Bluetooth headsets, just like our ears, come in all shapes and sizes. We have different preferences, so there are many Bluetooth headset wearing styles to pick from.
You can usually find a Bluetooth headset wearing style that works for you. It’s not a bad idea to know what your choices are, since you may go for different wearing styles in different situations. Let’s look at the five most common ways to wear a Bluetooth headset.
In-ear
This is probably the most common way to wear a Bluetooth headset, whether it’s a stereo headset or a mono one. Standard music earbuds that sit directly in your ear fall into this category. So do most Bluetooth mono headsets. Some of them have optional earhooks that latch onto the outside of your ear, but most are simply held in place by eargels placed inside your ear.
It’s a comfortable and convenient wearing style: You simply pop the headset inside your ear, and you’re good to go! But in some cases, it may take a bit of tinkering to find just the right eargel size so that your headset stays securely inside the ear. People are known for sometimes having weirdly shaped ears. That’s why in-ear headsets usually come with at least a few different eargels in varying shapes and sizes.
On-the-ear
Rather than sitting inside your ear, these Bluetooth headsets have ear cushions that go on your ear. Because of this, they need an earhook or a headband to keep them in place. (I’m yet to hear of any adhesive versions that simply stick to your ears, but that could technically work.) Many business headsets offer this wearing style, usually with a headband.
Some people find on-the-ear headsets to be more comfortable than in-ear ones, since they don’t put any pressure on the inside of your ears. On top of that, you don’t have to sift through a bunch of eargels to find one that fits. So even if most in-ear headsets refuse to stay inside your ear, you should still have no problem wearing an on-the-ear one.
Behind-the-ear
Behind-the-ear Bluetooth mono headsets have a body that loops fully around your ear and a small boom arm that extends toward your mouth. They are extremely comfortable, but they also tend to be quite bulky compared to the smaller in-ear headsets. That’s no surprise, since they must have a body that’s large enough to go all the way around the ear.
This wearing style is often used for headsets that offer wind noise reduction, since the longer boom arm is better at capturing your voice. Behind-the-ear headsets are great for all-day wear and, despite their larger size, will stay securely in place without any additional earhooks or eargels. You could say that the headset itself is just one big earhook.
Over-the-head
This wearing style is most commonly used in music headsets, although many business stereo headsets come with a headband to hold them in place. The headband goes over your head and adjusts to your head size.
Over-the-head wearing style isn’t limited to stereo headsets—some one-ear business headsets offer a headband to hold them in place. Over-the-head headsets are very comfortable and stay in place better than most others. On the other hand, the headband does add quite a bit of extra weight, which means you have a heavier headset to lug around.
Behind-the-neck
These are headsets with a neckband that sits behind your neck. This tends to be the preferred wearing style for running headsets. For one, it’s extremely secure. At the same time, the neckband stays out of your way and lets you turn your head without yanking the headset out of your ears. It’s ideal for most sports and workouts.
You can also find business headsets that come with the neckband option. If you have a killer haircut and don’t want to ruin your flawless hair with a headband, you’d want to pick a behind-the-neck office headset.
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