BioConnected HR+ earphones will change the way you train forever

GOT plans to get back into shape after New Year’s celebrations? Then you might want to take a look at this $299 gadget developed right here in Australia.

IF YOU are setting a New Year’s resolution to get into shape, this $A299 Australian product could be just what you need to keep you motivated.

For the past three years, Australian sports psychologist Dr Sven Rees and his team of scientists, engineers and designers have developed state-of-the-art biometric earphones that measure both heart rate and heart rate variability, plus a variety of other fitness metrics.

In order to see if these claims were just a gimmick, we decided to put BioConnected’s HR+ earphones to the test and were very happy with the results.

DESIGN

BioConnected’s HR+ earphones come with three different sizes of silicone tips and “shark fin” style ear clasps to ensure a comfortable fit for all ear types.

The fins are attached to a larger piece of thin silicone, which helps protect the earphones and microUSB charging port from your sweat.

Confident with the product’s IPX5 rating — protected from water jets at any direction — the company offers a lifetime water and sweat resistance guarantee to give you extra peace of mind.

Unlike other products on the market which use over-the-top colours, these earphones are largely black, with small traces of silver and red.

This subtle design means you can comfortably wear them for day-to-day use without feeling like you look like a complete twat.

The earbuds are connected via a thin black cable which is home to a small box containing the volume and playback controls you would expect.

For those who like to compartmentalise, the earphones also come with their own carry case, which looks sleek and offers added protection.

Everything you get with the product

FUNCTIONALITY

For headphones designed for fitness, the audio quality is impressive and would allow you to use these for your morning commute or during work.

While it will never match the high-end audio output you could expect from premium models, I found it better to other workout earphones, plus the combination of the earbud and shark fin offered mild noise isolation.

The bluetooth connection works perfectly and only cut out when I was about 5m from my phone — more than enough for your needs.

BioConnected’s earphones promise around seven hours of battery life, which seemed accurate during my testing.

Sadly I didn’t get advanced warnings when I needed to charge, only notified when it was disconnected as the battery had died.

Having used the product on a number of sweaty runs and gym sessions, I can attest that it stays firmly in your ear and never feels uncomfortable or requires constant tweaking like other earphones.

As the product has been designed to work with leading third party applications like Strava, Runtastic or MapMyRun, you will be able to get a plethora of data without having to add chest straps and smartwatches.

As for the accuracy of the heart rate monitor, I found it to be on point with other biometric sensing products I own. The company claims ears are one of the best places on your body to measure blood flow.

Know how hard you’re working with clinically accurate heart rate measurement

THE APP

For the purpose of the review, I used my headphones with third-party app MapMyRun and was more than happy with the results.

But for those looking for more, BioConnected has also develop software to get the most of its innovative technology.

Unfortunately, the official app for the earphones is currently only available on iOS devices — the company said an android version will be coming in early 2018.

The BioConnected app promises to take your training to the next level by not only tracking your heart rate, but also your heart rate variability — used to measure physical stress.

BioConnected HR+ earphones will also track speed, pace, distance, energy expenditure and cadence, which is relayed to you through a virtual voice-coaching assistant.

The virtual coach can also tell you if you are above or below pace targets.

Because Apple has previously declined my requests for a review unit of the iPhone X, I have not been able to test the full capacity of BioConnected’s HR+ earphones, although most of the reviews I have read deliver nothing but praise for the iOS app.

VERDICT

This product is hugely impressive and by purchasing you will be supporting an Australian company. BioConnected HR+ earphones cost $299 and available here.

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