Belkin Soundform ClearFit
Belkin
Design and Fit: Built for Movement, Not for Sealing You In
Most earbuds ask you to plug something into your ear canal and hope it stays. The ClearFit takes the opposite approach: the driver housing rests just outside the canal, held in place by a soft silicone hook that loops over the top of the ear. That single design decision shapes almost everything else about how this product feels and behaves, so it's worth understanding before anything else.
Because nothing is wedged into the ear, there's no pressure buildup, no ear fatigue after long sessions, and no awkward moment of hunting for the right silicone tip size. The trade-off is a slight adjustment period: several owners have noted it takes a session or two to learn exactly how the hook should sit, since the sensation is genuinely different from anything you've worn before if you're coming from traditional in-ear buds. Once positioned correctly, the fit holds up well through movement, and the open-ear shape plays nicely with glasses and hats, which is exactly the combination that trips up many bulkier sports headphones.
The plastic used for the earpieces keeps total weight low, which matters more than it sounds like it should. Anything resting on the ear rather than inside it needs to stay light or it starts to feel like it's dragging by the end of a run. Belkin's approach here works in the earbuds' favor.
On the durability side, the IPX5 water-resistance rating is worth translating properly rather than glossing over. IPX5 means the earbuds are built to handle sweat and jets of water from any direction — think heavy rain or a sweaty gym session — but it does not mean submersion resistance. Dropping them in a pool or wearing them in the shower isn't something this rating covers, so treat them as sweat-proof and shower-adjacent rather than fully waterproof.
Sound Performance: Solid for the Category, With an Honest Asterisk
The earbuds use a 14.2mm driver in each earpiece, which is a genuinely large driver for something that isn't sealing against your ear canal. In a traditional in-ear design, driver size correlates fairly directly with bass output because the seal traps low frequencies against the eardrum. Open-ear designs don't get that advantage — sound has to project into open air, and some bass energy simply escapes rather than reaching your ear directly.
What this means practically: the ClearFit delivers noticeably more low-end punch than most open-ear competitors that use smaller drivers, but it still won't match a sealed in-ear or over-ear headphone for deep, chest-thumping bass. Independent listening impressions describe the sound as clear and controlled rather than warm or bass-forward, which tracks with what the driver size and open design would predict. If you're coming from noise-cancelling in-ear buds and expecting the same low-end weight, temper that expectation. If you're coming from a previous open-ear pair and found the bass thin, this is a step up.
The earbuds also include Belkin's automatic audio-balancing processing, which tunes frequency response without requiring you to touch an app or EQ setting. There's no companion app here — what you get out of the box is what you get long-term. That's either refreshingly simple or a limitation depending on how much you like tweaking your sound signature.
Call Quality and Connectivity
Video calls, phone calls, and voice notes are a bigger part of daily audio use than they used to be, and this is one area where the ClearFit's feature set does real work. The Clear Call Quality processing filters background noise specifically during calls, aiming to isolate your voice from wind, traffic, or office chatter on the other end of the line. It's not a substitute for a dedicated boom microphone, but for casual and even semi-regular calls taken on the move, it holds up — reviewers who tested calls in outdoor and windy conditions reported clear enough voice transmission for the purpose, even if it wasn't flawless in gusty conditions.
Connectivity runs on Bluetooth 5.3, the current mainstream standard, paired with multipoint technology. Multipoint is the feature that quietly saves the most daily friction: it lets the earbuds stay connected to two devices at once, so a call landing on your phone while you're listening to something on your laptop doesn't require you to manually disconnect and reconnect. If you regularly bounce between a work laptop and a personal phone, this is the kind of feature you stop noticing until you use a pair without it.
Range and stability have tested well in real-world conditions, holding a consistent connection at typical commuting and desk distances, including through walls in casual testing.
Controls: Convenient, With One Notable Gap
The touch controls handle playback, calls, and muting without requiring you to reach for your phone — tap patterns manage play/pause, skip, and answer or end calls, and holding a touch point mutes the microphone mid-call. For a lot of everyday use, that's enough.
Here's the honest gap: there is no dedicated onboard volume control. Volume has to be adjusted from your connected phone, tablet, or laptop, not from the earbuds themselves. For some buyers this won't register as a downside at all; for others — particularly anyone used to a volume rocker on their current headphones — it's a genuine change in habit.
