In the previous six months, I have journeyed to Argentina for a wedding, Miami for another wedding, South Carolina for the holidays, and Costa Rica for a friend’s birthday celebration. The first item I packed for each trip was my Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds.
These have quickly become my essential travel companion.
Why sleep earbuds?
Many individuals likely opt for their AirPods or a high-quality pair of noise-canceling headphones when flying — and I do the same. So, why select a specialized audio product with restricted luggage space?
Soundcore’s Sleep A20s are our preferred economical sleep earbuds. With a 14-hour battery life, they can last through the night — or during extended flights — and the Soundcore app is filled with soundscapes and white noise choices. The main appeal for me is their comfort.
My AirPods 4 are fantastic for walks, phone calls, and listening to music for brief periods. However, I do experience ear fatigue. I won’t pretend that the Sleep A20s feel like they’re not there, but they exert significantly less pressure on my ear canal, allowing me to wear them comfortably for longer durations. They also provide superior passive noise cancellation compared to my AirPods, with a more secure fit.
Additionally, I appreciate having an application dedicated to my sleep sounds, so my Spotify Wrapped isn’t influenced by my top song “Deep Sleep Brown Noise.”
I slept through an entire long-haul flight
My overnight flight from New York to Buenos Aires spanned around 10 hours, and I managed to sleep for eight or nine of those. I started watching The Bob’s Burgers Movie until I dozed off, then donned my eye mask and fell asleep.
The fantastic aspect of Soundcore’s sleep earbuds is that they double as standard Bluetooth earbuds. This feature allowed me to connect them to my iPad to listen to the movie audio, then switch to sleep sounds as I started feeling drowsy.
I have a few customized soundscapes stored in the Soundcore app, so I let the sounds of crackling fire, rain on a tent, and cicadas gently carry me off to sleep. Once the earbuds recognize that I’ve truly dozed off, they transition to white noise.
The return flight mirrored my experience. It was yet another overnight flight, and I queued an episode of Bob’s Burgers until I felt ready to sleep. I woke up with about an hour and a half remaining on the flight (just in time for the delightful breakfast service of plain Greek yogurt), while my partner mentioned he was frequently disturbed by the flight. I felt genuinely refreshed.
A lifesaver for noisy Airbnbs
The Airbnb where I stayed in Miami was situated across from a nightclub. The music blasted well into the morning, making it nearly impossible to drift off. Thankfully, I had my sleep earbuds available.
I inserted those remarkable earbuds, selected my sleep sound composed of meditation music, a dryer, and rain, and fell into a deep sleep. The following morning, my partner once again remarked that he had an awful night’s sleep and was kept awake by the club music. I slept soundly through the night, without issue.
If you have a snorer at home, sleep earbuds could transform a frustrating, sleepless night into one of white noise tranquility. During my Christmas visit to my mom, both she and her partner snore like you wouldn’t believe. I could hear them from the guest room, so I slipped in the Sleep A20s and blocked out the noise until morning.
A permanent fixture in my travel bag
Since purchasing the Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds, I’ve taken them on every trip, and I intend to bring them on all my future journeys. They are compact enough that I don’t feel like I’m occupying valuable carry-on space. As they function as regular Bluetooth earbuds, I can also use them as a replacement for AirPods — and they are much more comfortable.
If I find myself on a noisy plane or sharing a space with a snorer, I know the Sleep A20s will come to my aid.
This version of Soundcore’s sleep earbuds lacks noise cancellation, but that doesn’t bother me. The soundscapes provide sufficient masking for a comfortable sleep. However, if you prefer noise-canceling sleep earbuds, my colleague, Bethany Allard, is a fan of the Soundcore Sleep A30 Specials.