Innovation: iRun Earphones
Three Styles:
- iRun Performance is a short-wired earphone for iPod Shuffle users who wear hats or shirts while they train.
- iRun Advantage is for those who strap smart phones to their arms or attach iPods to their sports bras.
- iRun Extreme is a waterproof earphone for water-sports enthusiasts.
Philosophy:
Local company iRun seeks to improve upon existing athletic products. “We identify the problems that others don’t address, and find solutions,” says founder Frank Duggar. One result: earphones with shorter cords.
Product:
Duggar, a marathoner and triathlete, had a problem with long earphone cords. “They would always get stuck to me when I would sweat, get tangled and I would have to come up with different ways to deal with it,” he says. “So I decided to solve the problem. I bought a cheap pair of earphones, cut the wires, soldered them together, tried it out and it worked.”
User:
“I’ve always run with headphones for as long as I can remember. I’ve been running with iRun earphones for two years now and I love the short cords,” says Rob Keogh, a petty officer with the U.S. Coast Guard. “I use them with my iPod, which I clip onto my hat. No tangling wires, no fuss and great sound.”
Other Products:
iRun also makes socks, laces, belts and hats.
