Bose SoundSport Wireless review: The Bluetooth sports headphone to beat

ditors' note September 27: After a small percentage of SoundSport Wireless units experienced problems with heavy sweat, Bose removed this product from stores in July 2016 and updated its design (read the full story here). If you've had any issues with the SoundSport Wireless, Bose will replace your unit free of charge with the updated model, which is now shipping. CNET has received the updated version of the headphone and is currently testing it. If there are no issues with the updated SoundSport Wireless, we'll reinstate the Editors' Choice award that the product initially received.

Editors' note December 1: After some testing, we've determined that earlier problems with the Bose Soundsport Plus have been resolved, so its Editors' Choice award has been reinstated.

Over the years I frequently get asked what the best Bluetooth sports headphone is. My stock answer is that none are perfect, all have their drawbacks, and the handful of top models may fit you well and work great -- or they may not.

Bose's SoundSport Wireless, the company's first Bluetooth sports headphone, isn't perfect either, but it may just be the best Bluetooth sports headphone currently out there.

What makes it the best? Well, it's very comfortable to wear, sounds good, seems well built, and -- at $150, £140 or AU$249 -- it isn't outrageously priced.

Like the original SoundSport wired, which remains in the line and gets a price chop from $130 to $100, this new SoundSport Wireless has an open design. By open, I mean you don't jam the earbud into your ear and completely seal off your ear canal (that type of headphone is referred to as a "noise-isolating" in-ear headphone). Thanks to Bose's StayHear+ eartips, which come in three sizes -- small, medium, large -- the bud sits loosely in your ear yet remains securely in place.

This model is equipped with a special sport version of the StayHear tips that's different from the StayHear tips included with Bose's earlier in-ear headphones, so they aren't interchangeable. I should also point out that because the earpieces extend out from your ears you'll probably have some trouble wearing these under certain helmets.

The ear pieces are somewhat bulky, but not so bulky to feel heavy on your ears. However, if there's a criticism of this headphone's design, it's that the ear pieces could protrude out a little less and be more discrete-looking. Easier said then done, of course -- today's battery technology is holding back miniaturization efforts.

Rival headphones -- such as Jaybird's X2 and Freedom, Beats' Powerbeats 2 Wireless and Monster's Adidas Sport Adistar -- give you the ability to shorten the cord length (or cinch up the cord) for those who want to wear the cord closer to the neck. With this headphone, you can't adjust the cord length, but what Bose has done is provide a clip you can hook on to the back of your shirt (at the top) to keep the cord from flopping about. It's a smart design and I thought it worked well; the cord remained fairly stable, even while I was running.

The headphone comes in aqua and black colors at launch with yellow arriving in September.