We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-18 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want an officially licensed NHL earbud with simple touch controls and a long single-charge runtime, choose SOAR NHL Unisex True; if you need newer Bluetooth, a bigger feature set, and a charging case with an LED display, choose zakotu Earbuds 2026.
• SOAR NHL Unisex True — Biggest strength: officially licensed NHL product with over 10 hours of music and talk time per charge. Biggest trade-off: older Bluetooth 5.0 and a micro-USB charging cable.
• zakotu Earbuds 2026 — Biggest strength: Bluetooth 5.4 with auto-reconnect, a 15-meter range, and a mini charging case with an LED battery display. Biggest trade-off: the brand is lesser known and the product is sold under a generic "Wireless Earbuds 2026" title.
• Pick SOAR NHL Unisex True if you want a licensed team-themed earbud for casual listening and calls, and you value a long per-charge runtime.
• Pick zakotu Earbuds 2026 if you want the newer wireless standard, mono-mode flexibility, waterproofing, and a faster USB-C charge.
• In short: SOAR wins on licensing and per-charge stamina; zakotu wins on wireless tech, charging convenience, and features.
The SOAR NHL Unisex True Wireless Earbuds are built around a simple idea: portable, lightweight stereo sound you can take anywhere. The dynamic drivers cover a 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz frequency range, which is the standard full-range span for earbuds, so music, audiobooks, and podcasts all sit comfortably inside what these can reproduce. They connect over Bluetooth 5.0 with a 30-foot range, which is plenty for moving around a room while your phone stays on a desk or in a pocket. The touch controls on the earbud handle the basics — answer or end calls, play or pause music — without you reaching for your phone.
The headline spec is battery. SOAR lists over 10 hours of music and talk time per charge, and the portable charging case lets you top up while you're out, using the included micro-USB cable. That single-charge figure is the highest in this comparison by a wide margin, and it's the reason these earbuds make sense for someone who wants to put them in and forget about charging for a long stretch.
The other thing you can't ignore is the "Officially Licensed NHL Product" label. If you're buying for a hockey fan, or you just want team-colored gear that's actually sanctioned rather than a knockoff, that matters. The color is listed as team color, so the specific look depends on which team variant you pick.
Who should skip it? If you want the newest Bluetooth version, auto-reconnect when you open the case, an LED battery readout, or water resistance for sweaty workouts, this isn't the pair for you. The charging port is micro-USB rather than USB-C, and there's no IP rating in the spec sheet. This is a straightforward, licensed, long-runtime earbud — not a feature-stuffed one.
The zakotu Earbuds 2026 are aimed at buyers who want the current wireless standard and a fuller list of convenience features. Bluetooth 5.4 is the newest version here, and it supports HID, HFP, A2DP, and AVRCP profiles with a 15-meter range and a low 55ms latency figure. That latency number is worth noting if you watch video or play casual games — lower latency generally means better lip-sync. Pairing is designed to be effortless, and once paired, the earbuds automatically reconnect to the last device when you open the charging case.
Battery is handled differently than on the SOAR pair. Each earbud gives up to 8 hours on a 1.5-hour charge, and the case provides an additional five charges, for a total playtime figure of 45 hours. A quick 10-minute charge reportedly yields 2 hours of playtime — handy when you're heading out the door and realize you forgot to charge. The case has a separate LED display showing the charge level of each earbud and the case itself, so you're never guessing. It charges over USB-C, which is the more modern connector.
Audio leans on 13mm double-layer diaphragm drivers with a polymer diaphragm, tuned for strong bass that connects naturally into the mids and highs. For calls, there are four built-in microphones with ENC noise reduction, and the spec claims a 75% vocal improvement and 50% more bass — treat those as the manufacturer's own figures, not independent measurements.
The fit and durability story is solid on paper: each earbud weighs just 3 grams, and you get three sizes of soft silicone cushions for a proper seal. IP7 nano-coating on the internal components means sweat and light rain shouldn't be a problem, so these are the better pick for running, gym sessions, or walking in drizzle. Touch controls sit on the upper part of the earbud surface and cover play/pause, track skipping, volume, calls, and voice assistance. They also run in either binaural or mono mode, so you can use just the left or right earbud alone.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for battery life per charge → SOAR NHL Unisex True, at over 10 hours of music and talk time on a single charge.
• Best for total playtime with the case → zakotu Earbuds 2026, at 45 hours across the earbuds plus five case charges.
• Best for a licensed team product → SOAR NHL Unisex True, which is an officially licensed NHL product in team color.
• Best for wireless tech → zakotu Earbuds 2026, with Bluetooth 5.4, auto-reconnect, and a 15-meter range versus Bluetooth 5.0 and 30 feet.
• Best for workouts and weather → zakotu Earbuds 2026, thanks to IP7 nano-coating and three sizes of silicone tips.
• Best for charging convenience → zakotu Earbuds 2026, with USB-C fast charging and an LED battery display for each earbud and the case.
• Best for call clarity in noise → zakotu Earbuds 2026, with four microphones and ENC noise reduction.
• Best for simple, no-fuss controls → SOAR NHL Unisex True, with basic touch controls for play/pause and calls.
• Best for using one earbud at a time → zakotu Earbuds 2026, which supports mono mode.
If I'm buying for myself, I'd take the zakotu Earbuds 2026. In my opinion, the newer Bluetooth 5.4, auto-reconnect, USB-C fast charging, IP7 waterproofing, and the LED battery display add up to a more useful everyday pair, and the 45-hour total playtime means I'd charge the case far less often. The SOAR pair is the better call only if the officially licensed NHL branding is the point — that's a genuine reason to buy, and its 10-plus hours per charge is impressive. But on features and connectivity, zakotu wins for most people.
It depends on what you want. SOAR gives you an officially licensed NHL product and over 10 hours per charge. zakotu gives you newer Bluetooth 5.4, IP7 waterproofing, and a 45-hour total playtime figure. If team branding matters most, SOAR; if features matter most, zakotu.
Per the spec sheet, each earbud runs up to 8 hours and the case adds five more charges, for a 45-hour total. That's the manufacturer's figure. Real-world numbers vary with volume and use, so treat it as a ceiling rather than a guarantee.
The spec sheet doesn't list an IP rating for the SOAR pair, so I wouldn't count on them for heavy sweat or rain. The zakotu Earbuds 2026 do list IP7 nano-coating, which makes them the safer choice for workouts.
The zakotu Earbuds 2026 list four microphones with ENC noise reduction, which points to better call handling in noisy places. The SOAR pair covers calls through its touch controls but doesn't list dedicated noise-reduction microphones.
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