Finis SwiMp3

Listen to your music underwater

Product

Finis SwiMP3

Promise

There's been a raft of aquatic Mp3 players on the market in the last few years. While this version won't get sonic warriors reaching for their USB cables, it's got a hidden talent: bone-conduction technology that transmits sound directly to your inner ear through your skull, so you don't need ear buds while listening.

Performance

It's an unusual feeling, having soundwaves bounced along your bones into your skull, but not unpleasant - and certainly effective. We tried several musical styles and each seemed just as clear as they would with traditional earbuds. The difference is that you won't worry about water seeping in between your earphones and eardrums with these, plus, you'll hear the life guard's whistle as you swim. The pair of 'speakers' clip on to your goggle or mask straps, pressing close to your skin, but some movement is inevitable if you're swimming hard.

Verdict

With a memory big enough for 60 tracks and a ten-hour battery life, this is simple to use and really good at its job. If you're in hard seas or a very active swimmer, the positioning of the speakers might be hard though: best keep these for gym sessions as you train for the channel.