Fitness Gear Review: Jaybird Bluebud X with Comply Tips

As I’ve varied my workouts, I’ve found myself hampered by my wired earbuds. While they served their purpose, they always seems to get caught on a machine – even when I snaked my earbud wire through my shirt (and forget jumping rope or doing stretching/yoga with them). Still, I refused to replace them; I just couldn’t see myself plopping down $100+ for a Bluetooth pair.

Unfortunately, I was forced into a decision when my workout earbuds stopped. I originally planned to purchase a better, wired earbud, but after some research, decided on a wireless pair.

I really wanted the soon-to-be-released Kaona buds, but couldn’t wait for the first batch (scheduled to be delivered in April 2016). Plus, I really struggled with the idea of dropping $150 for my first pair of wireless buds.

Given that, after reading a few reviews online, I decided to go with the first iteration of Jaybird’s Bluebud X earbuds. Walmart had them on sale for $80, so I considered it a steal.

My first few weeks with the earbuds consisted of a lot of trial and error. I really struggled to find a good seal. The right earbud would occasionally pop out of my ear. One time, I forgot to charge the battery, and the earbuds died in the middle of a workout.

Fortunately, Jaybird has partnered with Comply to make a pair of tips specifically for the Bluebud X and X2. Those tips have made all the difference in the world.

I alternate between the Sport and the Isolation tips. They keep the earbuds in place, provide great sound/isolation, and are REALLY comfortable (almost on par with my Klipsch S4i wired earbuds – which remain the best earbuds I’ve ever used).

I wish that there was an app that would notify you if the battery is low; besides that, I think the Bluebud X, with the tips, is a steal. The only thing holding back my rating is Jaybird’s customer service. In a word, it’s AWFUL. I purchased my Comply tips through them, had to follow up 4 times to get them shipped AND they charged by credit card twice. It took 2 weeks to get my order. I suggest if you order the tips, go through Comply instead of Jaybrid.

Note: My total purchase cost was $100: $80 for the Bludbud Xs and another $20 for the tips. For an extra $30, you can get the X2s – which, according to reviews, provide superior sound. The X2s come with Comply tips, which is a plus. The X2s also remove the annoying beep that indicates when volume is changed. I assume the price will go even lower when Jaybird releases the X3.