When it comes to packing a carry-on, I’m always trying to save space. If it’s a non-essential that can’t be folded or rolled up, it gets left behind. However, this often means that my quality over-the-ear headphones will be replaced by the closest set of dinky earbuds I can find. Consistently underwhelmed by the dismal sound-quality of these ultra-portable earbuds, I was excited to test out a new pair of foldable headphones that wouldn’t cost me an arm and a leg.
The Kickback headphones by Altec Lansing are a set of affordable headphones that might have been designed for DJs, but are perfect for travelers. The soft and comfortable ear cups easily rotate and fold-up to make these headphones small enough to fit in a carry on, while providing great sound quality and noise-cancellation, which is the most important factor for long flights.
Kickback Headphones Review
Price and Where to Buy Kickback Headphones: The Kickback headphones are available on Amazon for $48.26 and the Altec Lansing website for $49.99.
How Kickback Headphones Rate:
- Usefulness: 9/10 Whether you’re dealing with a crowded airport or just trying to escape the annoying whirring of a plane’s engine, these headphones do a great job of blocking out background noise and are extremely comfortable. You’ll never want to take them off.
- Value: 7/10 It’s a bit of investment but given the sound quality, comfort, and the price in comparison to the exorbitant prices of other over-the-ear headphones on the market, it’s a steal.
- Portability: 7/10 The headphones fold up nicely, but can still be a bit bulky if you’re trying to fit them in an over-packed carry-on. However, you can save room in your bag by wearing them around your neck.
- Cool Factor: 8/10 These headphones are a bit over-branded for my taste, with a big logo on the headband and ear cups, but they still look pretty good and the sound quality is worth it.
Final Verdict:
On a long day of travel, a pair of quality headphones can be the difference between enjoying your music or struggling to hear it over the sound of crying children and airport announcements you’ve practically memorized. The Kickback is an affordable solution for escaping the annoying reality of airport ambience without taking up too much space in your carry-on.
Editor’s Note: Reviews are based on usefulness, portability, durability, value, and “cool factor.” Some review products are sent to us free of charge and with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions, positive and negative, and will never accept compensation to review a product. If you have any questions or comments concerning our reviews, or would like to suggest a product for review, please email us at [email protected].
We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.
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