This all-in-one fitness device isn’t a watch, or a band, or an app

As a runner who doesn’t like to work out without tunes (or the occasional riveting podcast) I’ve regretfully embraced the “running with your phone in your hand” jogging model. It sucks.

I find it marginally better than the “running with your phone strapped to your arm” model, simply because such straps are often uncomfortable, or require some mid-running adjustments that require a stop or two. But when I run, I’m still a headphone-cord-jangling, notification-distracting, phone-holding wreck.

That’s why Kuai caught my eye. The Hong Kong and Shenzhen-based biometric headphones startup blasted through its Kickstarter goal late last year, and is now demoing at CES in Las Vegas.

Put it all in the headphones

The premise of Kuai is simple: take all of the main components of workout tech – heart rate monitor, pedometer, music player, sport watch, etc. – and cram it into a set of headphones.

The headset boasts 8GB of storage for music (or those aforementioned riveting podcasts) and is also equipped with sensors that measure everything from heart rate to running speed to calories burned.

Also, similar to the Moov Now fitness tracker we reviewed last month, the Kuai also coaches you – a “virtual coach” voice will provide live feedback to the user, to make sure you’re not slipping behind on your workout goals.

And it’s not meant only for runners – Kuai is waterproof to three meters, meaning it can be used for swimming laps. The company also sells a bike sensor for cyclists, and its Kickstarter campaign proposes that Kuai’s biometric sensors make it a worthy addition to gym workouts, extreme sports, and pretty much everything in between.

There is one major downside to cramming this many features into a set of headphones: the controls.

There is one major downside to cramming this many features into a set of headphones: the controls. Kuai is controlled via two tiny joystick-like nubs that rest behind a user’s earlobes. While it’s certainly possible for this to be a viable method of controlling the device – we haven’t yet gotten a chance to take Kuai out for a spin – mark us as skeptical that a wide audience of people will be interested in sorting through 8GB worth of playlists and tracks by pushing a nub for each one. That said, the entire point of this sort of device is that it can be operated without a phone, so perhaps a slight hit to usability is to be expected.