The other pattern worth flagging, drawn from a wide spread of owner feedback, is touch sensitivity. Because the control surface sits on the outer face of the earpiece, activities that bring a hand near your ear — wiping sweat with a towel, adjusting glasses, pulling on a hat — can occasionally register as an accidental tap and interrupt playback. It's not universal, and plenty of owners never mention it, but it shows up often enough across independent reviews and customer feedback to be a real consideration rather than a fluke.
Battery Life and Charging: Built for Multiple Sessions, Not All-Day Marathon Use
The earbuds themselves hold roughly 8 hours of continuous playback, and the charging case stores enough extra charge to add about another 18 hours on top of that — a combined total of around 26 hours before you need to find a wall outlet. In practical terms, that's enough for several full workouts, a week of commuting listens, or a couple of long work-from-home days, all without plugging in the case itself.
Fast charging is included, and it's genuinely useful in the way fast charging should be: a short top-up delivers a meaningful chunk of extra listening time when you're in a rush, rather than the token gesture some budget earbuds offer. That said, there are two important caveats buyers need to know before purchase, because they affect what you'll need on day one:
| Charging Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Charger included in the box | No — a separate USB power adapter must be sourced separately |
| Minimum/maximum charger output | 2.5W minimum, 5W maximum |
| USB Protocol (PD) fast charging | Not supported — a standard USB-C charger works, but Power Delivery fast-charge bricks won't provide any additional speed benefit |
Practically, this means you'll want a basic USB-C wall adapter within that wattage window — most older phone chargers and cheap USB-C bricks fit comfortably in that range — but a high-wattage laptop charger or a Power Delivery fast-charging brick won't get these earbuds topped up any quicker, and using an incompatible high-output charger is worth avoiding. The case and a USB-C-to-USB-A cable are included, so you're only missing the wall plug itself.
Who This Is For — and Who Should Look Elsewhere
This is genuinely a product built for a specific kind of listener, and it's worth being direct about both sides of that.
You'll likely be happy with the Soundform ClearFit if you:
- Run, cycle, or work out regularly and want to hear traffic, other people, or your own breathing while listening to music or podcasts
- Wear glasses or hats often and have struggled with bulkier sports headphones sliding or clashing with frames
- Split your day between a phone and a laptop and want calls and audio to hand off between them without manual re-pairing
- Take frequent calls on the move and want background noise filtered out without paying for a premium call-focused headset
- Want a budget-friendly entry point into the open-ear category without committing to a premium price tag
You're likely to be frustrated if you:
- Want genuinely powerful, immersive bass for music listening — sealed in-ear or over-ear designs will always outperform open-ear here
- Rely on a physical volume control on the earbud itself rather than your phone
- Do activities involving a lot of hand-to-ear contact (frequent glasses adjustment, toweling off, hood/hat fiddling) and are sensitive to accidental touch-control triggers
- Need certified full water submersion protection rather than sweat and rain resistance
- Already own a USB-C charger rated above 5W as your only option and don't want to source a separate low-wattage one
How It Stacks Up Against the Alternatives
The open-ear category has grown fast, and buyers usually land here after comparing at least one or two alternatives. Two comparisons come up most often: Belkin's own sealed in-ear line, and the more premium open-ear specialists like Shokz.
| Feature | Soundform ClearFit (Open-Ear) | Belkin Soundform Bolt 2 (Sealed In-Ear) | Premium Open-Ear Specialists (e.g. Shokz OpenFit line) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fit style | Sits outside the ear canal, ear-hook design | Seals inside the ear canal with silicone tips | Sits outside the ear, hook or clip design |
| Bass character | Moderate, clear rather than deep | Fuller, more immersive bass | Varies by model; flagship tiers add tuned bass modes |
| Ambient awareness | High — designed for it | Low — seals out surroundings | High — core selling point |
| Companion app / EQ tuning | None | Limited | Often included on premium models |
| Battery life (earbuds + case) | Around 26 hours combined | Comparable or slightly higher on some models | Often longer on flagship tiers |
| Typical price position | Budget-friendly | Similar budget tier | Noticeably higher, premium pricing |
The takeaway: if ambient awareness is non-negotiable for you, the ClearFit and the Shokz-style competitors are playing the same game, but the premium players generally add companion apps, tunable sound modes, and sometimes better call clarity — at a real cost premium. If you decide sealed audio and stronger bass matter more than situational awareness, Belkin's own in-ear Bolt 2 is a same-brand alternative worth cross-shopping. The ClearFit's clearest advantage over both is price: it gets you into the open-ear experience without paying flagship money to try it.
