Gear: The Bend headphone

Courtesy of O'NeillAlso available in red, green and white. Like Christmas.

What it is:

The Bend is a collaboration headphone betweenPhillips and O'Neill, built to be used outside by people getting their athletic groove on. The headband is made out of the same plastic found in goggles, making it flexible and durable on the outside, while the 30mm drivers on the inside make sure hip hop and womp step fans are satisfied when they crank up their tunes that are heavy with bass.

Because let's face it, if you're going for a headphone design like this, you're not listening Jack Johnson. You're getting your shred soundtrack on, and you need ear speakers that aren't going to play a dynamic range of sound and aren't going to blow out in a week.

Why it rules:

There are some features on this headphone that show the design was given some extra thought, and that they really were made to be used by people who take hard falls from time to time. Though Toutant is notwearing the goggles exactly the way they were intended in the picture here, the headband has an anti-slip feature on the outside that's designed to grip the straps of your goggles, keeping the headphones on your head even when you're (intentionally or unintentionally) spinning upside down. The ear cans are made to snap off during impact, and be easily reattached after. And though "tangle free" is a feature found in many headphone cords these days, this one has been reinforced to provide added strength.

It's not like they're saying you're going to fall, they're just saying they've got you covered if you do. Which is nice.

Where to find it:

The Bend comes out in October and will be available at Phillips, O'Neill and Best Buy retails worldwide, as well as online. To find a store near you, check out the Tested On Animals website.

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