House of Marley Champion 2 earbuds review

As a brand, House of Marley prides itself on designing unique earbuds, headphones, and other gear while building them in an environmentally mindful way, In the past, though, that's kind of where Marley highlights stopped. The Champion 2 (available at Amazon) , a pair of true wireless earbuds geared towards active lifestyles, are an effort to break the mold.

They feature 10 hours of battery life in a single charge, an IPX5 weather resistance rating, and a comfortable, firm fit for hours of activity. Active noise cancellation didn’t get an invite to the party, unfortunately, but the Marley Champion 2 still make a mark as a solid pair of value-friendly, fitness-focused earbuds.

About the Marley Champion 2

Marley Champion 2 specs

• Price: $89.99
• Battery life: Up to 10 hours, up to 35 hours total with case
• Drivers: Two 6mm drivers
• Colors: Black, Cream
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2
• Water-resistance: IPX5
• Ear tips: Small, medium, large

Part of what sets Marley apart from its competitors is the brand’s commitment to crafting its products with sustainable materials, and the Champion 2 follows suit. The buds are made with natural bamboo and its in-house “Regrind” silicone, which is a material made by reclaiming and upcycling post-process and post-consumer waste.

A byproduct of this design approach is a distinct aesthetic, and the Champion 2 stand out with their bamboo caps and speckled white silicone. If incorporating earbuds into your look is your thing, the Champion 2 can check that box.

Marley says the Champion 2 are designed for active lifestyles, sporting an IPX5 weather resistance rating and three sets of removable silicone wings that help secure the buds in your ears. With my ears, these features made for a solid combination when using the Champion 2 during more intensive activities. I wore the earbuds on daily walks, runs, and gym sessions, and they not only held firm in my ears, but they felt comfortable every step of the way. I even popped them in for a handful of rocky, technical mountain bike rides, and the Champion 2 hung in there reasonably well.

A bonus is that you can basically fit all of these activities into the same charge—the Champion 2 has a claimed battery life of up to 10 hours.

On the topic of sound quality, it really comes down to where your expectations are heading into your first listening session with the Champion 2. If you’re anticipating audio excellence, you’re going to be disappointed. But if you’re hoping for something that will sound decent enough to get you through a workout, you’re on the right track.

The Champion 2’s 6mm drivers are plenty capable for casual listening across most genres, from punchy bass in Ice Cube’s “It Was A Good Day,” to a nice, balanced mid-range in songs like Radiohead’s “Creep.” They just don’t deliver the crisp, detailed highs or the powerful low end that more refined, sporty offerings like the Jabra Elite 7 Active can produce.

Audio isn’t what holds back the Champion 2, but the lack of active noise cancellation is. The Champion 2 come without active noise cancellation, and the passive noise reduction they offer doesn’t suffice. Two years ago, I might not have noted this as a detriment to a pair of earbuds clocking in at under $100. Today, however, there are a wealth of options for budget true wireless ANC earbuds. The truth of the matter is you just can’t skirt by without some level of ANC in this age of earbuds.

Marley has an accompanying app for its earbuds, and it’s a generally uninspired tool for your earbuds. It lets you assign specific controls to each button press on the earbud, switch between different EQ options, or switch into an ambient sound mode that allows some outside sound in, but not as much as I hoped for a feature that’s meant to let you briefly hear all of your surroundings. It’s a little on the slow side performance-wise, and there’s honestly not a ton that makes it particularly useful.

Should you buy the Marley Champion 2?

Maybe, if battery life matters more than ANC for your fitness needs

The Marley Champion 2 benefit tremendously from being fitness-focused earbuds, thanks to their silicone wings, IPX5 rating and 10-hour battery life. That helps put them squarely in a different field of earbuds, and in that specific, budget-friendly active earbuds race, they can hang right in there in the middle of the pack. They’re not getting on the podium in most cases, but they surely aren’t getting lapped.

Marley’s dedication to sustainability and the Champion 2’s aesthetic adds a touch of uniqueness, as well. But keep in mind that if you choose to go the Marley route, you will be missing out on active noise cancellation. If that isn’t concerning, then the Champion 2 do make a solid, wallet-friendly option for active individuals. But if you need ANC in the mix, there are other options.

House of Marley Champion 2

$90.00

The House of Marley Champion 2 earbuds are a solid pair of workout earbuds, but are missing ANC.

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