The Honest Trade-Offs
No product built to a budget-friendly price gets everything right, and the ClearFit is no exception. Its biggest strength is also its most defining limitation: the open-ear design is either exactly what you need or fundamentally not what you're looking for, and there's not much middle ground. Comfort over long sessions is a genuine highlight, and the ability to wear these with glasses or under a hat without a fight is a practical win that a lot of competing designs still get wrong.
The battery situation is a clear positive — 26 hours combined is comfortably enough for most people's weekly rhythm, and fast charging softens the blow on the days you forget to charge overnight. Where the experience gets rougher is in the small daily frictions: no onboard volume control means an extra step of reaching for your phone, and touch sensitivity means the occasional accidental pause during a sweaty run or a moment of adjusting your glasses. Neither is dealbreaker territory, but neither is invisible either — they're the kind of thing you notice in week two, not on day one.
The missing charging adapter and the lack of PD fast-charge support are minor but real inconveniences if you don't already have a compatible low-wattage USB-C charger sitting in a drawer. It's a small cost-cutting decision that's common at this price point, but worth planning for before the earbuds arrive rather than after.
The Verdict
If you want earbuds built specifically around staying aware of your surroundings — for running routes with traffic, gym sessions where you need to hear a coach or a bus announcement, or long work-from-home days juggling calls across two devices — the Belkin Soundform ClearFit earns its place as a smart, budget-conscious pick in the open-ear category. It won't replace a sealed pair for bass-heavy music listening, and the touch controls and missing volume buttons take a short adjustment period. But for the specific job it's designed to do, it does that job well, and it does it at a price that doesn't ask you to gamble much to find out if the open-ear format suits you. Buy it if situational awareness and all-day comfort matter more to you than deep bass and onboard volume control; look elsewhere if either of those is a dealbreaker.
What People Say
63 commentsGreat for busy parents!
First impressions is very stylish case and very sporty looking. On opening the case, there was instructions on the inside of the lid as the use the touch operations although actually when in use i really could not figure this out, but it did not matter to me as i did not need to use these features.
First of all the bluetooth lights activate straight away when you remove the connection stickers and place the headphones back into the case opened, they paired straight away with my phone. The earphones have a nice strong magnetic hold when they are in the case so they dont fall out easily.
When trying on the earphones i found it strange as i am not used to having open ear earphones as they just sit over your ear and around instead of inside, they actually sat very comfortably and did not fall at all.
The sound quality is very good, i was suprised as i thought the gap between your ear and the earphone would make them quieter but in all honestly they almost sounded just as good as my in-ear bose earphones! Even at its loudest volume i didnt find the hurting my ears and was still comfortable.
I love the fact you can still hear around you whilst listening to your own things. Being a mum to 3 one being a toddler its great to know i can still be aware of my surroundings and still listen to videos or music on my phone. Plus they have such good grip over your ear when you are lifting your child or leaning over they dont fall off or out of your ear, so perfect for busy parents!
I love that my ears dont get itchy and wet, i often find i cant cope with my in-ear earbuds as they hurt my ears after a while but these really helped that. At one point i had these on for over 3 hours and they did not hurt abit.
The battery life is excellent as i used them a few hours a day for a week and didnt have to charge them, so they last very well. If you do struggle with set up there is a QR code on the leaflet which takes you directly to a how to video.
Overall i definately recommend these, especially to those busy parents needing to be aware of their surroundings the same time as watching or listening to videos whilst doing chores or cooking.
Fantastic open ear buds and highly recommend!
The reviews on here are soo judgemental with many complaining about the sound quality. It's a shame that Belkin didn't introduce an equaliser app with this product, as I do feel that this would of put a stop to their whining. I have had earbuds in the past and each time, I have either lost the case or the earbuds, so to have these as an open ear and hooks onto your ears...this is a real game-changer and I can foresee many of their competitors following suit. After downloading a third party equaliser app, the sound quality suits my needs, giving the sound quality with bass depth and a warm feeling without too much treble interference. These are without a doubt, the best open earphones (...or buds) that I have ever used. The volume can be quiet enough to engage in a conversation or loud enough to overcome the sound of it's natural noisy environment, such as public transport and crowds, without anyone complaining that they can hear your music. I fell in love with this product that I purchased another one of these. The battery life on this is amazing and does last quite a while, even at high volume. The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because the controls are very touch sensitive and if you wear a hoody or any other loose head covering, they do have a habit of pausing or unpausing your music - but this was only an issue during heavy rain or cold windy conditions, but other than that, I highly recommend these. The controls are a simple touch once to pause and touch again to release, but I do agree with some of the reviews, that this would of been better with a simple volume up on one ear device and a volume down on the other, without having to control this with reaching for my phone every time. Sadly (...and it's probably amusing), the marketing packaging doesn't do this product any justice, as it does look more like a tiny 'First Aid' kit with it's green, white and it's conservative black bold font writing on this. 😆 But I can honestly say that you will not be disappointed in these earphones (...buds).
