EarBuddyz 2.0 Review

Keybudz’s EarBuddyz 2.0 silicone sleeves are a popular option for cyclists who want to listen to music while riding, without worrying about losing expensive electronics. We’ll take a look at how they work, their competition, and how you can choose the best option.

Updated July 12, 2019

Crafted from flexible, ultra-soft, high-performance silicone elastomers, EarBuddyz 2.0 ear hooks for Apple Airpods (wireless) and Earpods (wired) are engineered to comfortably grip and conform to the groove of your inner ear.

The company advertises that applying and removing them is easy and hassle-free, while the design can help “eliminate the fuss and hassle of constantly adjusting and provide an ultra-secure listening experience.” In fact, we’re told they deliver “twice the comfort and secure fit compared to using Apple earphones alone.”

Together, whether you’re cycling, running, shredding the slopes, or blissing out during any other activity, the manufacturer guarantees that EarBuddyz 2.0 will make your ears happy and that your Airpods or Earpods will never fall out.

Three pairs of EarBuddyz (clear, black, pink, or blue) are available on Amazon for $10.95, which comes with a 100% money back guarantee and one-year warranty under regular use.

Considering the vital role EarBuddyz play in keeping your expensive electronics safe, their cost-to-value ratio might be off the charts. But, does this mean they’re necessarily the right option for you?

I’ve cycled with these silicone sleeves across thousands of miles. Here, we’ll combine my firsthand experience with feedback from other cyclists, as well as comparisons with close competitors, to help you make a more informed decision.

How Does EarBuddyz Work?

EarBuddyz features a simple, yet ingenious, silicone-based design.

The lower section—which fits inside the outer portion of your ear canal—stretches over the head of your Airpod, with strategically placed holes over the speaker, front and rear microphones, and optical sensors.

Attached to the top of this section is a curved hook, or “leg,” that gently pushes against the concha of your outer ear,just beneath your triangular fossa.

Important note: In the Shop section of the EarBuddyz website, you’ll find images of their previous “dual-leg” design (see picture above). However, their Amazon listing reflects an updated, single-leg design.

I contacted Keybudz customer support and verified that the single-leg design is the only option currently available, and is what I received when recently refreshing my supply.

Together, Keybudz advertises they’ve created a fit that your ears will love, along with one that helps improve ambient noise isolation.

Just keep in mind that when the time comes, you’ll have to remove the silicone sleeves to recharge inside your Airpod case.

EarBuddyz 2.0 vs. EarBuddyz Ultra Ear Hooks

EarBuddyz 2.0 features the same core design as Ultra, including silicone construction, a single-leg hook that fits snugly in the concha portion of your outer ear, and the requirement that you remove it before charging Airpods.

The difference, however, is that Ultra features an ergonomic extension in front of the speaker that fits deeper inside your ear canal and promises to deliver a perfect fit, as well as improved noise isolation for keeping out unwanted noise and Bass Enhancement Technology for the enhanced low end.

At $13.95, EarBuddyz Ultra is also $3 more expensive than their 2.0 model, and only includes two pairs per package. Spec-wise, Keybudz doesn’t provide weights or dimensions for any of their models, although Ultra appears approximately 1/3” wider due to its extended ear canal section.

And based on my experience, the Ultra Ear Hooks do, indeed, help improve low-end frequency response–about as well as using Earpods without any sleeves.

They also seem to fit inside my ears more firmly than the 2.0s, although I bumped up to a size large with Ultra, whereas I typically opt for the small or medium sizes in the 2.0.

My Experience With EarBuddyz 2.0

I don’t listen to music while riding singletrack , but I love jamming when I’m cranking everything from urban streets and suburban environments, to gravel roads and smooth, flowy trails close in to the city.

As such, I’ve used EarBuddyz 2.0 for more than 2,000 miles, and they’ve yet to fall out—or even move. Granted, I haven’t crashed with them yet—here’s to knocking on wood.

I have, however, lost an Airpod while riding in the city without an EarBuddyz in place. Luckily, I only had to backtrack a quarter of a mile to find it laying near a busy intersection. While a small portion of plastic was gouged, it was otherwise unharmed and still functions perfectly to this day.

This was my lesson that a relatively inexpensive silicone sleeve like EarBuddyz could potentially save me from replacing my Airpods, and spending hundreds of dollars in the process. I’ve worn them ever since. What have I experienced in this time?

