Apple’s AirPods Max have hit a newfound popularity, at least from what I see in the streets (and, oddly, the gyms) of New York City. This means one thing: It’s time to accessorize so you stand out in the crowd. Affordable and rather boring covers can be found everywhere online, but I’ve just discovered a new brand that makes the absolute coolest AirPods Max covers I’ve ever seen. And so I immediately secured a few pairs of the Commuter Walkman AirPods Max Covers to try them out for myself — here’s how it went.
Upgrade a pair of AirPods Max with style with these genuine leather covers, sold in red, black, olive, white and blue.
What we liked about it
Commuter’s Walkman covers come in five distinct and compelling colors (unlike the iPhone 15 Pro), and will appeal to many for adding a more natural texture to Apple’s machined metal design. Sneakerheads are likely a major target demographic, as the pebbled grain instantly reminds me of the textures of Nike’s iconic Air Force 1 shoes. And while the Max are among our favorite over-ear headphones and noise-canceling headphones, their simple look just begs for this stylish upgrade.
Each $50 pair of Walkman AirPods Max covers comes in a neat blue pouch that closes with drawstrings and bears the Commuter logo. We got samples of the Apple red, Onyx black and Cloud white covers, and they’re also made in a Commuter blue and Dark Olive green. Your mileage may vary, but I’m personally voting for the blue, red and white versions, all of which really pop.
As long as you match the Walkman covers you buy to the person you’re giving them to, I’m confident the gift will be appreciated. Most AirPods Max owners presumably had the $549 or so to spend (I pray y’all got them on sale like I did), so I’m guessing they appreciate the finer things, including fancy accessories.
Actually using the Walkman covers is quite simple. They snap onto each of the AirPods Max cans quite easily, and the headphones’ comfort level doesn’t change at all. Popping on the right side is extra simple, as there’s only one direction you can snap the cover on due to the controls at the top. When snapping on the left side, make sure the little Walkman logo is on the bottom side to have them correctly set.
In theory, placing that left cover wrong could create an issue by covering one of the headphones’ microphones. To make sure there’s no potential downside to putting that left cover on wrong, I took to the New York City streets to make some calls while taking the Walkman covers off and on while also toggling the AirPods Max’s noise-canceling modes. There was no difference; I sounded equally clear all the time.
What we learned testing them out
I initially had an awkward time fitting the Walkman-covered AirPods Max into Apple’s standard case (which you need to turn the AirPods Max off). They didn’t fit perfectly at first, but after a bit of effort, I managed to make it work on my second try.
In terms of durability, just note that since the Walkman AirPods Max covers are made with genuine leather, just know that they’ll acquire their own set of unique markings and aging during your usage.
Bottom line
People are increasingly hard to shop for, but I think that the Walkman covers are the perfect gift for that hard-to-shop-for AirPods Max owner in your life — even if that person is yourself. They snap on and off easily, so changing pairs to match your outfits (and especially your shoes) is a breeze. While they’re not a thoughtless purchase at $50, I’ll argue their value perfectly matches the price.