Impressed with the quality and build!
I recently tried the Belkin open-ear earphones, and I’m so impressed. The sound and the build was not what I was expecting. It was much better. These don’t sit inside the ear canal instead, they rest over it, allowing me to enjoy music while still being aware of my teens in the house. It’s the perfect balance for me to stay connected to music and the surroundings. Sound quality is rich and clear. They’re so comfortable that, after a while, I barely noticed I was wearing them. Pairing them was hassle-free, taking just a few seconds, and they held a charge for over 3 hours on a single use, which for me means I can complete my weekend cleaning session without a pause to charge.
I’d highly recommend these to anyone looking to try something different from the usual in-ear buds. The design is great and is amazing for a multi tasker like me. They look amazing and sound so good.
Good sound and comfy
I like these a lot. They're much more comfortable for me, especially for longer periods, than the kind I had before which actually stick into one's ears; these just sit outside them. Partly because of that, I had imagined the sound wouldn't be great, but actually they have better bass and better overall sound than the ones that went right in my ears (which admittedly were very cheap). Certainly very acceptable. I use them for running, they stay on and they're loud enough in the street, even with the "open" design which means I can still hear what's going on around me. Only thing I could fault is that they might be even better for my particular ears if they were a bit bigger vertically - I feel they're very slightly too high on my ears. But they work perfectly well enough.
Comfy open earbuds
I struggle with in-ear buds as they never seem to fit comfortably, despite trying each of the different ends that are usually supplied. These ones just kind of hang down from the over ear loop so that the end with the speaker in it sits over your ear canal but doesn't go inside at all. To be honest I wasn't hopeful that the fit and sound quality would be any good, but both were great, and for the price they perform really well. My only criticism would be that the touch to stop/start/jump tracks is SO sensitive that the slightest contact results in an action. The only other downside is there is no volume control, so you have to dig out your phone if you're walking or running somewhere noisier than usual to increase the volume. Other than that, perfect!
Gave me blisters on my ears.
I was really excited when I first bought these earphones. They seemed like a great pair for running and cycling whilst maintaining the ability to hear your surroundings.
The sound quality is good and the earphones feel secure whilst running.
After a few hours use I noticed a slight tingling around the tops and backs of my ears so I took them off, later that day my ears began to blister up and secrete a clear fluid. The following day both of my ears had scabbed over and were quite painful.
I can only assume this was An allergic reaction to the silicone used on the earphones. Really disappointed because they seemed like a great pair for a good price..
Nice and comfortable
They charged up super quick and were easy to pair via Bluetooth. Was a little skeptical as they don't fit in ear, however the quality of sound is really clear and they are alot more comfortable then others ive had and didn't fall out when exercising. Quite strong and sturdy, Comes with a protective case that charges them back up, battery life is long lasting as ive had them on since receiving and still going strong. Only thing is there not as bassy as I would like and the touch on the earbuds are quite sensitive when moving hair etc..had a few accidental pauses and skips but overall pleased with them
Good value for money but no volume control
These earbuds are good value for money compared to the other brands around. They work well and pair easily to my phone and garmin watch. They stay put during runs. The only problem for me is that it doesn't have volume controls so volume can only be changed on the device it is paired with. I would like to change the volume more easily because as it is open ears, I need to change the volume depending on traffic or what is going on around me. Volume change works from my phone but when I pair it to my watch and change the volume through it, it doesn't work but that might be a problem with watch.
Great when they have worked
Great when they work but having a real difficulty connecting them to my iPhone at present! They’ve worked brilliantly but for some reason won’t cooperate now… may be because I have an old iPhone 13 mini and they’d work better with a newer model. I have small ears and they fit ok/fairly securely for pottering around the house cleaning but I haven’t tried them on a run yet. They’re a bit fiddly as the belkin logo is a control so easy to start/stop by mistake. OK for a cheap set of earphones, as long as I can get them working again, otherwise they’ll be going back.
