Adidas’ popular RPT-01 on-ear workout headphones have been redesigned to work with a power source that will be with you wherever your outdoor training sessions take you. The $229 Adidas RPT-02 SOL are equipped with a headband that can harvest solar energy, which is used to keep their internal rechargeable battery topped up with power. It goes on sale August 23 at adidasheadphones.com.
Like the Los Angeles, the RPT-02 SOL uses a Powerfoyle light-harvesting solar cell from Stockholm-based Exeger. You probably won’t be able to charge them using solar energy alone, but if you start with a full charge — which Adidas claims is good for a remarkable 80 hours — and spend most of your play time outside, you could theoretically never need to plug them in again.
When we tested the Los Angeles, we found they lived up to their claims, but only if you could spend a good amount of time each day in very bright conditions — most indoor lighting wasn’t sufficient to offset the energy drain on the battery from regular use.