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The Best Workout Headphones

By Lauren Dragan
Updated
Our picks for best workout headphones displayed in a row, next to a pair of exercise hand weights.
Photo: Michael Hession

Few things will kill your workout vibe faster than a pair of ill-fitting, hard-to-use headphones. The completely wireless JBL Reflect Aero TWS set is our favorite for the gym. We love their secure fit, simple controls, waterproof design, and ability to block noise. Plus, these earbuds sound great.

Everything we recommend

Our pick

Waterproof and sweatproof, these earbuds provide good sound, a secure fit, and a helpful hear-through mode. But the touch-based controls have some limits.

Buying Options

Runner-up

These Apple-friendly earbuds sound great, with slightly boosted bass. Flexible wings help hold these earbuds securely in your ears, but their water and sweat resistance is lower than that of our top pick.

Budget pick

This affordable pair hooks over your ears to stay in place, has good water resistance, and sounds surprisingly decent for the price. But it lacks features like noise cancellation and a hear-through mode.

Also great

These earbuds have a 15-hour battery life, a high water-resistance rating, and good sound quality—but they lack a few helpful features that you get with our pricier picks.

Buying Options

How we picked


  • Cable-free design

    Bluetooth earbuds are best for workouts because they’re small and unobtrusive. Plus, you can keep your phone tucked away.

  • Sweat resistance

    To endure sweat, headphones should have a rating of IPX4 or higher. The more punishing the workout, the higher the rating needed.

  • Ease of use

    Your headphones should be easy to use and have all the buttons you require, so you can put away your phone during workouts.

  • Noise isolation

    For gym headphones, we prefer those that block out external noise. But the inclusion of a hear-through mode is a nice perk.

Read more

Our pick

Waterproof and sweatproof, these earbuds provide good sound, a secure fit, and a helpful hear-through mode. But the touch-based controls have some limits.

Buying Options

The JBL Reflect Aero TWS true wireless earbuds are the best workout headphones for the gym because they stay securely in place, they have simple controls, and they’re waterproof and sweatproof (with an IP68 water-resistance rating). Eight hours of battery life is solid for true wireless earbuds, and the pocket-size case offers up an additional 16 hours of juice.

This pair also sounds good right out of the box, and you can fine-tune the sound via JBL’s mobile app. The sealed design and active noise cancellation can reduce any noisy gym distractions around you. But if you need to hear your surroundings, a hear-through mode is just a tap away. Or, if you prefer, you can use one earbud at a time. Alexa and Google Assistant users will love this set’s compatibility with their voice-activated assistants.

As for downsides, the stabilizing wings that help keep the earbuds in place may become fatiguing for people with sensitive ears. And though the touch-based controls are easy to learn and use, you can’t control volume, playback, noise cancellation, and the hear-through feature inclusively—you’ll have to choose one to omit.

Runner-up

These Apple-friendly earbuds sound great, with slightly boosted bass. Flexible wings help hold these earbuds securely in your ears, but their water and sweat resistance is lower than that of our top pick.

For Apple fans, the Beats Fit Pro pair is a worthy alternative to the JBL Reflect Aero TWS. This set offers easy pairing and connection swapping to Apple devices, as well as touch-free “Hey Siri” control and physical buttons that can control track skip, phone calls, and volume on Apple devices (plus some button customization for Android devices, if you download the Beats app).

Like our top pick, these earbuds have stabilizing wings to help keep them in place, and the sealed design and active noise cancellation can block out gym noise; the hear-through mode allows for occasional situational awareness or conversations between workout sets. Plus, each earbud can work independently.

The IPX4 water-resistance rating should be enough for these earbuds to tolerate most activities, but our top pick’s IP68 rating is better for folks who sweat profusely or are just tougher on their gear.

The Fit Pro pair sounds great, with slightly boosted bass. Six hours of battery life is average, and you get 18 more hours from the charging case—but the case isn’t as small as the JBL case.

As is the case with our top pick, those who are sensitive to pressure in the ear might dislike the feeling of the stabilizing wings.

Budget pick

This affordable pair hooks over your ears to stay in place, has good water resistance, and sounds surprisingly decent for the price. But it lacks features like noise cancellation and a hear-through mode.

The JLab Go Air Sport earbuds deliver the workout essentials without costing a bundle. This pair has flexible hooks that slip securely over the top of each ear to keep the earbuds in place; some people may find these hooks more comfortable than stabilizing wings.

This set is dust- and water-resistant, with an IP55 rating to endure sweaty workouts. The earbuds have an eight-hour battery life, and the charging case holds an additional 24 hours of power (though it’s larger than we’d like).

