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Working Wardrobes

10.05.10

Working Wardrobes is opening its resale boutique, The Hanger and Allure Couture in Costa Mesa, Wednesday from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Shop from a selection of upscale clothing from designers such as St. John, Tommy Bahama and Escada at amazing prices (and sip on wine provided by Prego Ristorante. Proceeds from the event will benefit Working Wardrobes, an Orange County non-profit that empowers men, women and young adults in crises to confidently enter the workforce through career development and wardrobe services. Cost of admission: just bring a gently used bag or bangle from your closet for someone else to enjoy! Working Wardrobes at 3030 Pullman St. in Costa Mesa.

Please RSVP via email to Beth Quezada, beth@echomediapr.com. 714.573.0899.

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New Gear

Headphones For The Hardcore

10.04.10

By Ari Cheren

I wear headphones just about everywhere. Flying, snowboarding, mountain biking, walking, taking the subway… it seems like any location is a good one for music, so I’ve taken advantage over the years. And, as chance would have, I’ve also been using O’Neill products for most of my life (wetsuits) as well as Philips (personal electronics). So I was excited to hear that these two brands had teamed up to make a new line of headphones for the outdoorsy type. So excited that I got on the blower and asked them if I could review a set of their cans.

The Stretch headphone is what I was sent; an innocuous-looking item that belies its strength. Designed for heavy-duty outdoor (or indoor) use, the Stretch has some features that set it apart from the competition and will no doubt endear it to mountain, ocean and water lovers the world over. Constructed from what appears to be a flexible plastic (nerdily named TR55LX), The Stretch headphone does just that; it stretches. And twists. And then snaps right back to shape. The idea behind this headphone - as well as its three siblings the Snug, the Covert and the Specked - is to give abusive owners a headphone that will stand up to the punishment. Thus the headband material is claimed to be both harder, more flexible and more temperature-resistant than the commonly used poly carbonate.

Rather than use a sliding adjustment for sizing, The Stretch utilizes a spring-loaded neoprene headband that expands to your head comfortably. Aside from being sized for smaller heads, it’s comfortable and efficient. And the cans themselves are just as comfortable; cushy padding covers your entire ear, reducing ear fatigue after prolonged wearing. All in all, these are some of the most comfortable headphones I’ve worn, and the build quality is obvious.

But how do they sound? Compared to the industry standard bearer Bose units (reviewed here), the Philips O’Neill units sound excellent; great balance across the spectrum, solid booming bass with clear highs and not too much mid-range coming from 40mm drivers. Add to that a super-solid cord that seems indestructible (and impervious to tangling) and you’ve got a sweet set of headphones. Priced on the street for just around $100, these headphones aren’t competing against cheaper lifestyle items like Skull Candy - they’re too good to be playing in that sandbox.

In all, this is a great choice for customers who appreciate the O’Neill image and the Philips reputation for quality, and who can be confident that they’ll get both in this new line of headphones. Comfortable, great sounding, solidly built… what more could a ski bum or surf grom ask for?

http://www.oneill.com/testedonanimals/#/products/stretch