JLab Epic Open Sport review: serious volume and brilliant battery life

JLab has added a third pair of open-ear headphones to its lineup – the Epic Open Ear Sport.

Is it surprising that the American audio brand has decided to release yet another set of open-ear headphones over their more popular over-ear and bud designs? I don’t think so. Especially since running and spending time outdoors is more popular than ever, which is what these headphones are ideal for – those who want to listen to their tunes whilst still being immersed in their surroundings.

Although JLab is known for its bass-heavy, budget-friendly headphones, the Epic Open Sport creeps into mid-range territory with a noticeably more premium feel than its previous open ear models – the Jbuds Open Sport and Flex Open Earbuds. But does the performance match the upgrade? I put them through some intense workout sessions and weekday walks to find out…

JLab Epic Open Sport review: price and availability

The Epic Open Sport headphones were released in April 2025 and are now available to buy directly from JLab UK, JLab US and JLab AU for £119.99/$114.99/AU$199.99. They’re only available in one colour, black.

JLab Epic Open Sport review: specifications

• Type: open-ear
• Battery life: 30 hours (buds: 7 hours, charging case: 30 hours)
• Water rating: IP55 water-resistant and sweatproof
• Audio: Hi-Res Certified with LDAC Support
• Driver: 14.2 mm Dynamic with AAC
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3
• Weight: 16.8 grams
• Bluetooth multipoint connectivity

JLab Epic Open Sport review: design and build quality

The JLab Epic Open Sport headphones feature an open-ear design with a slim, flexible earhook. Unlike many open-ear designs – where the buds rest lightly over the ear canal – the Epic Open Sport buds sit just in front of the ear, offering a slightly more in-ear feel without inserting deeply into the ear like traditional earbuds.

The earbuds themselves are made of plastic, while the earhooks are made from soft, smooth silicone that feels comfortable against the skin, to help ensure a snug, secure fit. Interestingly, the left earbud always seemed to fit better in my ear than the right, and would pop out on occasions. But, I guess no one has perfectly symmetrical ears. The case is made from lightweight plastic that feels a little cheap in hand. However, it has a clean design with the JLab logo embossed on the front and isn’t overly big or too small.

One feature I really appreciated was the two-way control system; there’s a physical button on top of each earbud to play/pause, and touch controls on the actual earbuds themselves. Personally, I just find this makes them easier to use, as you don’t have to remember as many touch control commands.

The custom-tuned 14.2mm speakers are positioned at the front of the ear, so that you can still hear your surroundings, whilst delivering clear, detailed sound, even at high volumes. JLab states the headphones have four dedicated noise-canceling mics built in, to help your voice stay clear on calls and keep background noise to a minimum. This worked pretty well (according to my callers, more on that below).

JLab Epic Open Sport review: sound quality and performance

While I didn’t test the Epic Open Sport headphones on outdoor runs, they definitely held their own during some intense, sweaty workout sessions. As expected, I could still hear the gym music in the background, but what I was really impressed by was how secure these headphones were. Whether I was launching myself on the floor doing burpees, pacing on the treadmill or throwing the barbell around doing some Olympic lifts, they didn’t fall out once.

I did use them during my lunchtime walks too, down my non-paved, slightly unsafe road. Despite their impressive volume, I could still clearly hear the traffic around me – a definite plus for safety. During a phone call with my sister, she said that she could hear me well and that I sounded clear, but that she could still hear a lot of the passing cars in the background.

Considering JLab is a budget-friendly brand, I was genuinely impressed by the audio quality of the Epic Open Sport. The sound is well-balanced, clear, and I found the volume much louder compared to other open-ear headphones. It’s important to note that these headphones don’t have active noise cancellation (ANC), so you will always be slightly competing with outside noises with open-ear headphones (as the whole point is that you are aware of what’s going on around you). However, because of the high volume levels on these headphones, I felt my music wasn't too overpowered by the outside noises – it was just right.

JLab headphones are often quite bass-heavy, and while the bass is more noticeable on the Epic Open Sport compared to my Cleer ARC II Sport open-ear headphones, it’s more restrained than JLab’s bud and over-ear designs. However, there is the option to customise this in the EQ3 sound settings in the JLab app.

This lets you switch between three sound profiles: JLab Signature, Balanced, or Custom. As I’m not an audio whizz, I just stuck with the Signature mode, for a good balance of vocals and bass, which I found was great for workouts and everyday listening.

Battery life on the Epic Open Sport headphones is excellent too. I wore them for about an hour and a half every day at the gym for just over two weeks without needing to recharge. The headphones themselves offer up to seven hours of playtime, and the case provides an additional 30 hours, which is enough to fully recharge the headphones four times over.

Although I didn’t make much use of the JLab app (and I’m generally not a fan of product-specific apps), it was handy for checking battery levels for the case and headphones, and customising control commands.

JLab Epic Open Sport review: Verdict

JLab’s Epic Open Sport headphones are solid choice for those who don't want to fork out hundreds on open-ear headphones, but also don't want to go down the budget route.

I found them to deliver a good balance of practicality and performance; the sound quality is clear and well-balanced, they’re comfortable to wear, offer reliable battery life, and are sweatproof. I particularly liked that they go quite loud for open-ear headphones, yet you can still hear your surroundings, with JLab striking a good balance here. Particularly as some open-ear models tend to let outside noise completely overpower your music.

My biggest gripe with them was the fit. Although they never physically fell out of my ear, the more in-ear design meant the right earbud would occasionally shift or feel like it was popping out slightly. The headphones themselves look great, but the cheap-feeling case lets them down, ever so slightly.

Also consider

Another pair of open-ear headphones for the consumer-conscious buyer that we highly rated were the FreeArc headphones from Huwawei. These are actually even cheaper than the Epic Open Sport headphones, just shy of £100. They offer rich, adaptive sound, look fantastic and have a secure fit, making them another great choice for active users.

If, however, you’re willing to spend the extra so as to not compromise on quality, then the Cleer ARC II Sport open-ear headphones are fantastic. Not only did T3’s Active Editor give them five stars, but they’re the headphones I was wearing constantly before testing the ones from JLab. I think what sets them apart is the sound quality, as it truly is exceptional, so I know I’ll always revert back to these.