In our constant effort to bring you the best gut-wrenching videos and articles on the Internet superhighway, we’re always looking for ways to help you augment your adventures and create the best possible experience. That’s why we’re bringing you N
erve Rush gear reviews. Products and gear we love that will make your next adventure even more gut-wrenching.
First up: JLab GO 4GB MP3 Player.
I don’t usually race with audio, but these look solid, so I plugged ’em in, loaded it up and gave ’em a shot.
The JLAB GO Overview
The Go is a 4GB MP3 player (2GB option) and while you’ll have to trade in your iDevice for this one, it’s much simpler and lighter than a traditional mp3 player.
It has no touch screen, no scrollwheel, no cords, no moving parts and nothing to break.
How do they manage that feat of wizardry?
Since it’s designed for adventure sports, there’s no actual MP3 player. The entire system is designed around the headset. I’ll explain.
The JLAB GO Experience
The Go is like one wireless headphone set. Everything is contained within the headset. This removes cords, screens, and a lot of breakable items from the equation.
So what is it actually like to use the GO in the field? Well I tried it during some of my recent triathlon and ultramarathon training. Here’s some of the pros and cons of the JLAB GO.
Pros
Hands-free. You’re not going to have to worry about u’re not going to have to worry about a screen or changing songs, holding a device or messing with cords. It’s simple. You just put it on and go. No messing with cords/cases/covers. Just go.
Durable. There are no screens to break or devices to drop. It’s submersible in water and stays put pretty well once you have it in.
Cordless. Messing with cords can be a pain when you’re carving up the snow, jumping on a bike or even having them bounce with you while you run. The Go’s compact form has zero cords.
Cons
The charging mechanism is hidden. It took me a bit to find it actually and this is somthing where you’ll have to consult the manual for. It’s a little counter-intuitive, but with the limited space, they had to work with what they had.
There’s no specialized software. This is a pro and con as software like iTunes has gotten bloated. But there’s no special way to organize music on this device. You simply drag and drop the songs you want into the folder. Not difficult, but not necessarily an elegant method of implementation.
While it does have controls to skip and change songs, I found the mechanism to do so a little awkward and wouldn’t do it in practice. It’s really meant to take a favorite playlist or two, throw them on, and then rock out your workout adventure. It’s comprable to the iPod shuffle in this regard.
2 or 4 GB seems like an awfully small storage capacity with some devices hodling 16gb- or 32gb easily these days, but it’s not meant to hold librarys of songs as it is to hold enough to hold you through the adventure.
The JLAB GO Specs
For all you techno-files out there, here is the full list of specs.
- 100% Fully Submersible, Waterproof and Sweatproof 4GB MP3 Player Headphones
- Ideal for swimmers, cyclists, runners, triathletes, walkers, hikers, water and snow sports, and any kind of workout
- Noise-isolating in-ear style cushions with ergonomic cord free design
- Rechargeable lithium ion battery provides up to 10 hours of play time
- Includes 7 pairs of soft silicone tips for water and land use, USB 2.0 mini cable, user manual and 1 year limited warranty
It also comes in four different colors: Black/Grey, Black/Yellow, Blue/Silver, and white. We used the black/grey.
The Verdict
JLab Go is not your average MP3 player – but it’s not meant to be either.
It’s lightweight, different form factor
and focus on the elements makes it a completely different animal than your average MP3 player you’d take with you on your morning jog.
There’s a lot of tradeoffs the device makes in search of portability and durability. The GO strips out a lot of the features most people are used to, but those are also the exact same features that make most mp3 players so prone to being damaged – not a fun situation when you’re out adventuring.
If you’re looking for something that will let you take a playlist while leaving your hands free to focus on running, swimming through water or screaming down a mountain on your next adventure, and durable enough to last throughout it without breaking a screen or dropping it, the GO gets the green light. Quite simply, it just lets you go. And, checking in at just $59,99, you can give it a test drive without too much commitment.
Pick up the JLAB GO on Amazon for your next adventure.
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