Running without headphone cord SMACKSMACKSMACK

July 9, 2008 9:29 AM

Help me solve my ipod earphone problem (specifically, the cord smacksmacksmack while running.)

I run with an ipod. I have a couple different sets of relatively inexpensive headphones, which are fine; I am a total Philistine when it comes to sound quality. But I am a delicate flower, and the smacksmacksmack of the headphone cord on my arm or neck drives me so crazy that I sometimes wind up stopping just to mess around with it. I know about wireless Bluetooth headphones, which I would like, but cannot justify the expense right now. Has anyone come up with an awesome solution to this problem?

I know there are various cord-winding solutions available that seem like they'd make sense for a device in a coat pocket, but my device is in its foam-rubber arm sleeve (which incidentally has an elastic loop that is maybe to secure headphones but damned if I can figure out how) on my arm, and I'm running. I don't want to hold anything in my hands.

posted by chesty_a_arthur to sports, hobbies, & recreation (24 comments total)

I am just like you! Wireless headphones will be a dream come true someday.

I use a nano, and my technique might not work if you have a larger ipod...

The best thing I have found is using a pair of shorts that have a small pocket in front, just about the size of my nano. I put the nano in the pocket, bring the headphone cord around to my back, and bring it up and put my headphones in from behind. So, the cord comes out of the headphones, down my back, then around front into the shorts pocket. Any extra cord that has the potential for flapping around gets tucked into my shorts.

Good luck!
posted by Tren at 9:36 AM on July 9

If you're a girl, I wind the cord around the pod until it's got a short length, then stuff it into my sports bra. Typecally it then stays stuck to my collar bone under the strap, out of the way and yet high enough up that I can get it back without sticking my hand down my shirt. Unless you have a massive old first generation ipod, this is perfectly comfy. Make sure you put it face out though, otherwise when your skin gets sweaty the touch pad will trigger and suddenly turn the volume to max.
posted by Phalene at 9:38 AM on July 9

I should add that most nike running shorts (at least the women's ones) have this little front pocket inside. Also New Balance shorts have the same size small pocket on the side, with a zipper, which works basically just as well for this purpose.
posted by Tren at 9:38 AM on July 9

Could you wear a hat and put the ipod in that?
posted by zeoslap at 9:45 AM on July 9

I'll sometimes use a binder clip to clip the headphone cord to some part of my shirt.
posted by yarrow at 9:49 AM on July 9

I gave up on armbands for my Ipod, and had this problem when handholding. Wound up getting an HRM, and fed the headphone wire under the HRM strap.
posted by notsnot at 9:58 AM on July 9

Ooh, I hate cordwhip! I run with my player in my hand and wind the cord around my arm until it's just short enough to be comfortable but not long enough to slap me in the face and chest.
posted by katillathehun at 10:05 AM on July 9

Try putting the headphones on so that the "Y" intersection is in back of your head and the extra cord is along your back instead.
posted by needs more cowbell at 10:10 AM on July 9

I got a iPod Shuffle (which I still use constantly even though I have an iPhone as well), and clip it to my hat with the cord tucked up inside. No cords hanging down, easy to reach up to pause, and the 1GB version is only $49 now.
posted by shinynewnick at 10:22 AM on July 9

Nike has running shirts with a small plastic clasp that you run your cord through. Otherwise I also recommend the behind the back way. That's how I do it as well.
posted by birdlips at 10:23 AM on July 9

Seconding cowbell's recommendation. Took me a year of putting up with the smacking before the lightbulb went off over my head. Works like a charm, plus it's free!
posted by Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific at 10:43 AM on July 9

Seconding getting a Shuffle. I love mine and can't imagine running with anything else. I clip mine to my shirt and am not bothered by cordsmack, but the hat trick per shinynewnick's recommendation would work too.
posted by Metroid Baby at 10:57 AM on July 9

Also second the cowbell suggestion but I run it up my sleeve under my shirt to cut down on the cord whip, or if it is on my hip, up my shirt from the waist.
posted by WickedPissah at 11:00 AM on July 9

Behind the back or a little piece of hockey tape on the cord before it splits into the 2 ear cords.
posted by Sgt.Grumbless at 11:06 AM on July 9

Paper clip to bind the excess cord to the foam sleeve + run cord up behind the head like cowbell
posted by junesix at 11:32 AM on July 9

I hate getting smacked with the cord, too! The worst is when you accidentally catch the hanging cord with a swinging hand and yank either the buds out of your ears or the cord out of the iPod. ARGH! To combat this, I run the cord down my back and tuck the iPod either into my shorts pocket, or roll the waistband down a couple times with my (nano) iPod in it.
posted by peachfuzz at 11:35 AM on July 9

i simply thread my headphone cords under my shirt (ie, in through the collar, out through the bottom or sleeve). That's usually enough to keep them in place and also usually stops them from getting caught up in anything.
posted by fishfucker at 11:36 AM on July 9

Am I missing something? I run the same way and I just tuck the excess cord back under the elastic part of the arm band until it gets to a comfortable length. Some reason you haven't tried that?
posted by lpsguy at 11:38 AM on July 9

The technique I have used is to run the cord under my shirt so it doesn't flap around too much.
posted by mmascolino at 11:58 AM on July 9

Thanks, guys, there are some really helpful ideas in here. Also some strangely hostile ones.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 12:10 PM on July 9

OK, upon rereading: assuming you're not trying to be snarky about ipod earphones, lpsguy, how do you get it to stay there without flapping around and hitting your arm? That's my whole problem.

The tucking into clothing and wearing backwards options sound the most promising so far. (Hate wearing hats, hate holding things in my hand. While running, I mean.)
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 12:17 PM on July 9

I use the wire-down-the-shirt method too, but would love a shirt that had that in mind like birdlips mentioned.

Another thing that was a big help for me was getting a set of headphones that only have wire coming out of one side. These sennheisers are what I'm using now, and they are are the most sweat resistant ones I've ever used. The single, pliable wire is unbelievably manageable. They're like a hybrid earbud-traditional-headset, but I got used to them pretty fast.
posted by activitystory at 12:49 PM on July 9

The cord on mine goes under the shirt, around my neck a full turn and into my ears. There is just enough room for the earbuds to make it into my ears with enough slack so I can turn my head.This is with headphones where the left one is on a short cord and the right one on a long one.
posted by tomble at 3:26 PM on July 9

Really late on this one, however:

I wear mine on an velcro arm sleeve, running the cable under the arm sleeve of my t-shirt and popping out of the top of the same t-shirt. Then, because I use in-ear sony headphones, which has a bias to one side, I attach a sticking plaster to the part where the headphones join and it's bliss.

It used to annoy the living hell out of me, so I really appreciate your predicament. Under the shirt and sticking plaster should do the trick though. Good luck.
posted by triv at 3:05 PM on July 20