In today’s market where one can find dozens of earbuds models among many brand names, the Tribit MoveBuds H1 stand out as a solid option and the best for those of you fitness buffs. Making exercising fun has become a vital issue as we learn more about the importance of living healthily. That is where Tribit helps with the MoveBuds H1 that stay firm on your ears, provide worthy sound quality, and allow you to answer phone calls during your exercise.
Remaining put is coupled with the excellent 15-hour battery life that Tribit provides along with a somewhat bulky case that delivers another 50 hours. It is fair to say the Tribit MoveBuds H1 offer a comfortable fit with easy controls, good quality sound, a waterproof and rugged punch, and ambient mode that is decent with room for improvement.
While it would be asking too much from a set of earbuds at $90, Tribit stumbled in the call sound quality, has no noise cancellation on these buds, the app features are somewhat limited, and you will not enjoy wireless charging. All in all, while there may be better earbuds out there from various perspectives, the Tribit MoveBuds H1 are ideal for active workouts and people like me who find charging today’s various devices a real pain.
You have to give credit to Tribit for the MoveBuds H1 as they stand out from other earbuds when it comes to a model that can endure the demands of high-intensity workouts and active lifestyles. The major battery life allows the MoveBuds H1 to provide longer play time than almost all its rivals, while as mentioned briefly above, there will be issues you will have to forgo.
Unpacking
Tribit bags a very down-to-earth but hefty package. The charging case may be considered by some as too much to swallow as it fails to easily fit in a pocket, if at all. The MoveBuds H1 do come with six different pairs of eartips, making certain you will find your ideal fit. Although you have another five pairs at your disposal, that doesn’t mean all will sit with the best feel in your ears. There is a short USB-C charging cable and an easy-to-understand starting manual that make these Tribit earbuds even more user-friendly.
Looks and style
The inclusion of earhooks is what makes the MoveBuds H1 stand out, and yes, they will take up some space. This is the very reason why the case is relatively large. While most people may find it uncomfortable to pocket the case, there are a significant portion of people out there who will appreciate the much longer battery life delivered. And you can throw the case in any backpack or luggage knowing the design can take the beating.
IPX8 protection provides the earbuds with the durability of water and sweat protection. While you should bear in mind that Tribit did not design these earbuds for swimming, that doesn’t mean you can’t listen to something or take calls while in the pool. However, you may experience some Bluetooth connection breakup, especially considering the fact that these earbuds are not designed for depth below one meter. Furthermore, if you intend to take the MoveBuds to the beach, rinsing them with fresh water afterward, wiping, and drying is a must. And by the way, the case is in no way waterproof, so be careful of water exposure.
Stability, being the hallmark of the Tribit MoveBuds H1, is made possible through the unique earhooks. There is next to no movement when on your ears and yet the hooks are made flexible to deliver a one-size-fits-all package. It always sat comfortably in my ear and never caused any distraction during my workouts.
When placed on my ears the H1 offer a relatively adequate passive isolation through a good seal. Tribit has not provided active noise cancellation in these earbuds, meaning it would be a good idea to patiently find the best fit on your ears to thus have background sound blocked out as much as possible. While earbuds equipped with ANC provide better isolation, I do know some people who would rather receive some degree of ambient noise while on a run or in a gym.
The app
The MoveBuds H1 is supported with its own app, which unfortunately leaves a bit to be desired. The software is not very sophisticated as what other brand names would be, while still providing useful utility. You do receive regular updates that become important, making the MoveBuds H1 experience all the more smooth. On a down note, you can’t customize the touch controls to your preference. The factory settings are as follows:
- Single tap on either left or right side will play or pause your content
- Double tap on the right earpiece to jump forward a track; double tap on the left to jump back
- Triple tap on the left earpiece to access the voice assistant on your phone
- Triple tap on the right earpiece to activate the ambient mode
- Hold on the right earpiece to increase the volume, and the left piece to decrease
The touch-sensitive areas of the earpieces are easy to find and relatively responsive, which is important especially when you’re engaged in intense activities and/or in the colder seasons when your fingers go a bit numb. Onboard controls are imperative due to the fact that unlike models from other brand names, the MoveBuds H1 lack wear sensors to automatically play or pause during removal.
The Tribit app provides an equalizer for those interested in tuning to their particular sound output preference. The app provides eight presets while bearing some limited customization abilities. The app also allows you to create your own custom presets, but not the permission to differ any settings on the pre-existing presets.
How’s the sound?
