The tech folks at Phillips have teamed up with the rubber dudes at O’Neill to produce some seriously legit headphones for the surf market. Hurrah!

First things first. The sound. Plenty of bass for you electro kids, loads of kick for you metallers, and an all-round crisp sound that can’t be faulted. The Phillips crew know what they’re doing, and these cans pack proper punch.

The design is rock solid. The cord is coated in a tough, tangle-free material that keeps things in order. The arch is made outta this crazy strong, flexible material called TR55LX. What’s that mean? It’s basically bulletproof; high stress-crack resistant, six times harder than polycarbonate and doesn’t lose its strength in extreme hot or cold, so you can leave then in a car on a 40-degree day, then take them to the snow six months later and they’ll be pumping out your beats same as ever.

Other points of note are the neoprene padding, making these already lightweight cans float on your melon, and the self-adjusting wetsuit strap, meaning no fiddly extenders. The ear pieces fit comfortably over any wingnut’s trophy handles.

Colours are sleek. A red and black style had us thinking of Knight Rider, while the all-white guys would pair nicely with a Scarface-style limousine, somewhere in  South Beach, Miami.

The only downside to the Stretch is their girth. If they’re not on your head they’ll take up plenty of space in your bag. But, if you’re travelling, why do you want them in your bag anyway?

ASL RATING: 4.5/5
BEST FOR: Crisp, comfy, quality listening
FOR MORE: www.oneill.com/testedonanimals