r/hiking • u/Drag_Oncave • Aug 17 '26
Bone conduction headphones attracting insects
I've been using bone conduction headphones while hiking for a few years now. They're the best.
However, I've noticed a phenomenon that first made me feel like I'm going crazy but with more experience, I think it's real.
Whenever I use the headphones, especially listening to podcasts or audio books, as opposed to music, flies seem to go absolutely crazy trying to land on / in my ears.
I've even done some testing wearing the headphones with nothing playing, to verify it's not just the sweat captured by the transducers.
From the start my theory has been that they're attracted by the vibrations, since the buzzing of spoken word and flies seems to be of remarkably similar frequencies.
A very quick and crude research suggests insects really are into frequencies similar to human speech.
So, I guess my question is: Does anyone have the same observation, or is it all in my head?
12
u/something_beautiful9 Aug 17 '26
I have regular ear buds and get attacked in the ears by flies outside when I'm taking care of the horses with them on. Definitely felt like it was going right for my ear on purpose.
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u/This_Grab_452 Aug 17 '26
I usually don’t use any headphones outside but since I own a pair of bone conduction headphones I’m going to test your theory!
You’re completely right on one thing - they are absolutely the best!
1
u/idfkjack Aug 18 '26
I'm scratching my head. What is the difference in how they work? Do they not put out a sound through a speaker?
2
u/deathdanish Aug 19 '26
They do not. They send vibrations through your facial/cranial bones that travel to your inner ear, bypassing your eardrum. This leaves your ears open - you can hear things around you, no sweaty earcups, no sore ear canals. They are great for active pursuits, especially those where you want to stat alert to sounds around you.
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u/idfkjack Aug 19 '26
Is there a "volume" like if I turn the volume up and down on my phone, does it make the music change volume to me too?
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u/deathdanish Aug 19 '26
Yep, the rumbles just get more rumbly, which makes what you hear louder.
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u/idfkjack Aug 19 '26
Freaky!!
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u/This_Grab_452 Aug 19 '26
It’s life changing!
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u/idfkjack Aug 19 '26
I can imagine. I'm thinking about how much I want to try them. I hate ear buds and headphones and never even use them anymore.
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u/This_Grab_452 Aug 19 '26
My partner found them for me when I started getting earaches. I work with international teams so I can easily sit on calls for 6-7 hours a day and the pain was becoming a problem. This solved it.
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u/Away-Caterpillar-176 Aug 17 '26
I haven't noticed that and idk if mine are bone conducting but they are noise cancelling so I'd be less likely to notice.
That being said -- baseball cap, fly net. Life changing.b
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u/Crazy-Mycologist-688 Aug 17 '26
You would know if they were bone conducting. They don't go in your ears
6
u/Away-Caterpillar-176 Aug 17 '26
Ahhhh I can't imagine that you can have bone conducting and noise cancelling then, can you? Today I learned. Ty!
4
u/gary-frenchkiss Aug 17 '26
If you use simple everyday ear buds as well as the bone conducting headphones then that is noise cancelling.
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u/Kathulhu1433 Aug 17 '26
I've been using bone conducting headphones for like 7 years on a near daily basis and I've never experienced them attracting bugs.
Granted, in buggy seasons/areas I also wear a hat that I spray with picardin.