Urbanista Rio earphones review: comfy, with great sound

rio headphones

If you’re the kind of person who can’t leave the house without some in-ear entertainment, you’ll understand that finding some comfortable, decent-quality headphones is high on the priorities list – and that it takes some convincing to switch to an unknown new pair!

Yet over the past couple of weeks, I’ve done just that, and have taken great pleasure in testing out the Rio earphones by Swedish lifestyle brand Urbanista on runs, strolls and bike rides through the city. I’m really impressed.

The first thing I noticed was the excellent sound quality. Whether I’ve been listening to podcasts or music, the sound is very clear and the snug fit of the earphones ensures whatever I’m listening to is uninterrupted by outside noise. When listening to music, the bass was particularly thick and gave a really full sound.

They’re also very comfortable and fit nicely. I’m generally a large over-ear headphone wearer, so earphones aren’t my usual style – since I have a tragus piercing, I’ve often found that in-ear earphones can get caught on it, or simply don’t fit around it.

The Rio earphones come with different shaped earpieces for extra comfort
The Rio earphones come with different shaped earpieces for extra comfort

But the Rio earphones are ergonomically designed to fit the curve of your ear, so I’ve had no problems wearing them. They’re extremely comfortable, and they come with different-sized earpieces which are soft and rubbery, and easy to clean. They never fall out, either.

I also really like the reflective cable, which is a nice addition when you’re running or cycling on a road. Thanks to the Rio’s IPX5 (water repellent) certificate, I didn’t have any worries if it was raining either. There’s also a handy handsfree option, with microphone, which works with Android, iOS and Windows devices.

My tragus piercing has made earphones difficult to wear in the past, but the Urbanista Rio didn't cause me problems.
My tragus piercing has made earphones difficult to wear in the past, but the Urbanista Rio didn’t cause me problems.

“This is one of the most important products we have created, a headphone that can actually save lives,” says Valerie Wigardt, Community Manager at Urbanista. “Pedestrians and joggers are difficult to spot in the winter darkness if they do not wear reflective clothing, yet many still choose not to.”

With excellent sound quality, a comfortable feel and a snug fit for an affordable price, these earphones are ideal for running, cycling or any other impact activity which involves a lot of moving around.

The Urbanista Rio earphones, 39.99€, are available in a variety of bright colours at Urbanista.com.

 

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Sadie Hale