The Go Air Sport has a sealed design to block noise, but it lacks active noise cancellation and a hear-through mode. However, either earbud can work independently, so you can keep one ear open. The touch-based controls handle all the important functions, but their response can be inconsistent, especially if you have long hair, which can get in the way of the sensors.

The sound quality is surprisingly decent for the price, but audio fans should note that every one of the three preset EQ settings has some kind of flaw. We like that the charging cable is permanently attached, so you never need to carry a cord. But the cable ends in a USB Type-A plug, a style that is falling out of fashion.

Also great

These earbuds have a 15-hour battery life, a high water-resistance rating, and good sound quality—but they lack a few helpful features that you get with our pricier picks.

Buying Options

If you want to worry less about your earbuds’ battery life, the Tribit MoveBuds H1 set is a solid pair of true wireless earbuds usually available for under $100. The 15-hour battery life is superlative for true wireless earbuds; you can wear them all day without charging. This is a good thing because the charging case—which provides an additional 35 hours of power—is nearly as big as a bar of soap.

This waterproof pair has a high IPX8 rating, and the earbuds stay securely in place using hooks that slip over your ears. The sealed design helps block out gym noise, but the H1 lacks the active noise cancellation and voice-activation capabilities of our pricier picks. This set does have a hear-through mode, or you can use one earbud at a time for situational awareness.

The sound quality out of the box is good, and we were able to nail our preferred tuning using the app-based equalizer adjustments. The H1 set also has the full suite of touch-based controls.

I hold a bachelor’s degree in both music performance and audio production from Ithaca College, and I’ve reviewed high-end home audio equipment for publications such as Home Entertainment and Sound & Vision.

I also spent several years in terrestrial radio before becoming a professional voice actor in Los Angeles—so I’ve been in and out of recording studios for over a decade.

I have tested over 1,000 pairs of headphones while working for Wirecutter, and I am committed to finding gear that will make you happy.

If you regularly work out in a noisy gym (or home) environment and would like to block out sounds, to help you stay in the zone with your favorite tunes, this is the guide for you—since it focuses on sealed earbuds that close off the ear canal.

Runners (and others who do outdoor workouts) may have different needs based on how and where they run, so we have a separate guide for running headphones.

Swimmers should look for headphones that are specifically designed for in-water use. Although wireless earbuds with an IPX8 rating are waterproof for a certain length of time, they are not meant for swimming because Bluetooth doesn’t work underwater. We have one swimming-headphones recommendation below.

Our four picks for best workout headphones, all being displayed in their charging cases, along with the wired Koss FitClips.
Photo: Michael Hession

These days, most people prefer the convenience of Bluetooth wireless earbuds for working out because they allow you to keep your phone tucked away and your hands free, and they eliminate the possibility of a cable snagging on workout equipment. So we focused on completely wireless earbuds for our main picks, but we offer tethered and wired recommendations below.

We also used the following criteria to make our picks:

  • Sweat and water resistance: Standard headphones aren’t built to withstand the beating that workout headphones take, so their warranties likely won’t cover moisture damage. We prefer workout headphones that have an official Ingress Protection (IP) rating—and the higher the numbers, the better.
  • Comfort and fit: The best workout headphones are the ones that stay put unobtrusively.
  • Ease of use: Good sport earbuds have controls that you can use without much thought.
  • Noise isolation: It’s crucial that you don’t have to crank your volume up to dangerous levels to drown out the din in a gym. It is just as important to avoid hearing damage as any other injury.
  • Situational awareness: A hear-through mode can be helpful when you need to have a quick conversation or hear an announcement.
  • Pricing: The price should reflect the features of the headphones—think of these as sporting equipment.
  • Sound quality: This is less critical for workouts than it is for everyday listening, but the sound should not be distractingly terrible.
  • Brand reliability and warranty: If something goes wrong, you want to know that the company involved will stand behind its product.

To test workout headphones, we wear them while running and performing high-impact workouts that create a good sweat. We note tugging and chafing, as well as which headphones, if any, fall out. We consider wind noise, how well each pair blocks out other noises, and how successful the hear-through mode is (if there is one).

To simulate performance under very sweaty conditions, we used data from a scientific study of marathon runners to make a saltwater mixture that’s similar to human sweat. We spray every set of headphones with our sweat proxy and then mash all of the buttons—every 10 minutes for an hour—to see how they respond.

We also conduct our usual assortment of headphone tests to evaluate sound quality, noise cancellation, battery life, and more.

Our pick for best workout headphones overall, the JBL Reflect Aero TWS, shown next to their charging case.
Photo: Michael Hession

Our pick

Waterproof and sweatproof, these earbuds provide good sound, a secure fit, and a helpful hear-through mode. But the touch-based controls have some limits.

Buying Options

The JBL Reflect Aero TWS earbuds are petite, completely wireless, and waterproof, so they’re great for workouts and beyond.

