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. The sound quality of the FWD-01 is excellent, with a deep range of sound, full, clean rich bass and can easily be customized within the app.

The Adidas FWD-01 aren’t a subtle bit of kit. Chunky left and right buds with a spidery mesh pattern, they look like they’ve been through a Tough Mudder or three straight out of the box. Strike the perfect balance between charging up and winding down in adidas RPT-02 SOL headphones. As a fitness enthusiast and artist, rest is essential to Marcia Kim's active lifestyle. Amplify your workout motivation or ease into your creative flow using the powerful combination of music and light. Where do the new Adidas FWD-01 sport in-ear headphones come in, then? One of the sporting giant’s first forays into the audio market, the FWD-01 is clearly intended for athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and runners as its target audience.Audio quality isn’t industry leading, but by running headphone standards the Adidas FWD-01 offer decent sound quality. The included USB-C charging cable is incredibly short. It connects to an uncovered port on the right earpiece. The earphones also ship with a cool mesh/neoprene carrying pouch. We test every headphones we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product. 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).

The FWD-02 Sport are the third in a trio of true wireless buds from the Adidas and Zound Industries collaboration, with this model specifically aimed at runners. The Transparency mode sounds natural enough, opening up the area around the user for more situational awareness of the goings-on at your sides and behind you.Adidas estimates roughly 16 hours of battery life, but your results will vary with your volume levels. Performance

Lewis Painter is a Senior Staff Writer at Tech Advisor. Our resident Apple expert, Lewis covers everything from iPhone to AirPods, plus a range of smartphones, tablets, laptops and gaming hardware. You'll also find him on the Tech Advisor YouTube channel. 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.

Water- and sweat-resistance come in at IPX5, matching the Z.N.E. 01 ANC, which makes them resistant to low pressure and sustained jets of water, while the case is splash-proof at IPX4. The case is an interesting piece of design, with a “breathable” mesh top; if the earphones become wet, it allows the water to evaporate through it (and it works). 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.” Otherwise, the battery in Adidas FWD-01 lasts even longer than the company claimed. And that’s under conditions that would drain most devices over a far shorter period than is claimed. And that’s bearing in mind that conditions such as distance from a source device, volume, media type, and other factors drastically change battery life from user to user. I listened at 90-percent volume from a distance averaging 20-feet. So my use was more intensive than most users’ will be. The only downside is that their chunky design can make them a little clunky to wear during specific workouts, such as boxing or climbing. 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.