So I’m a regular user of the Anker Soundbuds Curve:
I also own the original Soundbuds Sport (which I think were reinvented as the Soundbuds Slim or Soundbuds Surge?), but I actually use the Soundbuds Curve every day, wheareas the others hang out in my office for backup purposes. The short answer is: after a year, I still love these things. Here is why:
Ear Holder Things
I don’t know what to call these, but they are the #1 reason I use them every day:
They create a tight fit and unshakeable security no matter what you are up to. Before I bought them, I thought they looked weird and uncomfortable, but they are atually the most comfortable feature of these earbuds. They also make them very easy to put on, because you can hook them on the ear then wiggle a bit to adjust the fit. It’s also VERY clear which one goes on which ear, even in the dark, once you get the idea of how they work. Also, they come with S/M/L ear gaskets, so no matter what your ear canals look like, there’s a fit for you.
Carrying Case
Not all earbud accessories are created equal. Most of them come with a simple felt bag or something (Ahem, OG SoundBuds Sport), but these come with a legit clamshell carrying case that I REALLY appreciate:
Not only does it hold the earbuds, but it also fits their charging cable as well in the little mesh thing. Then they zip up and fit in your bag. Or, better yet, clip tot he outside of the bag with their handy little clip. The case itself is quite small, and quite thin. See it in my hand:
And next to an 11 inch Macbook Air (the smallest laptop ever!)
Easy Charging, Great Battery Life
These take a micro USB charging input, which is the easiest cable in the world to find. If I left mine at home, I could ask literally anyone on the street and they would probably have one in their pocket. They are THAT common:
As for battery life, I’ve never run out of battery. Full disclosure: I plug my stuff in at the end of the day, so if I went two full days without a charge I’d probably run out. But, then I’d just pull out my Fusion 5000 and charge them real quick 
As it is, though, I’ve gone through a full day of calls, music, and podcasts without needing a charge. That’s pretty impressive for such a small set of earbuds.
Phone Calls
I use these for all my professional phone calls and video conferences. I leave the wires behind my head and people on the other side can barely see that I’m using earbuds. The mic quality is excellent, and I’ve asked several people about how I sound and they all say it’s great! Family, friends, clients, you name it, I’ve talked to them through this mic.
Sound Quality
Face it: earbuds aren’t over the ear headphones, and they never will be. I’ve listened to beats and marley and skullcandy, and the sound quality on these is as good as any of those brands (Though this is not the case with all Anker earbuds - the original soundbuds sport are not that great) Bose QC series absolutely blows these out of the water, of course, but it;s a different product class. For earbuds (especially such inexpensive ones), these are great.
Price
Take all that into account, and the $26 price point is WORTH IT.
##Durability
After a year of water, sweat, and mistreatment, these things still look and sound like new. I’m not easy on tech, and that needs to be mentioned.
Cons
- No ANC - It’s a lot to ask, and I haven’t seen anyone do ANC as well as Bose anyway (maybe the SoundCore Life but I haven’t tried them),but ANC sure is nice
- The WIRE! I know, it’s not the point of this product to be truly wireless, but I think there’s room for an over-the-ear secured and fully wireless earbud. Just an idea IMHO.
Thanks for reading!
Luckily I won a pair of Spirit X’s so only had to go a day without earbuds 