The great headphone debate

It seems like I go through headphones faster than anything else. I haven't quite figured out what the problem is. One pair broke so that when I was running and it was windy the volume would oscillate with my stride, and the volume control didn't work to combat the problem. Eventually, the started doing that when it wasn't windy. The next pair broke pretty quickly, the wires frayed inside, or something, but the sound started getting crackly and then stopped working all together. I've had sets that just don't fit - they start to slide out when I get the tiniest bit sweaty. I've tried the over the ear ones, but those are even worse - it's really got to be earbuds for me. And then, we've got the problem with the cord. I like to run the cord down the back of my shirt, and directly into the pouch where the iPod lives. Sometimes if the cords are too short (or too long) they get all tangled around my running belt. Currently, I'm limping along with one pair - they fit ok, because they've got these foam covers around the earbuds that seem to keep them in place, no matter how much sweat. Unfortunately, those foam covers come off very easily. I've lost them about17 times, somehow I always manage to find it - sometimes days or weeks later. Without the foam, they don't fit or stay in at all. I've seen some posts for wireless headphones, that are bluetooth enabled, those seem sweet. But, perhaps impractical. At some point, I may decide to replace my lost iPod shuffle and bluetooth headphones would be useless.

During Ragnar there was a discussion as to whether headphones were allowed or not. Most official marathons have taken to banning headphones, mostly because they could be dangerous if you can't hear what's going on around you. It's a rule I understand, but not one I love. I live for the music on my runs, and I'm not sure I'd enjoy it as much without the soundtrack going on in my ears. That said, some recent posts to the Ragnar facebook page indicate that, for Ragnar at least, these guys ARE acceptable. It's funny, when we started Ragnar, I wasn't wearing my headphones (there had been a headphone debacle, and I thought I forgot mine so a teammate lent me a pair. The pair I was using were the big over your ear ones, which I never did figure out how to wear, but before starting I had them just clipped to my tank top straps. Many people made comments about the "speakers", but I never really understand so I ignored them. I guess they thought I had a set of these already.) I wonder how these actually work. Will they aggravate everyone around you, or are they really "personal" speakers? However, they may be the answer to headphone bans!