The Wall Street Journal-20080201-WEEKEND JOURNAL- Shopping -- Catalog Critic- Hear Muffs

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WEEKEND JOURNAL; Shopping -- Catalog Critic: Hear Muffs

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For anyone irresistibly drawn to products that incorporate several gadgets into one, earmuffs with built-in audio headphones seem an innovation on par with the Swiss Army Knife or the universal remote. The concept: Stay warm, stay wired, and stay happy on the slopes and motivated during chilly winter workouts.

Certainly, a number of companies think the idea is a good one. Gordini USA, an Essex Junction, Vt., ski-glove maker, branched out into earmuff-headsets about 18 months ago. The Baltimore company 180s, which makes foldable, behind-the-head ear-warmers, wired up one of its models in 2004 and has seen a 160% sales increase in that model through 2007.

Still, we suspected users might gain warm ears but lose audio quality. After buying and testing five earmuff-headset combos, though, we saw that assumption turned upside-down. In all the models we tried, the sound was at least as good as what we get with the earbuds that came with our iPod. Comfort, alas, was another matter.

The Polar Fusion headset had built in ear-warming pockets that fit uncomfortably around the tops of our ears. The Von Zipper goggles- earmuffs-headphones combo we bought at Dogfunk was too big for our head. The most comfortable pair was Gordini USA's lightweight Lobz headphones that we bought at Dick's Sporting Goods. Still, they mashed our head after a while.

Even the Best Overall, the 180s brand we bought at Hammacher Schlemmer, wasn't as comfortable as it could have been. Though warm, soft and well-insulated, the style squeezed our ears so tightly that we felt a headache coming on. Still, the sound quality was excellent. Best Value goes to the hat with built-in speakers that we bought at QVC. It sounded decent and looked less silly on than we'd expected.

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The Ear Warmer Headphones

BEST OVERALL

Hammacher Schlemmer

hammacher.com; 800-543-3366

$34.95; standard shipping adds $8.95

The good: No contest: Fleecy, well-insulated, around-the-neck earmuffs with

built-in speakers, from 180s, provided the best sound.

The bad: Though adjustable, they still squeezed our skull and ears tightly

enough that we could feel a headache coming on. Spot-clean only.

The shopping: Easy.

Merkley Knit Cap w/Earphones and Fleece Liner

BEST VALUE

QVC

qvc.com; 800-345-1515

$27.41; standard shipping adds $3.97

The good: We'd expected this acrylic hat to look silly (the headphones are

sewn into its ear flaps). But it was warm, more comfortable than some, and

had sound quality comparable to our own iPod earbuds.

The bad: You can't wash the hat -- the headphones aren't detachable. (The

maker says it can be dry-cleaned.)

The shopping: As always, we disliked having to create an account -- with

yet another PIN to keep track of, no less -- to buy something.

Lobz Audio Ear Protectors

Dick's Sporting Goods

dickssportinggoods.com; 877-846-9997

$29.99; standard shipping adds $4.99

The good: Lightweight, adjustable, wraparound headphones were the most

comfortable (though they still squeezed our ears), with poly-and-wool-blend

speaker covers that can be removed for cleaning. The site sells them in pink

or black.

The bad: The sound quality was a notch below our Best Overall choice.

The shopping: Lots of animation and movement made the site distracting.

Von Zipper Feenom Goggles with Headphone Earmuffs

Dogfunk

dogfunk.com; 877-364-3865

$139.95; standard economy shipping is free

The good: Insane-looking combination of sports goggles and fluffy earmuffs

was quite comfortable and the sound was great.

The bad: They obviously can't be worn on the street. The retailer says this

contraption is best suited for a medium to large-sized face and that was

right on: The fit was loose on our (apparently tiny) head.

The shopping: Dude. Snowboarding site misspelled this product's name.

Search under Feenon to find it.

Polar Fusion Soundflips with Stereo Headphones

Polar Fusion

polarfusion.com; 206-779-5238

$29.95; standard shipping adds $3.99

The good: Little fabric pockets inside these fleece-lined headphones warmed

the tops of our ears and muffled outside noise, so the audio was quite good.

(The headphones can be flipped open if you need to hear outside sounds.) Made

in USA.

The bad: The pockets bugged our ears. ("That's not something I've heard

before," said the company owner.) The wraparound neckband isn't adjustable.

The shopping: Site also sells these earwarmers without headphones, for

$19.95.