Review: Kidz Gear Headphones
Filed under: gadgets and gizmos, headphones, kids, kidz gear, review, technology
When was the last time you bought something techie for your kids and found it was just a toy? Or you bought something that was in reality a product you would use, except for the teen heartthrob painted on it?
When I first heard about Kidz Gear™ headphones for kids – I was both curious and sceptical. Several questions came to mind immediately…
1. How safe are headphones for developing ears?
2. How safe are kids walking around with headphones on?
3. How often will I have to replace these headphones when the kids break them?
I spent an hour with Kidz Gear™ yesterday, and came away a true believer. First and foremost, the product was designed by parents – who have similar concerns to the ones I raised above. They are designed to solve the never ending battle between a child’s desire for his or her parent’s things and the parent’s fear of them destroying an expensive item.
Kidz Gear™ headphones feature KidzControl™ Volume Limit Technology for Safe Listening. This technology works by limiting the volume to approximately 80% of the maximum volume output capable from audio devices in market today. KidzContro™ Volume Limit headphones are not toys – they are adult headphones built for kids. (Who hasn’t got the mental image of your child wearing your headphones – several sizes too big?). They feature ergonomic design with soft padded child-sized ear-cups and high quality audio components.
Each Kidz Gear™ headphones come with the volume limiting adaptor. The company also offer this volume limiting plug to anyone – regardless of the brand of headphone.
Going on a road trip and want to keep the kids occupied? Kidz Gear™ also have a IR and WiFi models for use in some vans – and a Bluetooth version is on the horizon. Got more than one kid and only one audio/video source? Don’t worry – a splitter is also available – for two headsets.
The KidzControl™ Volume Limit technology also addresses my concerns regarding safety. I know from personal experience that walking through the streets of Melbourne with good quality headphones on can be dangerous –you simply do not hear traffic noises and can risk serious injury or worse crossing the road. The KidzControl™ Volume Limit technology does not perform noise cancelling functions – you can still hear surrounding sounds whilst connected to an audio or video source. As with all matters relating to road and footpath safety – parental control is highly recommended – and no headphones should be worn whilst riding bikes or scooters or walking in the street.
Who are Kidz Gear™?
The Kidz Gear™ brand of products and accessories was founded in 2001 by Laurie Peterson with the purpose of developing a line of products and accessories with adult features, performance and quality, but with ergonomic and economic sizes, styles and prices for children. This year, Laurie has seen her product receive the Learning Magazine Teachers’ Choice Award for Excellence in Classroom Products.
In Australia, the headsets are being used in school language labs and other areas.
Product Specifications:
- Free KidzControl™ Volume Limit Cable
- Lifetime Limited Warranty
- Built-in Volume Knob to adjust volume range (within limit)
- Custom designed for Children 2 years and older
- Light weight and comfortable
- Volume limited to approximately 80% (~20dB lower) of Maximum
- Frequency Range: 20 -20KHz
- Sensitivity: 108dB (without KidzControl Volume Limiting)
- Cord Length: 1.5 meters
- Speaker size: 30mm
- Colour options: Grey, Pink, Orange, Blue, Green, Purple
Note: The above information is not to be taken as Telstra’s endorsement of the products mentioned, or to vouch for their performance or quality; this blog is just intended to provide readers with reporting on highlights of products showcased at CES 2013. Readers should consult the manufacturer’s websites and promotional material for full details on the products, including as to availability, any applicable terms and conditions of use, and pricing.
Nice review for Kidz Gear. Can’t wait to give this to my music lover daughter. It comes with pretty cool colors too.
Hi Michael, I bought 2 sets of these early last year from the US (only available in grey then). I bought them for my 5/3 year old daughters for a trip to the UK and added their cable splitter so the girls could share shows on an Ipad. These are excellent for small ears and across 4 long haul flights (with rushed connections)—no damage at all. if you speak to them again, please tell them their product would be 10/10 if it came with a carry case – otherwise 9.9/10.
Paul, just heard back from the manufacturer. They do have carry bags available on their website (www.gearforkidz.com).
With regards to the international plugs and market opportunities you raised, they are addressing this market at present – not sure of the exact dates but will be looking to have the international flight plugs available.
this is great !! exactly what I was looking at for xmas but couldnt find
at least b/day isnt that far away
Hi Paul
I will pass on your comments. I received a carry bag with the sample I reviewed – will see if they are availalble.
After I finish with the sample I am going to have my 4 year old granddaughter road test it!
Agree that they are excellent for small ears.
Thanks Michael
If they are protective and available I’ll buy 2. I’m sure I can find something to put them in but they fold up without the ears rotating (they just push up to the headband) which means they don’t lay flat and fit in any generic headphone cases I’ve seen.
