Huawei FreeArc review: Why these £99 open earbuds are ideal for outdoor runners
I've been seeing open-ear headphones popping up everywhere recently and as a female runner who often runs while it's dark outside, being able to listen to my tunes while also staying aware of my surroundings sounds ideal.
The Huawei FreeArc open earbuds have been designed for people just like me: those who like to keep active while staying aware of what's going on around them and still being able to listen to music or podcasts.
Running in a busy city like London means you need to keep an ear out for cyclists, pedestrians and traffic, so I was excited to take these brand-new open-ear headphones from Huawei for a spin to see if they let me have the best of both worlds: situational awareness and audio quality.
WH rating
FreeArc
Huawei FreeArc review: How we tested
I spent a week trying out the Huawei FreeArc open-ear headphones before writing up my review. I wore them in the office, on my commute, at the gym and during my marathon training runs. I also wore them during intense HIIT sessions to test their sweat resistance.
Huawei FreeArc review: Design and fit
As someone who isn't massively knowledgeable about tech, I have to be honest and say it was the design of these headphones that initially caught my attention. Available in three colours (grey, black and green), and crafted into a sleek, modern open earbud that's very easy on the eye.
The Huawei FreeArc headphones combine a lightweight design with a flexible, wraparound frame and fit snugly and securely but don't feel tight. They are so lightweight I often forgot I was wearing them, but they also stayed in place during all my runs. The only time they would come loose was when I was pulling off a jumper over my head.
What makes these earbuds different is that, unlike ones you may have tried before that sit inside the ear canal, these sit above it. They use directional audio to deliver sound while still allowing the wearer to hear ambient noise.
Huawei FreeArc review: Audio quality
Despite being an open-ear design, I found the Huawei FreeArc headphones were still able to deliver an impressive sound quality. Using directional audio technology, they work by projecting sound towards the ear without sealing it off, so you can enjoy the audio experience while still maintaining an awareness of what's going on around you.
I found the volume was decent for most environments unless it was very loud (like a busy London commute) which was when I would notice a decrease in clarity and some sound leakage.
For £99, I was impressed by the quality of these headphones. While there were some situations I did miss being able to fully tune out my surroundings, I found these were a game-changer for staying aware during outdoor workouts.
Huawei FreeArc review: WH verdict
The FreeArc headphones are some of the best headphones I've tried in a while. My usual running route is along the canals of East London, where there's constant foot traffic and cyclists to look out for.
I found them ideal for urban running as I was able to zone out and enjoy my music most of the time, but if someone was coming up behind me or a noise nearby I was able to hear it clearly and make way.
I also found them impressively comfortable to wear. When I first saw the design I thought they might get uncomfortable after a while, but they're so light I've worn them for an entire workday before and forgot I had them on at times.
I deducted half a point because I don't love them for commuting or in loud spaces like the gym, because being able to hear consistent background noise along with my music or podcast starts to feel overstimulating. In these instanced I found myself missing the noise cancellation of my over-ear headphones.
Buy the Huawei FreeArc for £99 here
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