Outdoor Technology's DJ Slims - Review

The deeper we delve into the labyrinth of options available in portable audio options, and headphones in particular, the more we realize that personal preference and the the conditions have a massive impact on what we like.  With sound quality coming in at the top of every testers list of requirements, we find ourselves moving past it once our standards are met in that department.  Combining style, function and features in a balance for the occasion, is what makes you take notice.

If you are looking for phones to accompany you on a 10-mile run, odds are you aren't going to rock a pair of noise cancelling over-the-ear monsters.  For around the house, and around-town, I found a pair that suits my needs exceedingly well.  The DJ Slims from Outdoor Technology are my new go-to option for most daily uses.  

First things first, these are wireless.  With Bluetooth connectivity, the days of fuzzy static laden wireless signals are a thing of the past.  These deliver clear, clean sound that is in line with top-quality on-ear options.  They are not audiophile audio, but few of us have that sophisticated of a hearing pallet and even fewer of us really care.  It's just not what we are after here.  Paired with my iPhone, these shine in the integration department.  Control volume, song selection, answer calls (with integrated mic so they can hear you too) without ever digging your device out of your bag, from up to 30 feet away.  Sitting in a coffee shop, crushing my keyboard, I barely miss a keystroke when answering the phone.  Auto pause and play-back during calls prevents in-call soundtracks.

They are pretty light, very comfortable, making those long work days a bit more bearable.  I have been getting a full day's use out of a single charge.  OT says 8 hours of audio playback and 9 hours of talk time, with 254 hours of standby.  If you can't get a full day, you may want to consider interacting with live human beings occasionally. 

They may not be for every situation, but this is a welcome change from the ear buds I have used as my daily option for years.  They are an upgrade in comfort and function on nearly every level. I do wish they folded up somehow for better transport and storage, but it really hasn't been much of an issue.  

MSRP: $70.  Considering what you get for the money, these things are a steal!

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Outdoor Technology's Bluetooth Tags - Review

I am pretty much a music nut and being able to bring it with me everywhere is getting easier and easier.  Bringing tunes into the back-country has always been a challenge though.  Electronics plus dirt and water never mix well. So I encase my iPhone in a weatherproof, bombproof plastic fortress to protect it.  But this does make listening to The Black Keys while I paddle a bit tough, until now.  

The Bluetooth Tags from Outdoor Technology are the solve to my situation.  I can hit play on my iPod, lock the thing up tight, stow it away in my pack and listen "wirelessly" from up to 45 feet from the source.  I say "wirelessly" because even thought the ear buds are not tethered to the iPod with a wire, the two buds themselves are connected to each other by a wire.  That said, they literally change how you think about headphones.  With the wire running around the back of my neck while in use, the odds of getting tangled in it is nearly zero.  With controls for volume and playback as well as a microphone and call answering capabilities, taking the actual iPod outta my pocket is almost never necessary.

Whether you are mowing the grass, shredding a mountain or putting miles on your bike, the benefits of being able to stash your phone/iPod anywhere and still use it just plain rules.  The sound quality is really good.  We are not talking DJ headphone quality, but they will rival just about any buds I have ever tried.  They come with three different pairs of pads for the tips of the buds, so you can tailor them to fit your ear.  They stay in place well, and add in the over-the-ear sport clips and they are going nowhere.

On the downside, you do kinda look like "Mr. Bluetooth Guy" waiting for the power conference call while you are in line for the chairlift.  But once I got past that, I was back in love with these things. When not in use the tags hang around your neck and resemble a pair of dog tags, thus the name. I have to admit, I wear them like this all the time and I never seem to lose them, which is NOT NORMAL.

 I get about 5 hours of life out of each charge, I just wish I could find more days to actually get to listen to tunes for 5 straight hours.  That'd be nice...

MSRP: $79.95

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