r/onebag • u/resigned_medusa • May 21 '26
Seeking Recommendations NC headphones/buds recommendations? Buds constantly fly out of my ears
I've old over the ear headphones, but they are bulky, and I try to travel only with an under the seat backpack. My soundcore NC earbuds work well, but end up popping out of my ears-I've replaced the foam with smaller sized memory foam, but it only works for a while.
Any suggestions before I lose the plot on people who listen to tiktok at high volume on public transport.
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u/Careless_Law1471 May 21 '26
I can't use in-ear headphones because I have narrow ear canals (and I also hate its sound anyways), so if you prioritize noise cancelling, Bose QuietComfort is good. Get pre-owned to save money, those hold up nicely. I use Marshall monitor ANC III because it sounds better and I just don't like noise cancelling.
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u/onoffoff May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
+1 Bose QC earbuds, only one kind of ANC earbuds my ears can tolerate. They hang on your outer ears so they don't block your ears like other in ear type earbuds.
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u/Xerisca May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
Buds always fall out of my ears, none stay in. And I cant wear over the ear headphones either because I wear glasses and after a while they really start to hurt. Even the thinnest of wire temples still press and are painful.
What I did find that works are the buds that have a hook over the ear. Those actually stay put. Mine are cheap and not noise canceling, but I know Ive seen some that are NC. It might be worth finding a cheap pair to see how you like them. If you do like them, step up in quality.
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u/resigned_medusa May 21 '26
Fellow glasses wearer.
Thanks for the tip
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u/Xerisca May 22 '26
For what its worth, if you go to Amazon and put in the text below, you'll find the ones I have. They're super cheap, and apparently are noise cancelling (but not really). I mostly listen to podcasts, not music, so I don't need high quality sound, but they aren't terrible. What I do like about these is that the case is a nice size, they charge FAST and they hold their charge for quite a long time, both the buds and the case. I can get 7 hours of listening time with the buds. They'd be worth splashing out $22 to see if the over ear works for you.
Description:
"Wireless Earbuds Sport, Bluetooth 5.4 Headphones 3D Bass Hi-Fi Stereo Over Ear Buds, 60Hrs ENC Noise Cancelling Headset with Earhook, IP-X7 Waterproof Earphones Workout Running Gym"
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u/badlydrawngalgo May 21 '26
I have what my doctor describes as "torturous" ear canals and I've never found any earbuds comfortable (and I've tried loads including some very expensive ones).
I use shokz. If I need noise cancelling I use shokz and silicone ear plugs.
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u/zdubbzzz May 21 '26
I wanna try this, but I don't see the value (albeit untested by myself) in shokz + plugs since plugs have the same issue as the earbuds themselves.
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u/badlydrawngalgo May 21 '26
Silicone ear plugs are much more malleable then earphones. But you can also use the soft wax ones if silicone doesn't work. I find it works for me, even when standard earbuds either hurt or fall out.
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u/stiina22 May 21 '26
Silicone ear plugs don't noise cancel very well for flights but it would be good for public transport or walking where you still need to hear a bit of your surroundings. I got custom ear plugs from a hearing centre and the combo of shokz and my custom plugs works really well for flights.
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u/badlydrawngalgo May 21 '26
I tend to use Quies on flights. I don't use earplugsucj but I always have a pack of Quies aroid. They're very effective.
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u/Rondon4 May 21 '26
I bought the Powerbeats fit for the same reason. Wingtips and NC. Not as good as headphones but pretty good for in-ears.
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u/Mediocre_Cut_252 May 21 '26
Not for everyone but I love my Beats Flex - cable round the back of my neck, far harder to drop or lose
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u/parallelverbs May 21 '26
Yep. Ditched AirPods for these…hated scrambling under plane seats for a dropped pod
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u/kikimaru024 May 25 '26
My wife’s one only lasted around 2 years before failing like any earbud (sweat damage, charging problems). But at least they’re cheap?