I honestly thought they would break on our trip to the UK without a case, but they are much tougher than they first appear. It would be good to protect them and be able to quickly tidy up the cables for parents rather than wrap them around the headphones and stuff in a bag “as-is”– the age of the kids these fit, mean it’s really mum or dad that ends up carrying/tidying them up on planes etc.
Also, I couldn’t find Kidz Gear airline Jack (not sure they do one), so I had to use a generic and the connections weren’t perfect meaning sound sometimes was in one ear but not the other – which meant the girls prodding me every 20 minutes to wiggled the connections — not a problem with the headphones at all, just the generic jack I used not being a great fit – but not having an official option.
If I ran that business, I’d package sets specifically to sell at airports worldwide with an official airline Jack and protective carry case included.
It would be such an easy sell as these not only mean kids ears are protected from the constant hiss/background noise, but it also means that the volume on the airline entertainment doesn’t have to be set to maximum to compensate. My kids kept them on even when they weren’t listening to anything as the noise reduction helped them sleep on the plane – they wouldn’t take them off
The whole reason I got onto them was that “jet set” parents were online giving tips on long haul travel with kids and these kept getting a mention…. yet they don’t appear to have focused on that market. It would be the first market I’d tackle.
Pass on my thank for a great product and if they have bags/jacks tell them I’ll buy 2 sets if they tell me where I can get them in Australia!
Does the manufacturer and/or product have a link???
Hi Gregory – you can find more info at the Kidz Gear website.
Do you know if these can be bought in Australia? I’ve checked out gear for kids website and seen the partners etc but amazon & apple don’t ship to where I live in Sydney.
Given the comments on this blog, maybe this ia a product Telstra should consider retailing. They are fantastic for little ears. I saw a LOT of pre-schoolers using pads and handsets to watch kids movies/shows and play games (in airport lounges and on planes) and these are the only real wired headset option I’ve seen for that demographic (I imagine wireless is not an option on a plane). I reckon we could sell these to lots of parents who need this solution, but where supply in Australia of them is ordinary.
I agree Paul – the manufacturer needs to get them out into the market via one or more major retail stores and although Telstra specializes in telecommunications, it is still a major player in the retail industry…
And let’s not forget that not only are most of the products Telstra sells capable of music audio and/or video playback, but Telstra has (sucessfully) sold music products in the past – once upon a time, Telstra was the biggest dealer of Apple’s iPod products!
If Telstra sold these headphones, it’d be a “win-win” scenario for all…
Both Telstra and the manufacturer would make some decent coin, Telstra could boast of being the exclusive or primary dealer for a product that most will need or want, and customers will feel that Telstra is looking after them by supplying a product that will protect their hearing well into the future!
It’s worth looking into T…
Who could look at this for Telstra retail? Maybe Michael Lewis could give a recommendation on who they could talk with as he met them at CES. I saw a TelstraCorp YouTube video a few weeks back where a MOG area (www.mog.com) was set up in an Icon store (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=kQCm6DeV3LQ#t=4s). They appear to have been selling high end earphones etc in store unless they were just for customers to listen to MOG tracks on?
I think these would be an easy up-sell with a product (especially for air travel). Maybe Telstra Retail (perhaps some of the large stores) could have a “funky” travel section (make it a destination for customers before OS travel) with products and services (data packs) and advice (how to use roaming, understand costs etc). Do Telstra have an airport retail presence anywhere to help educate Telstra customers and/or win over other customers by helping demonstrate how to control roaming etc?
When I bought my Iphone a while back (Telstra Chadstone) I was sent to a non-Telstra store to buy a cover, adaptors etc (spent over $100 on plastic that I can only imagine costs cents to produce)…. you are right Telstra Retail is huge, but often it seems the chance to be seen as a retailer is a bit lost, as everything outside of devices and plans seems to be a token effort—giving customers broader accessory choices (of well selected products) in store would make sense, especially with slowing mobile growth… deeper sales/up-sell of products people actually want (bundled into contracts to spread the cost) may be a way forward for Telstra.
How hard is it to sell earphones that protect toddlers ears when there are almost no alternative similar products on offer elsewhere and the parent really wants them? If you also sell them a car headrest dock, a 4G hotspot / Bigpond movies, then you’ve actually just sold them “peace and quiet” on all their long car trips… they might even buy 2 pads to keep 2 kids quiet! For a long time my opinion was “my kids won’t be doing that—they can stare at trees like I did”… but it’s 2013 a pad and “good headphones” gives me rare moments of peace and I think it makes driving safer as I’m not focused on refereeing children.
It’s a great idea Paul and Michael is certainly in the right area to pass this feedback on, however please note that he was travelling of his own volition and not sourcing new products for Telstra, simply reporting on what he saw as an avid technology fan!
can u purchase these headphones in australia? if so where? please let me know!
Hi Kat,
Sure can – from an Apple Store (online or an actual shop) is easiest