8.02.2016

the best headphones for travelers | Bose QuietComfort 20


There's nothing like noise cancelling headphones when you're traveling. I used to travel with a pair of Bose QuietComfort over-the-ear headphones, and they did a superb job of blocking out the noise of jet engines and the incidental noise of cabin announcements, crying babies, and the general hubbub of conversation. Infinitely better than the ordinary headphones the airlines provide for (1) watching movies, (2) listening to movies, and (3) trying to sleep. A recommended product whenever you fly.

But there are two disadvantages to full-size headphones.

(1) They take up a lot of space in your carryon. The large case pictured above is 2.5 inches thick, 7.5 inches wide, and 8.5 inches high, taking up quite a bit of usable space in your carryon... about 160 cubic inches.

(2) They're not ideal for sleeping. It can get hot behind the foam ear cups. You can feel the force of the headband after awhile. And they're not comfortable if you prefer to sleep on your side.

So I recently purchased a pair of Bose QuietComfort 20 earbuds. My experience? They cancel ambient noise just as well as the full size model. They fit comfortably and securely in your ear.  I find it easier to sleep wearing them. And they're much smaller — just 1.5 inches thick, 3 inches wide, and 5 inches long, about 22 cubic inches. They're so compact, I can keep them in my pocket and leave my carry on underneath the seat in front of me.

Bonus feature 1: they have a microphone that works with either your iPhone or Android phone (buy according to which phone you own).
Bonus feature 2: the rechargeable battery charges with a USB connection - even inflight.

I do a lot of traveling with many long haul flights. This is the best product I've ever found to make the best of a long flight.

copyright (c) 2016 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

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