>I may just get another pair. My current pair are shorting
>out.

If the sound is shorting then you need a new pair - if not then blowing compressed air into the controller has made it work for me again. If some dust gets in there the rocker controls don't work.

And while I do have aa Apple Watch I find it harder to fiddle with when I'm using hiking poles (have to left both hands and the poles kind of cross) then to reach up with a single hand an use the controller. Could just be muscle memory too.