Adidas promises to take sustainability to the next level with its RPT-02 SOL solar-powered headphones. The concept isn’t new. We’ve previously seen Urbanista release a very similar-looking set with the same capabilities.
The headband of the RPT-02 SOL is made of a material called Powerfoyle. The highly flexible light-cell material, created by Swedish solar tech company Exegar, allows charging by natural or artificial light. Sustainability is built into the headphones’ DNA, with its composition being about 44% recycled plastic and nylon.
Making light of Adidas
This sustainability is married to quality sound, via a collaboration between Zound and the athletic brand. The collaboration is one of many cues taken from the previously launched RPT-01. These solar-powered cans also share their design with the RPT-01. The updated model’s solar charging ability, however, promises to double its predecessor’s playback time from 40 hours to 80. In other words, they’ll absolutely last through your workout session.
“Outdoor workouts make me sweat, and I don’t want any water damage,” you may think. The good news is that while the RPT-02s may not be waterproof, they are IPX4-rated. They should handle sweat and splashing. Expect to run on the beach like Rocky, with your playlist providing that Eye of the Tiger energy.
These Adidas headphones feature built-in controls so you don’t need to interrupt your focus scrambling to skip the chill song that sneaked into your focus playlist. There is also an indicator to help you find the best light for charging. If there isn’t any, these headphones also charge via a USB-C port. The RPT-02 headphones launch overseas later this month. Expect them to cost about R4,000 ($230), should they make it to this side of the world.
