If you love to travel you know the importance of a good pair of headphones.

A playlist of your favorite podcasts can get you through marathon train or bus rides, and there is nothing like rocking out to a great playlist while you wait for your plane to board. Unfortunately, one of the biggest travel bummers is when your headphones just are not up to par. Nothing is worse than one or both earbuds quitting during one of your favorite songs, as so often happens at the absolute worst moments!

How do you make sure your travel headphones are up to the test?

Go For Quality

Sure, it might be tempting to pick up the cheapest pair of headphones that you can find, but beware! You might get a good week or two out of these options, but they are not sustainable for the long haul. If you want quality headphones, you have to invest in them.

This isn’t to say that you need to pick up the most expensive option, but you should be looking at headphones that are somewhere in the middle of the road. Think of it this way; the money that you spend up front will be saved in the long run because you will have to buy fewer replacements for your cheap headphones.

Know What Your Objective Is

There are two primary types of headphones; open back headphones and closed back headphones. The former choice is better for keeping aware of your surroundings. You will still get to listen to your favorite music or podcasts, but you will also hear other noises that are occurring around you. If you are listening to music while riding your bike, traveling through crowds or doing anything else where you need to keep your surroundings in mind, this type of headphone is for you.

Closed back headphones block out every noise other than what is pouring through your headphones. You have a more intense listening experience but will miss out on what is going on around you. Noise canceling headphones are the most extreme example of closed back headphones. They are deliberately designed to get rid of any sounds that are occurring around you. These types of headphones are great for long airplane rides where you want to grab some sleep because they will allow you to totally tune out the world around you!

Plugged In Or Wireless?

Surely you have seen those state-of-the-art Apple buds that do not require any wires to function. Other than the trademark Apple buds, you can also find knock-offs and buds that work with your Bluetooth. Although this technology is really attractive, it also comes with some setbacks. It is not completely fine-tuned yet, so expect to have some problems with the sound if you opt for wireless headphones. You also have to contend with the fact that you can easily lose one of the buds. If this happens, you will have to buy a whole new set which can get expensive!

Traditional headphones are a lot more difficult to lose. You literally can’t misplace one of the buds because they are connected together with a wire. The technology is also a lot more refined and tried-and-tested. You will get a consistently good product if you invest in a decent pair of traditional headphones.

Traveling without music or your favorite podcasts is a total drag, but you can make sure that you are never without sound by following the tips and tricks outlined above.