I was a little skeptical about the $329.95 Sennheiser Momentum Sport headphones. Other headphones I tried with heart rate tracking were complicated. Training tracking might be well-intentioned but a bit unpredictable in practice. So I was pleasantly surprised that the Momentum Sport headphones delivered on their promise: an easy way to view real-time fitness metrics without sacrificing sound quality.
Most sports headphones have extra bass, a more secure fit, and an emphasis on durability. The Momentum Sport has that, plus an optical heart rate sensor and a temperature sensor. The argument here is that the ear is actually a more accurate place to collect this type of data than the wrist (which is technically true!). It also integrates with the Polar Flow app, giving you access to training analysis, voice guidance, and Polar training. In some ways, it works a lot like a chest strap… although you can put it in your ears and it plays music.
As a runner, my checklist for fitness headphones is a little different than for everyday headphones. They need to stay in my ears, a good transparency mode is a must, they can't suck on windy days and a little rain can't ruin them. The Momentum Sport gets high marks across the board.
Fitting headphones is always tricky, but sports headphones are a solid option for working out. The earbuds are larger and I have smaller ears, so I didn't find them as comfortable as my favorite running earbuds, the Beats Fit Pro. However, I took them on several runs and not once did they fall out of my ear .
I have had problems in the past with heart rate tracking headphones due to their fit. Good contact with the sensor is crucial, so a poor fit could mean uneven results, or none at all. It defeats the whole purpose of in-ear metric tracking: greater accuracy. I didn't have that problem here. That makes this a good alternative if you do some sports that aren't conducive to smartwatches or find chest straps uncomfortable, especially if you like to exercise to music; In theory, you can use one less portable device to get your data.
The Transparency and Anti-Wind modes were great on my outdoor runs. I could still easily hear the cars whizzing around me, but the strong gusts didn't drown out my tunes. I also took them on a miserable, rainy run with no problems. That being said, I would still check the time before running. These are IP55, a little better than the typical IPX4 you see on headphones, but a torrential storm could be a bad time.
For fitness tracking, I found that you're not limited to a proprietary companion app. If you're in the Polar ecosystem, it fully integrates with the Polar Vantage V3 watch. Without a Polar watch, you can also pair the Sennheiser Smart Control app with the Polar Flow app on your phone. Then, all you have to do is start a workout from Polar Flow and select it as your preferred heart rate sensor. It worked well when I tried it, and if you don't have a fitness app that you like, Polar Flow is pretty complete! The downside is that you won't be wearing them all day, so your recovery skills won't be as good.
It also works with other fitness apps and smartwatches that support Bluetooth accessories. I checked it and was able to pair it with Strava and Runkeeper, two of my most frequently used fitness apps. I also paired it with my Apple Watch Ultra 2 and was able to see my heart rate metrics from there as well. I appreciate it because it allows me to obtain my training guidance from the platform of my choice. When I tried the Amazfit Powerbuds Pro, a similar pair of fitness tracking buttons, I had to use its proprietary companion app to access many health features. That just added more clutter to my routine.
As for accuracy, it was within about 5 beats per minute of the Garmin Forerunner 165 Music paired with the HRM-Fit chest strap. The body temperature was more of a head scratcher. For starters, it's difficult to check accuracy. It's a safety risk to run around with a thermometer sticking out of my ear, and other wearable devices focus more on changes in skin temperature overnight. But I understand why high-level athletes might value body temperature data. It's just that for the average person it's excessive. You will feel warmer when you exercise. You'll probably also notice when you start to overheat without needing to know your exact body temperature.
In my everyday headphones, sound quality is what matters most to me. With the fitness buttons, the excellent sound quality is an added advantage. I'll tolerate a little jingle as long as my K-pop anthems can get me running. No problem here! I've been running around with a lot of Stray Kids lately and the beats and drums MEGAVERSE Sound great with these headphones. While the buds have excellent bass, the rest sounds great too.
As for the battery, you get about six hours of playtime, which is enough for the average long run or run. The case holds three additional full charges and in normal use this should last quite a while. I've been using them as my daily headphones for working out and traveling for the past two weeks. My case still has about 40 percent battery left.
One thing I didn't like was the touch controls. You can customize them in the Smart Control app, but I found them too easy to activate while adjusting the setting. This was even though I adjusted the touch sensitivity to a lower level. Still, they are best to have during cold weather workouts when gloves are worn.
At $330, they're pricey, but you technically get a chest strap and headphones in one. My Beats Fit Pro were on sale for around $180, plus I currently use the $150 Garmin HRM-Fit as a chest strap. (Although you can get chest straps for between $80 and $100.) That's about the same cost.
In the past, my problem with fitness tracking headphones was that they didn't make my life easier. The delicate adjustment made it take longer to get going. I didn't want any additional training features from the Buds when I was already using other fitness apps. Sennheiser's Momentum Sport They don't promise too much: just good sound and an alternative way to measure heart rate. That's all I want from fitness friends.
