We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-05 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a wired, ultra-light pair of sports in-ears that simply plugs in and works, choose Sony MDRAS410AP/W; if you need true wireless freedom with a charging case for hiking, choose SOAR NFL True. That's the short version. For hiking specifically, the call comes down to one thing: do you want a cable you never have to charge, or do you want two buds and a case you top up like a phone?
• Sony MDRAS410AP/W biggest strength: Wired 3.5 mm connection means no battery to drain and nothing to recharge on a long trail — just plug into your phone and go.
• Sony MDRAS410AP/W biggest trade-off: The cable is the whole point and also the catch — you're physically tethered to your device, and there's no charging case to carry or lose.
• SOAR NFL True biggest strength: True wireless Bluetooth 5.0 with a portable charging case and a claimed 10 hours of music and talk time per charge.
• SOAR NFL True biggest trade-off: It's a Bluetooth-only design with a Micro USB charging workflow, so you're dependent on battery and a cable to refuel it.
• Who the Sony is for: Runners, hikers and gym-goers who want zero battery anxiety and the lightest possible setup.
• Who the SOAR is for: Buyers who want cable-free movement, handsfree calling and team-branded gear in one package.
The MDRAS410AP/W is about as simple as sports audio gets, and for a certain kind of buyer that's the entire appeal. It's an in-ear, rounded-tip design made from plastic, weighing in at just 9.93 g, with a nylon carrying case in the box. You get a 3.5 mm jack, a remote with media controls, 32 ohm impedance and a dynamic driver covering roughly 5 Hz to 24 kHz. Brand new in box, it ships with all the relevant accessories — no pairing, no firmware, no app.
What it does best is remove variables. On a hike, the last thing you want is a bud dying at the halfway point or a case rattling loose in a pocket. Because the Sony runs off your phone's headphone jack, it never needs charging and it can't disconnect. If you keep a wired pair as your "best bluetooth headset for hiking" backup — or as your actual daily driver — this is the one that just works. The remote on the cable lets you handle media without pulling your phone out, which matters when your hands are busy.
Who should skip it: anyone who's fully moved on from the headphone jack, anyone who hates cables snagging on branches or backpack straps, and anyone who wants handsfree calling. There's no built-in microphone here despite the "With Mic" naming in the product line, no noise control, and the wired design is fundamentally tethered. If cable-free movement is non-negotiable, this isn't your pair.
The SOAR NFL True Wireless Earbuds V.2 are the opposite philosophy: cut the cord entirely. These are true wireless in-ears with Bluetooth 5.0, a 9.14 m wireless range, and a portable charging case that's part of the kit. The package includes the charging case, a Micro USB cable and two stereo earbuds. Weight is 14.2 g for the set, the case adds about 1.92 ounces, and the rated battery life is 10 hours of music and talk time with a 10-hour charge time.
The feature set is built for convenience on the move. Control buttons on the earbuds let you answer or end calls and play or pause music directly, and there's a built-in microphone for handsfree calls. It's also officially licensed NFL gear, so the team color scheme is the point for fans who want their earbuds to match their jersey. For hiking, the wireless design means no cable catching on pack straps — you can move your head freely and keep both hands on trekking poles.
The trade-offs are real, though. There's no noise control, so neither isolation nor active cancellation is on the menu. You're entirely dependent on battery, and recharging means the included Micro USB cable rather than anything newer. And SOAR itself flags a fit caveat: if the earbud tips don't match your ear canals or the buds aren't seated properly, sound quality and call performance suffer — so you'll want to experiment with tip fit, which is exactly why learning how to wear sports earbuds properly matters here.
• Best for battery-free reliability → Sony MDRAS410AP/W. Wired means it can never run out mid-hike.
• Best for cable-free movement → SOAR NFL True. True wireless Bluetooth 5.0 with a 9.14 m range.
• Best for long days out → SOAR NFL True on paper, with its rated 10 hours per charge and a case to top up — but only if you remember to charge it first.
• Lightest possible carry → Sony MDRAS410AP/W at 9.93 g, versus 14.2 g plus a 1.92-ounce case for the SOAR.
• Best for handsfree calls → SOAR NFL True, which has a built-in mic and on-bud call controls. The Sony has media controls only.
• Best for team branding → SOAR NFL True, which is officially licensed NFL merchandise in team colors.
• Best for plug-and-play simplicity → Sony MDRAS410AP/W. No pairing, no charging, no app.
• Best for wider frequency range on paper → Sony MDRAS410AP/W, rated 5 Hz–24 kHz versus the SOAR's 20 Hz–20 kHz.
For hiking, I'd buy the SOAR NFL True. The reason is simple: on a trail, cable-free movement and handsfree calling matter more than anything, and the charging case plus rated 10-hour battery gives you a full day out if you charge it the night before. It's a genuinely convenient setup for anyone hunting a waterproof-adjacent, sweat-friendly wireless option with team flair. That said, if you know yourself — if you'll forget to charge, or you want the lightest possible kit with zero battery anxiety — the Sony MDRAS410AP/W is the safer, simpler pick, and it's the wired pair I'd keep as a backup in the pack. Check the current price on Amazon before you decide; both are inexpensive enough that owning one of each isn't unreasonable.
How to wear sports earbuds
Seat the rounded tip snugly in your ear canal and twist gently until it feels secure — SOAR specifically notes that poor tip fit hurts sound and call quality, so try the tip sizes included with your earbuds. For the Sony, the rounded-tip in-ear design works the same way, just with the cable routed over or under your ear depending on comfort.
How to connect bose sports earbuds
I can't cover Bose models here since this comparison is between the Sony MDRAS410AP/W and the SOAR NFL True. For the SOAR, put the earbuds in pairing mode, open your phone's Bluetooth settings and select the SOAR device; the Sony needs no pairing at all since it's a wired 3.5 mm connection.
How to reset bose sports earbuds
Again, that's outside this comparison. If your SOAR NFL True buds act up, the practical fix is to power them off, forget the device in your phone's Bluetooth list, then re-pair from scratch. The Sony MDRAS410AP/W has no firmware or pairing to reset — if sound cuts out, check the jack and cable.
How to pair bose sports earbuds
Same caveat — not applicable to either product here. To pair the SOAR NFL True, enable Bluetooth on your phone, turn the earbuds on and select them from the available devices list; the 9.14 m range gives you plenty of room to move. The Sony is plug-in only, so there's nothing to pair.
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