Staying ahead of technology and fulfilling the needs of the outdoor enthusiast is never easy. However, there is always room for fresh innovations when it comes to making it easier and safer for people to listen to music and podcasts while enjoying the outdoors. Today’s outdoor enthusiast is not simpy looking for products that are easy to use, but looking for solutions to even the smallest inconveniences experienced while using an audio device on the trail.

For Far End Gear, the first solution was born from the need for an earbud that combined a stereo mix in one earbud, enabling one to keep one ear open to potential danger while enjoying the outdoors.

For outdoor enthusiasts, by outdoor enthusiasts
As an avid runner and cyclist himself, Kevin Goldstein, now the owner of Far End Gear, recognized this need for a single earphone, and was dissatisfied with the inconvenience of having to tuck one earbud underneath his shirt to stay safe while cycling. Additionally, he was also unhappy with the poor sound quality of using one earbud of a stereo mix. To address these issues, Goldstein created the first XDU Single Earphone in 2011, combining both channels of a stereo mix in one earbud.

Improving Innovation
Since then, Goldstein and Far End Gear have designed several innovative solutions for outdoor enthusiasts, including BudLoks Earphone Sport Grips and Short Buds Short Cord Earbuds.

BudLoks Earphone Sport Grips eliminate the inconvenience of earbuds that fall out when exercising or enjoying the outdoors. Once attached, soft silicone wings comfortably lock the earbuds into the bowl of the ear. They’re compatible with most earbuds, and come with three different sizes for a near-custom fit. In light of Apple’s new EarPod style earbuds, Far End Gear has redesigned BudLoks to be compatible with the EarPod’s spherical design, and are currently available for purchase.

Since many runners, hikers, and cyclists like to use clip-on music players, Far End Gear designed Short Buds Short Cord Earbuds to make it easier to use clip-on music players. Available in both the dual earbud stereo and stereo-to mono single earbud styles, Short Buds are made with a 15” cord, eliminating the tangling and catching of standard-length cords. For an extra level of safety, Short Buds are now made with a reflective cord to help the user stay visible while running or cycling at night.

While the 15” cord of Short Buds is convenient for clip-on music players, the length doesn’t offer quite enough slack for those who use an mp3 player armband. To fulfill this need, Far End Gear has created an additional line of Short Buds that are specifically designed for those who prefer to use mp3 player armbands. The new Short Buds include all of the innovative features of the current line of Short Buds, but have a slightly longer cord.

While the new armband-length Short Buds and EarPod-style BudLoks are up to speed with the tech industry, there is still plenty of room to improve the safety and quality of the listening experience for the user. Considering their first-hand experience with the inconveniences faced while using audio equipment on the trail, expect Far End Gear to be leading the way with even more product solutions in the future.