Cutting cords with the PaMu Slide

We’ve reviewed a variety of items you might want to take along for your workout, primarily in the realm of shoes and fitness watches (most recently, the Polar Vantage M). But what about tunes? As with most people, I like something to listen to, be it music or a podcast, while I work up a sweat. In the past, I’ve just opted for whatever inexpensive bluetooth headset I could find. Those got the job done, but there was always a wire banging around around, connecting the two sides. Well, recently I got to spend some time with a headset that takes that wire out of the mix, the PaMu Slide.

Of course, these days, you’ve got all manner of “true wireless” headphones out there in the market. The Apple AirPods are the ones most folks think of first, and then there’s everything else. So, how does the PaMu Slide differentiate itself? Well, to start with, it’s in the specs. You can see the full rundown at the bottom of the article, but the key here for the brand is in the chip they’re using. The IndieGogo campaign has details on various tests comparing what the chipset offers and how it stacks up to what others are offering. I’m no audio or bluetooth expert, so I can’t judge that. That has to come from actually using it.

To begin with, pairing the PaMu Slide couldn’t be simpler. Pull them out of the case (more on that in a minute) and they go into pairing mode. If you’ve not set them up yet, you can see them in the bluetooth settings on your device, and they’re quickly paired up. On the other hand, if they were setup already, they will immediately connect to your device, and you’re ready to rock. With the wireless design, how well they stay in your ears was a concern of mine. On that detail, I can confirm the marketing hype – these do not fall out. I figured the most rigorous test I could put them through would be running, and they’ve stayed in without problem. I may push them in a touch here and there for a tighter seal / better sound, but they’ve never fallen out. And if you’re just walking around with them, you’ll be a-ok.

If you’re like me, though, and need to sort of resettle the PaMu Slide in your ears, you’ll need to be careful where you touch to push them in. This is because the headphones rely on touch controls. Short tap on either one will pause (or start) your music. Press and hold on the left, volume drops; do that on the right, and volume goes up. So, for me to resettle things, I ended up grasping them by the stem (where the microphone is ) so I don’t accidentally interrupt the flow of sound waves. And yes, with the mic, you can make calls and the like, and quality is decent there as well.

Whether you’re making calls or listening to something, you should be able to get around 10 hours out of the batteries built into the PaMu Slide. To refuel them, you need to put them into their case, which is also how they’re charged. The magnets grab them into place, and immediately start charging them up. When that starts, there are LEDs on the lid of the case (which slides open/closed) that tell you the battery level on the case itself. Just 5 minutes in the case will give you another hour on the headset, and you should be able to fully charge the headphones 6 times. The case itself is charged via a USB-C connection, and if you get the upgraded case, you get the capability for wireless charging. By that, think of it as a wireless charging pad built into the case that you can use to charge your phone. I couldn’t test that out (my phone is a few versions back), so I’ll take their word for it.

So, what if you don’t want to put your PaMu Slides back into the case when you’re taking a break, just to keep from unnecessary charge cycles? There’s no on-off on the case (well, except for the built-in wireless charger for a phone) so you need to leave them out of the case. Fortunately, the chipset realizes they’re not active, and puts them into a low-power standby. I easily used them at the gym and on my commute, set them on my desk at work, and then picked them up on the way out for the commute home, and had no issues with the battery being run down. I wouldn’t have minded to be able to control whether or not they charged – so I could store them in teh protective case – but that’s not an option here.

Throughout it all, I found the PaMu Slide to be a solid option for use at the gym and on the commute, and as a backup for quick phone calls on the go (I generally prefer to use a wired headset there if I’m not just holding the phone). These are up on Indiegogo right now (project page) and have a variety of pricing. If you want the simpler charging case (Without the wireless charging for a phone) you can get in on the campaign for $49; on the other hand, if you want the charger (which takes you to the PaMu Slide Plus) it’s just $69. Either version is available in white, black, or the green which we reviewed. Interestingly, if you back, you won’t need to wait for the campaign to close (which wraps up on July 7, 2019), as they’re making shipments every week as things go along. For my first experience with “true wireless” headphones, I came away impressed with what the PaMu Slide has to offer. padmate-tech.com

Review Summary

Brand & Model: PaMu Slide
Price: Earlybird pricing starts at $49 for the regular case, $69 for the wireless charging version

Who’s it for? You want a true wireless headset to keep you company at the gym or on your commute
Would I wear it? Yes, I’ve been using these daily, and do not miss having a wire bouncing off of my neck
What I’d change: The ability to turn off charging of the headphones, so they could be stored in the case without hitting charge cycles