adidas lists 16 hours of battery life, and while difficult to actually quantify, I believe battery life to be very close to this estimate. I wear them for hours per day (running, walking, using them for phone calls, house/yard chores) and seem to go for days before I remember to recharge them. You can also see a battery percentage within the app, but I rarely remember to look there for status updates (I just never need to really given the battery life, but it is a nice feature regardless). Charging is easy, simply plug in the USB-C cable provided (though very short). Bass is banging, punchily described in Jamiroquai’s Canned Heat. It gets my head bopping and feet tapping, the funkadelic rhythms delivered with aplomb. There’s pleasing weight, drive and power to the low frequencies in Tom Morello’s cover of Voodoo Child, but it isn’t overdone (like the Z.N.E. 01 ANC, the equalizer here is set to the flat “Adidas”). The way in which the bass is integrated here is certain to get people pumped up during workouts. In terms of hardware aesthetics and design, Adidas FWD-01 comes in three colors — the company sent its “Night Grey” variation for review. The other colors are “Light Grey” and the multi-toned blue, coral pink, and grey “Signal Coral.” Finally, Adidas includes a fold-to-close carry case. Adidas made that from a mesh material and even added a slot specifically for the charging cable. But it’s also small enough that the accessories just barely fit without being difficult to place inside. So, unlike many other companies’ included carry cases, this one from Adidas doesn’t take up much more extra room than the earbuds themselves would.

From our time using the FWD-01, the controls are satisfactory in terms of responsiveness. Using them isn’t a hassle either, which is good especially when you’re running and don’t want to fuss over the controls too much. The lid is detachable to avoid breakages. This hasn’t been an issue for me with other earbuds, but perhaps it’s a concern for those who are a bit rougher with their earbuds and fling them into their gym bag. That doesn’t mean they’re perfect though. Some users are not going to appreciate the extra bass, just for starters. Especially those who identify as audiophiles. And for those that don’t use on-source AI assistant or Spotify, the app and customized buttons — aside from equalization features — are going to feel useless. As are the buds themselves if you need more range or don’t have or want to buy an extra USB-C charging cable. Since the latter inclusion is so short.Furthermore, while its Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity is extremely stable with phones, it doesn’t pair well with laptops or desktops. This then limits its versatility quite considerably, which means users have to use a separate pair of headphones when taking this out to the office and gym on the same day. The only downside is that their chunky design can make them a little clunky to wear during specific workouts, such as boxing or climbing. The sweat resistance is an obvious addition to any running headphones, and the FWD-01’s IPX4 rating does the job quite well. After a run, simply give it a good wipe with a towel or cloth, and it’s good to go again. But since its IPX4 rating is a low one, considering the other more water-resistant options in the market, definitely do not wash this under running water, let alone bring this it out for a swim.

adidas sport headphones blend intelligent, ergonomic design with incredible sound to support you every step of the way from warm-up, to workout, right through recovery. Adidas claims that these earbuds should last over 16-hours. My usage saw around 16-hours and 20-minutes.For extra features, Adidas also has a dedicated app which I used during my review of FWD-01. That app helps optimize audio, for the most part, but also delivers more accurate readouts for the battery level. And, best of all, the app includes customizations for the multi-function button attached to these earbuds. While they aren’t the prettiest gym headphones around, when it comes to functionality they easily match competing sets from the likes of Jaybird.

Being Adidas’ first-ever range of audio equipment, the FWD-01 does a decent enough job in the audio department, though it doesn’t yet match up to the likes of Jaybird or Bose, both of which have been in the industry for much, much longer. The base preset EQ is pretty solid, which is by default bass-forward, which certainly pumps some adrenaline in your workout. As such, bass-heavy genres such as EDM and hip hop will no doubt benefit from it. But if that’s not for you, there are other EQ presets available in the app, or it can be manually edited, giving you a bevvy of audio options.Of course, that means they aren’t necessarily going to be the most audiophile-friendly headphones on the market. But they certainly aren’t the worst either. Especially if you keep the volume below 70-percent of the maximum. Above around 80-percent, the bass does tend to overpower. But under that, the frequency separation and distinction are actually very good. If not the best. Adidas estimates roughly 16 hours of battery life, but your results will vary with your volume levels. Performance