JLab Epic Open Sport Review - Men's Fitness Online

The JLab Epic Open Sport earbuds land right in the sweet spot for anyone who trains hard, sweats buckets, and doesn’t want earbuds jammed into their ear canals turning them functionally deaf to the outside world. Street runners and road riders take note: these are ideal for you. Gym goers, not so much.

These open-ear, air-conduction buds don’t try to isolate you from the world. Instead, they perch just outside the ear and direct sound inwards, so you stay aware of your surroundings while still hearing your podcast or motivational music. No blocked ears. No abuse or honked horns from dirvers. Just clean, open sound while you ride, run or lift.

Released in April 2025 and priced at around $200 they hit the growing open-ear market where brands like Shokz, Huawei and Honor are already busy. But JLab’s angle is to pack a lot into a mid-range price: Hi-Res Audio with LDAC codec, Bluetooth multipoint support, 7+ hours battery (30 total with the charging case), and wireless charging—all wrapped in a lightweight, flexible ear-hook design that doesn’t scream for attention.

That design is more practical than stylish. The hooks are soft and flexible, looping comfortably over the ears. The earbuds themselves are feather-light—around 17g and sit right near your ear canal without blocking it. This makes them extremely breathable. You can wear them for hours, even all day, with no sweat buildup or pressure points. Reviewers threw everything at them—burpees, treadmill sprints, barbell sessions—and they stayed locked in.

A few users found the fit took some fiddling to get sound positioned just right, and some noticed a bit of slippage in one ear depending on head shape, but overall the consensus is: once they’re in, they stay.

Build-wise, they look like sport earbuds—simple black finish, slightly chunky case that’s more function than fashion. And that’s one of the few weak spots: the charging case feels a bit plasticky and the lid doesn’t stay open, which is a minor annoyance if you’re trying to snap them back in post-workout. Also, seating the buds into the case can be a bit fiddly—if they’re not aligned just right, they might not charge. That said, the case supports both USB-C and Qi wireless charging, which is a welcome convenience.

Controls are well thought out. Each bud has a physical button (great for when you’re mid-run and sweaty) plus a touch-sensitive logo area. You can pause, skip, adjust volume, call up your voice assistant, all without digging out your phone. The touch controls aren’t flawless—some reviewers noted inconsistent sensitivity—but the combo of physical and touch is useful once you get the hang of it. The JLab app lets you go deeper: you can tweak a 10-band EQ, set control shortcuts, limit volume to protect your hearing, or even pipe in ambient white noise.

One of the stars here is sound quality, at least relative to the open-ear category. The Epic Open Sport use 14.2mm drivers and are Hi-Res certified. They support LDAC if you’re using a compatible device, which means better detail from high-quality audio sources. These don’t deliver audiophile sound, but for their purpose—motivating you through a workout—they sound very good. The tuning is bright and energetic, with boosted bass and treble to give your music some punch. No, the bass won’t hit like in-ears with a tight seal, but there’s enough thump to keep you going. More importantly, they’re loud. Multiple reviewers praised the volume output, whch is critical since open designs let ambient noise in. In busy gyms, on city runs, or next to that guy deadlifting 160kg next to the speaker, these still hold their own.

Battery life is solid. You get just over 7 hours per charge, and the case adds another 20-ish hours. Quick charge gives you an hour’s playtime from just 10 minutes in the case. One reviewer we spoke to used them daily for 90 minutes and didn’t have to charge them again for over two weeks. That’s more than enough to cover a week’s worth of workouts, plus the walk to and from.

Call quality is… fine. Each bud has dual mics with environmental noise reduction. Your voice generally comes through clearly, but don’t expect miracles in windy or noisy spots—background sound will sneak in. Still, they’re good enough for casual use or a quick call between sets.

What’s not great? Apart from the fiddly charging case, not much. They don’t offer a standout feature that blows away the competition. They simply do all the expected things well. If you’re expecting deep, isolating bass or audiophile precision, look elsewhere. These are built for fitness users who want comfort, situational awareness, durability, and decent sound. On that front, they deliver in spades.

Verdict: The JLab Epic Open Sport isn’t trying to be flashy or reinvent the wheel. What it does is tick the boxes that matter: comfort, volume, battery life, connectivity, and price. If you want open-ear earbuds for fitness, that stay put, sound good, and don’t get in the way of your environment—or your workout—these are a smart, no-bullshit option. Not revolutionary, but reliably solid. Just like your training plan should be.