Being a sporty earbuds we already know that Tribit isn’t here to compete with the better-known brand names. But, in the MoveBuds H1, we can be sure to receive a set that delivers a good pump in your workout with its bass-friendly sound quality. For those who prefer it, Tribit allows you to adjust one of the app’s EQ presets to deliver more of the highs and mids.
I asked a friend who happens to be a sound expert to help me with app and how to adjust an EQ preset. It turned out to be quite easy and user-friendly, allowing you to find the ideal balance for your preferred exercise routine.
On a more technical note, the MoveBuds H1 are engineered to support both AAC and aptX codecs. This is great news for Android and iOS users. For those of you tech-name freaks, keep in mind that, unfortunately, these buds do not support the aptX Adaptive codec.
The variety of presets allows to you to establish the foundation that motivates you best in your exercise routine. There is an overall balance to the sound feeling, making different types of music all enjoyable in one family of style. This means you can throw in all kinds of different music and the MoveBuds H1 will deliver a cleverly hyped sound quality that inspires you in your workout.
Once again, it is highly recommended that you put in the few minutes necessary to find the ideal seal with the best size eartips. This is imperative in establishing a good passive isolation. Runners will find this all the more important, meaning finding the best fit that will both provide the best sound quality and provide the ideal placement and fit, allowing you to focus 100 percent on your exercise.
Last but not least, take firmware updates seriously to make sure you enjoy the best sound quality. This is especially true when it comes to accessing ambient mode that allows more background noise to be heard.
Long life batteries
Alongside providing a stable experience on your ears during even the most rigorous workouts, the MoveBuds H1s provide a whopping 14 to 15 hours per charge battery life with each charge. In comparison to many other brand names out there, that calls for taking your hat off to Tribit. Even if you prefer higher volume music and use the ambient mode on a regular base, you will still enjoy up to around 13 hours of battery life. Again, a major plus!
And to be precise, you won’t need to charge the MoveBuds H1 even after several workouts and/or runs. This is where the bulky case comes in handy as it provides at least two extra charges of the earbuds. All in all, you have an unprecedented 50 hours of playing before the next cable-charging of the case. You will have at least 40 hours of listening if you like higher volume and prefer ambient mode.
Like many other brand names, the Tribit case is only charged with a USB-C cable, and we don’t have the privilege of wireless charging. Hopefully future Tribit models will come with this new capability that is trending among other daily devices these days.
You need to allocate around two hours to reach a full charge of the case and earbuds, and there is no fast charging. This is actually a plus for me considering the fact that fast charging usually wears the longevity of batteries, and the devices in general.
Good for calls?
The MoveBuds H1 is designed to be a workout earbud set, and to be honest, I never understood why one would welcome receiving phone calls while doing an exercise routine. Anyhow, if you disagree with me, keep in mind that the results will vary when responding to phone calls with these Tribit earbuds. You won’t have any issues when enjoying the luxury of being in a more quieter atmosphere. However, don’t think you will be experiencing top-tier brand name quality similar to Bose, Sony, Apple, and/or Samsung. The fact that these buds won’t budge while you talk is a major plus because as we all know, some conversations over the phone can get very heated and your body movement can be quite active.
My verdict
The Tribit MoveBuds H1 is an excellent choice for those looking for sporty focus earbuds as they are specifically designed for this certain purpose. These buds will provide quality sound and deliver a reliable listening experience during tough workouts and outdoor situations. They also deliver amazing battery life that leave many other brand names enormously jealous.
Many sport fanatics like myself are willing to sacrifice not having active noise cancellation and a better app on their phones for the pros found in the MoveBuds H1. Tribit has proven to deliver a very good option for those of us who prefer more active workouts and still wish to be notified quickly when waiting for an important call. Another welcomed feature of these earbuds are the durability and ability to take some serious punishment by their users. However, make sure you are careful with your device, clean them regularly, never allow sweat or water to remain on them, and always fully dry them before placing them in the charging case. While Tribit provides a one-year guarantee, that coverage does not include such mishaps by the user.
You may find other options in the ever-growing and competitive market these days, such as some providing ANC or a more sophisticated app. These features will definitely cost more, and you would have to be careful that they may sacrifice some sound quality.
At the end of the day, it depends on your preference and the depth of your pocket on what earbuds suit you best. Tribit has delivered one of the best options out there in the $75 to $90 price range.
Finally, yes you should consider purchasing the MoveBuds H1, especially as a gift for someone who you know loves to exercise with music. Keep in mind that earbuds for leisure experiences, with better sound quality at higher prices, are available. These Tribit models are amazing in active situations that allow you to fully focus on your workout or other intense activities.