With most people using a mobile as an MP3 player you tend to have music on you all the time. The Arena underwater sports MP3 player aims to keep you bopping along in the one place you’re unlikely to take your mobile: underwater.
As well as the dinky little 4GB MP3 player you also get underwater headphones, a range of tips for use with the headphones, extension lead, charging cable and a little bag.
Note that the charging cable is a USB to 3.5 socket, something rather uncommon and which does raise a concern that if you were to misplace the cable you wouldn’t be able to charge the player or manage the content.
The player is lightweight and will float if accidentally dropped into water and is rated to work underwater up to 3 meters.
It’s great there are a range of tips, you’ll likely need to try several before finding a pair that are comfortable and that blocked out water, any that allow water will result in it being hard to listen to your music.
Sound quality is just OK, with the volume to be very low when out of water, even if a different set of wired headphones are used and the volume is turned to the maximum setting. Music did get louder underwater and is a rather nice addition to any watery based fun.
The controls were easy to use, there are 4 buttons, with play/pause also acting as forward/back. There isn’t a screen, but as this is a swimming MP3 player and there are no settings this isn’t really an issue. It was disappointing to find there didn’t seem to be a way to shuffle play music.
The headphone wire is very short and has been designed so that the player attaches to your goggles. However, if you don’t wear goggle you’re a bit stuck as the extension lead is clearly marked as not being waterproof, an odd choice for a swimming MP3 player but I assume it’s been included for that who want to use this out and about.
A niche product, but well worth considering if you’re a regular swimmer.
Available now on Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/1DuBdqd and a version with a screen is on Amazon com: https://amzn.to/1xASu0B
