BMHOLU F9-5 Ear-Hook Earbuds

That makes it the odd one out among F9-5s. The classic F9-5 is a rounded bud in a chunky power-bank case. BMHOLU keeps the F9-5 name and the IPX7 rating but builds a sport-hook bud in a compact case, sold under the model code WW87Q.

• Silicone hooks: soft enough for long wear, firm enough for jumps and turns.
• IPX7: sweat and rain are well inside the rating.
• Bluetooth 5.3: the newest radio in the F9-5 family.
• Touch plus button: taps for music and calls, a multi-function button for volume.
• Polycarbonate housing: a tough, light plastic body.

Hooks change the feel. The weight of the bud rests on the ear instead of hanging on the tip seal. For many runners that means less pressure deep in the ear canal and no need to push the bud back in every few minutes.

BMHOLU pitches the pair for running, jogging, travel and outdoor sessions. It is a pair for moving hard, not for lying on a pillow: side sleepers will feel the hooks.

Glasses wearers should try the hook with their frames on. The hook shares the space behind the ear with the arm of the glasses, and some people find the stack snug on a long day.

The very first time, the routine is just as short. Take the buds out, switch on Bluetooth on the phone, and the pair shows up ready to connect.

1. Give the case roughly an hour on the cable so it starts full.
2. Open the lid and lift both buds out.
3. Turn on Bluetooth and choose the pair.
4. Hook each bud over the ear and start the run.

After that, every session is lid open, buds on, go. That matters on cold mornings, when fiddling with a phone in gloves is no fun at all.

The button is the detail sprinters will like. A physical press for volume is easier to hit mid-stride than a triple tap, and it does not fire by accident when you adjust the hook.

Range is rated at 10 metres. Strap the phone to your arm, or leave it on the bench beside the rack, and the link holds.

Tap counts live in the F9 touch-control manual. For a first pairing on iPhone or Android, see pairing F9 earbuds. Left or right bud silent? The F9 reset steps re-link the pair.

• Phones: iPhone and Android.
• Tablets and laptops: for the bike trainer or a stretching video.
• Desktops: for calls at the desk after the run.

Five hours per charge covers any run most people will do. Forty minutes back in the case fills the buds again, so a lunchtime session and an evening commute both start full.

The case shows its charge on a power display. Glance at it before you leave. If it reads low, an hour on the cable brings it back, which fits between breakfast and the door.

• Put the buds back after every session so they are never caught flat.
• Charge the case once or twice a week for regular runners.
• Expect less on cold days and at high volume.

The trade is clear. A 500mAh case cannot top up a phone, and it will not stretch across a long trip with heavy listening. It is light, quick to recharge and easy to carry in a running belt.

Charging habits and reading any F9 case display are covered in the F9 charging walkthrough. IPX7 still applies here: after a wet run, dry the buds first, then dock them.

A note on swimming: BMHOLU lists it among the uses, but IPX7 is a still-water test to one metre for 30 minutes. Laps, dives and chlorine are outside it, so keep these for dry land.

Pick the BMHOLU if buds keep falling out of your ears. Pick a power-bank F9-5 if the phone is always the thing that dies first.

Plenty of buyers want both. The hooks make the BMHOLU the running pair; a big-case F9-5 can stay in the travel bag.

Sound plays second fiddle to fit here, and that is fine. BMHOLU quotes a dynamic driver with a 20Hz–20kHz range, the normal span for buds. The hooks help the sound too: a bud that stays seated keeps its bass, where a slipping one goes thin.

Size is the other win. The small case slides into a running belt or the key pocket of your shorts far more easily than any power-bank case.

• Before you buy: check that hooks work with your glasses or hat.
• Know the name: the box code is WW87Q; the F9-5 name describes the family, not a classic power-bank case.
• Plan charging: the small case needs a cable more often than a 2,000mAh one.

For a wider look at every F9 shape, from classic to Mini, see the F9 version comparison. If hooks appeal but you want a bigger case, the ear-hook lookalikes outside the F9 family carry LED cases too.