Review: BlueAnt Pump HD Sportbuds

A majority of the Bluetooth earphones targeted for the consumers with an active lifestyle are either very bulky or have a hard-structured band that goes behind-the-head to connect both earpieces. It is not often that a Bluetooth earphone fits the criteria of compact and flexible; and that is exactly what the BlueAnt Pump HD Sportbuds is.

Here are the specification of the BlueAnt Pump HD:-

• Play Time: up to 8 hours
• Standby Time: up to 2 weeks
• Bluetooth: Version 3.0
• Water Resistant: up to 30 mins in 1 meter (IP67)
• Profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP

Review

Design & Build Quality

The BlueAnt Pump HD Sportbuds has a behind-the-ear style with great ergonomic fit. The earphone is encased in hard plastic and rubber, giving it that soft velvety texture. The use of such material enables the Pump HD to be IP67 certified, which in simpler term means it is water resistant. It also carries a very simple design, which makes it user-friendly.

On the right earpiece, users will find the volume up and down buttons with a multi-function button neatly placed between them. The multi-function button acts as an all-in-one button; power, play/stop, pairing mode activation. The buttons are well spaced and provided ample feedback when it is pressed. We had no trouble navigating the controls while running on a treadmill at the gym. Lastly, a microphone is also to be found closer to the earphone itself.

There really isn’t much except for the microUSB charging port, hidden behind a rubber seal at the bottom of the left earpiece.

Battery Life

BlueAnt promised a play time of up to 8 hours on the Pump HD. We only managed to get about 7.5 hours of music playback before it was completely depleted. The Pump HD has a recharge time of about 2 hours. Beside the multi-function button is the embedded LEDs, which act as indicators for battery percentage.

Audio & Call Quality

Audio produced through the Pump HD would not be something that any audiophile would hype about. The earphone had heavy bass output but definitely lacks some clarity in the mid to high ranges. Despite that, it was a great companion at the gym as it completely blocks out the surrounding noises.

The microphone yielded some less than pleasant results during our test. The placement of the mic behind the ear simply made it hard for the device to capture any conversation. Feedback we received from the people we called was that voice sounded very distant. This is definitely not a device for taking long calls but would suffice for a quick 10 second conversation.

Features

The biggest feature of the Pump HD is definitely the fact that it is water resistant. With the microUSB port rubber seal in place, the earphone can take splashes of water for up to 30 minutes. We tested this with a quick 5 minutes submersion with the device turned on, playing to the tunes of Incubus and it passed.

The device is also rated to have a 100-ft. Bluetooth connectivity range. However, we tested this range, paired with a Nexus 5, and only managed up to 65-ft. in an open space.

Real-World Test

The Pump HD had no trouble staying put on the ear despite us trying hard to get it off. We ran, did burpees and bench presses and it still stayed put. It definitely felt comfortable once properly attached to the ears. Navigating through the buttons was a breeze and we love that tactile feedback it provides. Cleaning the Pump HD was easy, we simply just ran it though the sink and dried it up with a towel.

One minor issue we noticed was that the black soft rubber band that goes behind the neck was a little stiff and at times might cause some interference. A softer, more flexible material might be great to solve this problem.

Final Thoughts

The BlueAnt Pump HD Sportbuds is a great pair of earphone for users with an active lifestyle. For casual users who just need music on-the-go, there are better options out there that provides longer battery life and superior audio quality.