By Rebecca Trachsel

Running With Music here, back at you with another headphone review, this time the JBL Reflect Aero TWS. While I’m familiar with JBL speakers and I know that JBL is a trusted brand, I did not realize they had multiple options for headphones until I read about them in the New York Times. The Reflect Aeros were written up as one of the better choices for running and working out in the Bluetooth category which is what tempted me to give them a go. After falling in love with the Beats Fit Pro this summer (see my review here) I was almost ready to end my quest completely. Yes, the Beats are that good. But, alas, it wouldn’t be fair to the other brands to shut things down this early, so I’ve been more than willing to keep at it. A reminder that I have worn every pair of headphones that I’ve tested for at least 50 miles. I’ve tried them in all weather conditions given the season that we’re in during the test. So, in this case, rain, heat, humidity and wind. I’ve worn them for all types of workouts including, but not limited to, easy runs, track work and races. And given all of this, here is where I landed with the JBLs. 

Quality 

These earphones are pretty awesome. They hold a charge for 3-4 runs per week on average and the sound is crystal clear when running and talking on the phone. The carrying case is about the length of my palm and fits into a pocket although it’s slightly bigger than some of the other cases in its class. The case charges the earphones for an additional 24 hours which is ideal for someone like myself who often forgets to charge my electronics on a daily basis. I’ve worn them in the rain with no issues at all. I’ve also sweat A LOT in them and had no problems with sound quality or function. Nor did they fall out or get loose, which is also ideal for obvious reasons. I did read that you can swim with them and although I have not tried that, it would probably be awesome to have some music while you swim laps. The overall quality is very solid when compared to other brands. 

Sound 

The sound is nice and crisp on these. There is an ambient noise setting and also a noise canceling option. I don’t use the noise canceling option on runs because I prefer safety over silence, but it’s a nice option when on work calls. Having tested them for this use case, I can confirm they perform incredibly well when I’m in that work setting. There are three microphones on each earbud which is kind of insane given how small they are. But if you’re on the move and taking a call you will not miss anything and will be heard as clear as a bell on the other end which is really nice on a windy day. As I’ve said in past reviews, I’m not a sound expert but having tried several models, these are definitely a winner in this category.

Connection 

The initial connection to your device is seamless and every time you put them in your ears they will connect without going through the process again. I love this function as I hate having to set things up more than once. Phone calls work smoothly when your phone is on you. If you want to cross them into work mode and connect them to a PC, it is not as seamless. I still have not figured out how to make them work with my computer but that could be a user error. I’m admittedly not good at reading and/or following instructions. 

Fit 

I have to be honest, it was a little tricky for me to get these aligned into my ear. I had to use a mirror initially to get them set up properly. Once in the right position, however, they are nice and snug and don’t feel like they will fall out at all. They are also pretty comfortable for runs over an hour which is not always the case with other brands. I really didn’t notice they were in my ears which is something I appreciate a lot. My husband has a bigger ear and he had no issue fitting them in quickly and comfortably so I’m guessing it’s just a little more challenging to get them fitted for those with smaller ears.

Price 

At about $150 these are appropriately priced for the quality of the product. For those with smaller ears, I’m not sure I would recommend these as they are a bit bigger than others in the same class of headphones and I could see them potentially being uncomfortable. That’s their only flaw as far as I can tell. If this were my only choice, I’d be more than happy.

Overall Review: A-/B+