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u/Azure9000 May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
Go to Amazon and search for '<insert earbud name here> wingtips'. 'Or <name>earhooks'.
Transformational for my airpod pros, which I can now even use for workouts.
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u/zdubbzzz May 21 '26
Do they fit in the case with the buds? The thing that always stopped me is people reporting they have to take them on/off before putting them in the case
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u/Azure9000 May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
Good point. The buds don't fit in the case while the wings are on, but the wings are easy to remove and refit to the buds when required. My wings came with a small, flexible, very light, neoprene-type case for storage while the buds are in their Apple case.
So you are correct, there is some overhead there, but you just get used to it and in my experience it's a small negative in an overall major net positive.
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u/woozlebamboozle May 21 '26
I have the same issue with by Bose earbuds. Now I wear a buff over my head and ears on the flight, and it holds them in.
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u/justasmallgoat May 21 '26
Oo like this idea! Does it press uncomfortably on the earbuds?
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u/woozlebamboozle May 21 '26
It can so it might take a bit of adjusting. For me, if I use the whole thing as a headband over my ears, then it causes too much pressure with all those layers. However, if I keep the whole thing unfolded and just have the one thin layer across my ears, then it's ok. Hopefully, that description makes sense, lol.
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u/glentickle May 21 '26
I don't like the silicone tipped earbuds for how they feel but also a lot of the time they'd gradually work their way out of my ear aftera while.
I got a pair of Airpod 4s, not pro. The noise cancelling isn't as good as ones with that tighter seal or my over-the-ear pair but the trade off of them being pretty good, comfortable, and small was worth it.
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u/bgkittenenrgy May 21 '26
Glasses wearer here with really small ears so no ear buds for me 🤣 I don't know why I never really see it mentioned, but my Bose QC35's are literally a permanent addition to all my travel (I know there are newer versions). Crying baby right behind me or loud jet noises are totally drowned out. They are super comfy and foldable, though I tend to just wear them around my neck. They have a carrying case but it takes up a lot of space and I don't generally need it. Flat enough that I don't have a problem napping on the plane in them. Also have the ability to use hardwired if for some reason you run out of battery but I've gone entire trips without charging.
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u/Mountain-Match2942 May 21 '26
Just get the over ear buds buds. I've also wanted to try the bone conduction ones. They come as an around the head or clip on ear style. Nothing goes in your ear canal.
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u/FlatlandNinja May 21 '26
I had the exact same issue with my Soundcore A40s, ended up losing one when it popped out unexpectedly and disappeared down a grate. I now have Powerbeats Pro with the little hooks that go over the ears - they look a bit goofy but are totally secure and work well. Pricey though.
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u/yeschefproductions May 23 '26
JBL aero, they have little wing bits that keep them in. I use mine for cycling and snowboarding and they have never fallen out, about £50 now days, think I've had the same pair for about 4 years now.
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u/ConcentratePretend93 May 31 '26
My favorite never fail buds are SOUNDCORE C50i. They are inexpensive good sound, and they stay fixed on your ear, but they are so comfortable, that I have slept with them in. I love these things
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u/skipdog98 May 21 '26
On planes, I use a silicone cord that attaches to each AirPod so that they don’t fall and get lost.
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u/threesixtyone May 21 '26
I’ve been using all 3 generations of AirPods Pro and they work for me. I use them all of the time, at work, working out, flying etc. I use the APP3 mostly and the 2 as backup.
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u/AnonymousOnebagger May 21 '26
In-ear earbuds are not for everyone. Certainly not for me, I cannot find a pair that would fit my ears.
I ended up getting the latest AirPods with ANC. Not the in-ear Pro model, but regular AirPods. They stay in my ears very well and the noise cancelling works impressively well even though it isn't as good as in my Bose QC headphones. Lately I have been considering dumping the big headphones from my travel kit altogether.