Not happy
I bought this earbud for exercise. It stays well in my ears but you feel like its falling, not comfortable feeling.
The earbud connection is not great, sometimes you have to connect it twice for it to work. If you are using it and someone calles, you can't hear anything, so you have to put the earphone in the case and reconnect for you to speak on phone.
I would have returned but I have scratched the case so I am keeping it.
I suggest, if you buy keep the case safe from your nails and use the product.So you can change it if you need to.
Good for people..
..who prefer something that doesn’t go into the ear and want to hear external sounds around them.
Sound quality they are absolutely fine and personally find them better than equivalently priced in-ear versions.
They are also good for making/receiving calls as had them tested and the other side could not tell the difference between using the phone directly.
My only personal caveat is that the fit feels a little loose & they are very sensitive to touch where features get activated when trying to reseat them, hence the 4 star over a 5 rating.
Soundform Open-ear
When the earbuds were taken out of the box they connected to my iPhone 13 no problem at all.
I attempted to pair my second iPhone this was unsuccessful, after some research an app is required
which is rated 2 stars!! having to jump through hoops to set it up gave up for now.
Music sounds good / clear no complaints. Earbud sit comfortably on the ears. I went on a short jog, earbuds remained secure. I would recommend these.
The earbuds are well designed pleasing to the eye. The case also contains the instructions.
impressive performance for the price
I wear hearing aids so conventional ear buds are no good to me. I tried some expensive skull conductance earphones at a cycle show and whilst I was very impressed, I was reluctant to pay over £100. So I bought some cheap ones from a well known online auction site which I tolerated but was disappointed with the quality. Prior to our recent holiday I splashed out on these and they're great. Sound quality and fit is good, pairing is straight forward and they appear to last for hours on one charge.
Good value
Had them over a month now and use them on a regular basis and cant fault them for the price paid. They have there own convienent charging case unlike more expensive ones where that is an extra spend and you would need an outlet socket or similar to charge them. Took a while to get use to the touch for pause and play but not an issue now.
Easy connection to my TV, phone and Hi Fi and because there are over ear, your not trying to jam things into your ear which keep fauling out.
Not the best
Bought for husband to use on the plane - unfortunately they didn’t suit the situation as you can hear too much surrounding noise he couldn’t use them.
In other areas that are more peaceful they are ok. Wouldn’t buy again. Having to buy different ones.
Also they advice buying charging plug - this doesn’t work with the charging case unless you buy the matching lead which you do not need - it comes with charger that has USB - I returned plug for refund.
Another great Belkin product
Belkin products have never disappointed me. These earbuds are a great addition to my Belkin range. They connected to my phone easily, are well made and the sound quality is excellent. I like these much better than the usual earbuds that you almost have to push into your ear. These just sit on the outside enabling you to hear what’s on your phone plus your surroundings. I fully recommend these and for £30 they are excellent value for money.
Excellent earphone's!
So much more comfortable than the ones which fit inside the ear! The bit that goes around the ear is firm enough to hold them perfectly in place when moving around.
The sound quality is amazing, everything sounds better through them. They are also brilliant for phone calls - I could hear everything perfectly and there was no delay or lag.
I love that these can be worn for a lot longer than any other device I have tried.
An affordable option
I’ve been using it for a while now and haven’t experienced any issues. The battery life is impressive—it easily lasts a full day. Connectivity is great and comfortable enough that I sometimes forget I’m even wearing them. No app required. Overall, it’s a solid, budget-friendly choice with no compromise in quality. Although there is no drawbacks I would be happy if there was ai translation features.
Brilliant device, simple to use
I bought this just a couple if weeks ago. Really impressed by the design. Comfortable to wear because of external fit which enables me to hear other things too, which is safer when I'm working. Good, clear sound. The charging case works really well... protects the device and makes pairing with my phone very easy. Considering the price, I'm very impressed.
Good earphones however the fit is not for me
Very easy to connect via Bluetooth and charged up well. I’m not sure about the fit of the ear phone and I found these to feel unstable on my ear which I think would make them unsuitable for certain things for me such as exercising, I found they would be much more practical to use for answering the phone when driving etc. however the sound quality was good.
