since 2000. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable reviewer of mobile accessories and portable audio products, including headphones and speakers. He's also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Nook e-books and audiobooks.

Expertise Mobile accessories and portable audio, including headphones, earbuds and speakers Credentials

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David Carnoy

Sept. 1, 2016 8:00 a.m. PT

2 min read

The Elite Sport ships in late September for $250 (£230), with an Australian launch in late October.
Jabra

Several wireless earbud headphones have trickled into the market in recent months, including the Motorola VerveOnes, Samsung Galaxy Gear IconX, Erato Apollo 7, Earin and Here One.

Now Jabra enters the zero-wire fray with its Elite Sport, which it calls "the most technically advanced, true wireless sports earbuds available." It'll be available in the US ($250), UK (£230) and the EU (€250) at the end of October, with an Australian launch slated for later in the year (pricing not yet announced, but US price converts to approximately AU$330).

What makes the Elite Sport so elite? For starters, the 'buds are fully sweat- and waterproof. There's also an integrated heart-rate monitor that provides "ground-breaking in-ear fitness analysis" and, as you'd suspect from a Jabra headphone, they work well as a headset for making calls, with built-in noise reduction technology. According to Jabra, the earbuds analyze external sounds and automatically switch to the earbud with least background noise.

I haven't tried them yet, so I don't know how they sound or fit, but they certainly look intriguing.

The headphone have an integrated in-ear heart-rate monitor.
Jabra

With in-ear noise-isolating headphones such as these, it's crucial that you get a tight seal to get the best sound quality. And with "true" wireless earbuds, the ability to maintain a steady, hiccup-free connection will also make or break a product.

Like competing products, battery life isn't great -- they're rated at just three hours of music listening -- but it is easy to get extra juice by slipping them into their charging case, which has an integrated battery.

I'll put together an in-depth review as soon as I get these in my ears. In the meantime, here are the Sport Elite's key specs:

Superior sound with up to three hours of music and calls (plus up to six hours additional charge from the portable charging case)
Flexible wearing options with single or stereo earbud use
Advanced heart rate analysis with automatic fitness level testing of VO2 Max, recovery advisor and race predictor
Two integrated microphones in each earbud
Background noise reduction
Audio pass-through allows you to tune in to your surroundings at the touch of a button
In-ear audio coaching with real-time feedback
Integrated training management with Jabra Sport Life app
Three-year warranty against sweat and waterproof to IP67 rating
Tested to work for at least 30 minutes while submerged in up to 3 feet of water
Supports all major smartphone operating systems, including Android and iOS
Support for all leading third-party fitness apps
$250 exclusively at Best Buy stores on October 30. Preorder on BestBuy.com will begin in early October. £230 in the UK.