Application & Fit

When cycling, I only wear an Airpod in my right ear in order to maintain situational awareness, and I’ve found EarBuddyz’s dual-hook design fits snugly and remains firmly in place in all riding conditions.

I’ve found their single-leg design performs equally well, although I can now sense the wind moving the bottom portion of my Earpod while I’m riding. They don’t feel like they’re going to fall out; it’s just a new sensation that takes some getting used to.

Applying the silicone sleeve is as easy as inserting the speaker side first, while holding the back part. Then, gently pulling the sleeve back at the opposite side of the speaker, and fine-tuning with one finger to ensure everything’s properly lined up.

The whole process typically only takes me a few seconds. Here’s a quick video showing exactly how it works:

Comfort & Feel

Other than reduced hearing, I typically don’t notice my EarBuddyz while I’m cycling. However, when I remove them after riding for several hours, there’s a sense of relief—like taking off a pair of tight-fitting socks at the end of a long day.

I don’t find Apple’s Airpods particularly uncomfortable on their own, though, so I’m not sure about Keybudz’s claim that they double their comfort level.

Functionality

EarBuddyz allow me to maintain the double tap function on my Airpods while cycling. Unlike what some older online complaints have reported, I haven’t had any issues with them thinking they’re still in my ear after removal.

While they fit snugly, EarBuddyz slightly moves my Airpods away from my ear canal, though, and allows in a detectable level of external noise. I appreciate this when maintaining situational awareness, but it’s worth noting depending on your preferences.

For this reason alone, I love the sound-cancelling qualities of EarBuddyz Ultra Ear Hooks, and as mentioned earlier, the added bass response is nice.

Sound quality remains relatively good with the standard version but is similarly impacted by this increased space between my ear canal and the silicone sleeves.

Whether you own the dual-leg or single-leg design, you’ll have to remove your EarBuddyz sleeves before placing them inside the charging case. Again, this isn’t a big deal in my opinion, although some online reviewers feel differently.

Durability

Despite applying and removing my EarBuddyz 2.0s well over one hundred times, I haven’t experienced any cracking, distortion, noticeable damage, or changes in their shape, comfort, or ability to keep the Airpods in my ear.

Overall, I’m incredibly pleased with their performance and comfort, as well as their unnoticeable ability to keep my expensive Airpods in my ears, regardless of the cycling conditions I put them through.

EarBuddyz vs. AhaStyle, Earhoox, Spigen, EarSkinz, & Other Silicone Airpods Sleeves

While EarBuddyz might’ve been the first on the scene, there are currently several other sports sleeves that share many of the same core features, including soft silicone “legs,” as well as compatibility with Airpods and Earbuds.

Here’s how some of the top options compare:

How to choose the best option? It’s all about where you place your emphasis.

For example, if you want a single-leg design with cutouts, AhaStyle and Earhoox are your only options in the table above. There’s also only a $1 difference between the two, although you’ll get three pairs from AhaStyle and only two pairs with Earhoox.

EarSkinz ES3 covers are available in the most color options, although they’re the only model without “legs” that fit against your ear’s concha. However, this design aspect could be beneficial if you find the legs in other models uncomfortable, or otherwise don’t appreciate their fit.

And while ZZoo only comes in white and black, they’re also the only option that offers mix-and-match (one pair of black, another white), if this is important to you.

Price-wise, Spigen’s earhooks are by far the most expensive and only come with two pairs (one large and another small), whereas TEEMADE is the least costly. Based on its pictures, though, it doesn’t appear that TEEMADE’s sleeves feature holes for optical sensors, so your Airpods might think they’re still in your ear after removal and therefore run down your battery.

Focused on warranties? In this case, AhaStyle comes with a lifetime replacement guarantee, compared to EarBuddyz’s one-year warranty.

Where does all of this leave you when it comes to EarBuddyz 2.0?

Coming to a Conclusion: Should You Buy EarBuddyz 2.0?

Overall, I’m thoroughly impressed with EarBuddyz 2.0’s ease of use, comfort (even during 60+ mile rides), competitive price, and superior customer support. And at just $1 more than competing models that feature optical sensor holes, they’re also competitively priced.

And if you appreciate the sound-cancelling qualities and added bass response, I think upgrading to the Ultra Ear Hooks is worth the investment.

EarBuddyz 2.0 also comes with a 4.4-star average customer rating on Amazon as of this writing, so it seems like other users have experienced much of the same. And in my mind, they’re worth much more than the extra dollar or two you might pay compared to knock-offs.

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