The Suunto Spark are open-ear earbuds that while aren’t cheap, are one of the best running headphones you can buy.
They sound great, sit securely and comfortably and offer some running extras you won’t find on other truly wireless earbuds. If you’re wondering how they up against open-ear earbuds like the Shokz OpenFit series or the Bose Ultra Open, we’d say the Spark do a better all-round job to make them a stronger fit for runners.
Design & Key Stats
- Price: £129/$179
- Water resistance: IP55
- ANC? No
- Transparency mode? Full awareness
- Battery life (buds): 7 hours
Suunto Spark Review
The Run Test: Likes
The Suunto Spark feature an earhook design that Testers Nick and Mike both found were comfortable to wear for a mixture of runs. They also found the fit was secure enough even when wearing with glasses and running caps.
While the charging case doesn’t carry the same level of protection against moisture as the earbuds, it’s compact and slim enough to fit inside of a running belt or to disappear inside of a running backpack.
In terms of sound, the Spark is up there with some of the best-sounding open-ear earbuds we’ve tested. This is aided by the available EQ modes and additional sound enhancement features, which can be enabled from the companion Suunto phone app.
There’s plenty of volume, nice bass reproduction and an overall sound quality that makes the Spark a good match for music, podcasts and audiobooks. The call quality is also solid enough to make handling calls with them worthwhile. Like other open-ear earbuds, you’ll have to contend with the fact that louder traffic noise or strong winds will impact on the getting the best open-ear listening experience.
The Spark battery life isn’t the best you’ll get on a set of open-ear headphones. It’s capable of hitting up to 7 hours. When you factor in that you get an extra 29 hours from the charging case and have a quick-charge feature to offer 2 hours listening from a 10-minute charge, the numbers add up to a strong overall performance.
The Run Test: Dislikes
The Suunto Spark uses touch controls and head movement controls, which both presented problematic moments during our testing. Nick found the single touch commands temperamental, while Mike found the head movement controls over sensitive during runs.
There’s a few running features included with the Spark. Like the ability to track advanced running metrics or turn on a metronome mode to help you stick to a preferred running cadence. Neck fatigue alerts and neck mobility assessments are also features included that are geared more towards cyclists. While the running modes are neat extras, the run tracking particularly didn’t feel strong enough to warrant using it on a regular basis.
The Spark aren’t cheap to buy, especially if you live in the US. The $179 (£129) price means they cost the same as picking up a pair of Apple AirPods (3rd generation).
Verdict And Alternatives
The Suunto Spark are a great option for runners looking for earbuds that offer great opn-ear sound, a secure and comfortable fit and good if not best in class battery life.
As mentioned, you will have to spend some money to get them and you can find a host of open-ear headphones (not earbuds) that are also well suited to running. Like the Shokz OpenRun Pro, OpenRun Pro 2 and the Suunto Wing 2.
They are cheaper than the Shokz OpenFit Pro and the Bose Ultra Open, which both offer strong open-ear sound from a truly wireless earbud design. They do lack the same level of durability and sound customisation on offer on the Spark.
If you can stomach the price and like the idea of open-ear earbuds that can also track advanced running metrics and help you stick to a good running rhythm, then we think plenty of runners will like what the Spark has to offer.