Ignore this reply post if you hate long-winded people (v;
I vaguely remember Tyll saying he was taking along a Bose QC model as his only over-ear headphones (he likely has earphones as well) , but as I stated previously, my pathetic memory, so take my recollection with that in mind. For a reviewer who reviewed many headphones from expensive to budget, I admire that he found no need for an expensive set of cans in his vagabond retirement. I love him all the more for that (v; ..and yes, I too wonder how the nomad life worked out for him. That nomad lifestyle definitely not my cuppa. Past experiences out in the great outdoor in a pop-up Coleman and later on trip to Big Sur with friends in an RV in 1990's had me in no time yearning for a nice B&B or decent motel!
Having owned many noise cancelling headphones, and having a small head and being a smaller person overall, I have found no NC headphone I prefer more than the QC25. I have several pairs of QC35's and Bose offered me their newest QC45 at huge discount, but I declined. I work from home now and well before the pandemic, and spend 1/2 of my time wearing NC headphones.
The QC25 is lighter than all the QC versions since. If you're a small person, especially with arthritis - the QC25 is a winner that will soon enough be unobtainable. I like the EQ'd QC35's, though find having to plug-in to recharge a PITA. I keep several in rotation when I use that model, but it's a heavier model and it does not fit my head as perfectly as the QC25 does. QC25 for cost (no longer manufactured, but still available sometimes on eBay, etc.) weight, swap in/out single AAA (I roll with rechargeable batteries) is the best overall Bose NC model IMHO for smaller folks, and for other reasons I stated. The most glaring issues with Bose NC headphones is, under constant use, the OEM Bose replacement ear-pads (and only purchase the OEM ones, third party replacements don't perform as well as far as NC goes) wear out quickly and are a bit pricey, and secondly because QC25 has no Bluetooth, many will rule it out immediately. If Tyll just took one headphone on his nomad adventures, I can understand why it would be a NC can that could be powered off a single replaceable battery.
Me thinks headphone/earphone reviewers going forward, even with exposure social media provides, will find it tough to build a fan base as loyal as Tyll had. Heck, we're still talking him all these years after he hit the road.