This IP68-rated pair can handle a lot of sweat. The high IP68 rating means these earbuds can withstand immersion in 5 feet of water for 30 minutes. JBL says the Reflect Aero TWS earbuds can even take a dunk in salt water, as long as you rinse them off in fresh water and dry them before putting them away to charge. If you take a spill off your paddleboard, these earbuds should be fine, but don’t go swimming with them.

The fit is secure and comfortable. These earbuds are lightweight, sleek, and petite. The package includes three sizes of pliable, gripping wings and three sizes of eartips to help you get the most secure fit. Oftentimes when I grit my teeth during high-impact workout moves, earbuds work their way out of my ears. But the Aero TWS didn’t budge when I did a series of box-jump burpees.

The carrying case for the JBL Reflect Aero TWS earbuds, next to the included box with multiple extra wings and tips.
The Reflect Aero TWS pair comes with three sizes of wings and tips, to ensure a secure fit for a variety of ear shapes. Photo: Michael Hession

The large, touch-based controls are easy to find and use without looking. You can assign two sets of controls, covering the playback controls, ANC/hear-through controls, or volume controls—but not all three at the same time.

The sealed design and adaptive noise cancellation block distractions very well. In our tests, the active noise cancellation reduced treadmill hums and traffic noise, and the silicone eartips significantly blocked higher-pitched sounds like voices. You can see how the Reflect Aero TWS pair stacks up against other noise-cancelling earbuds in our ANC headphones guide.

When you want to hear what’s going on around you, whether you’re in the gym or on the track field, these earbuds offer a hear-through mode and allow for single-earbud use. We were impressed by the hear-through mode, which avoided the tinny or muffled quality found in much of the competition. It’s also adjustable, so you can choose how much of the outside world you want mixed into your music.

Eight hours of battery life is above average. The charge case holds 16 hours of additional power, is small enough to fit in the key pocket of most running shorts, and has a permanently attached lanyard wristlet. Plus, the case has quick-charge capabilities; with 15 minutes of fast-charging in the case, you get four more hours of playtime. Be aware, however, that frequent phone calls, higher volume, and ANC use may affect your run time.

This set sounds good right out of the box. Many folks will likely enjoy the default sound profile, which has added oomph in the bass and extra energy in the frequency range where consonants sit. We preferred doing a little EQ tinkering in the app to get a more neutral presentation.

Phone calls sound great, too. The six-microphone array ensures that your voice is clear. Dual-device capability means you can stay connected to two devices simultaneously without having to fuss with Bluetooth settings. And if anything goes awry, JBL covers the Reflect Aero TWS set with a one-year warranty.

A close-up of the JBL Reflect Aero TWS wireless earbuds inside their charging case.
This pair’s small case has a permanently attached, wristlet-style lanyard. Photo: Michael Hession

Flaws but not dealbreakers

We’d prefer a complete set of controls. You can assign only two sets of control, and you must choose between playback controls, ANC/hear-through controls, and volume controls. Alexa and Google Assistant fans may not mind this limitation, since they can pull up their preferred digital assistant and execute commands using their voice. Apple users can access Siri, but it involves a tap-and-hold on one of the touch controls. If that’s a dealbreaker, consider the Beats Fit Pro instead.

We also know that some people prefer physical buttons over touch-based controls, which can be more fussy in everyday use. Since the touch panels are large, and JBL did a good job of dialing in the sensitivity, this pair isn’t as prone to misfires as others we’ve tested.

The stabilizing wings may bother wearers with sensitive ears. These winged earbuds can be fatiguing to wear for hours on end. So if you dislike the feeling of pressure in your ears, or you have very small ear canals, you may prefer workout earbuds that hook over your ears, such as the JLab Go Air Sport set or the Tribit MoveBuds H1 pair.

Alternatively, if your heart is set on the Reflect Aero’s features, the JBL Endurance Peak 3 set has a lot of similar bells and whistles in a hook-over-the-ear design. You can read more about the Peak 3 pair in our Competition notes.

The case doesn’t support wireless charging. USB-C charge ports deliver power faster than wireless, but having a cable-less charging option would be nice.

The manual isn’t the clearest we’ve read. For example, we wanted to do a factory reset as part of our testing, and the diagram was less than accurate on how to accomplish the task. We managed to figure out the most important instructions, but the lack of clarity was a little annoying.

Phone calls lack adequate sidetone (when you hear a bit of your own voice). Not being able to hear yourself may make you feel the need to speak louder. If that bothers you, we recommend checking out the Beats Fit Pro.

Our pick for best workout headphones for apple fans, the Beats Fit Pro, shown in pink next to their charging case.
Photo: Michael Hession

Runner-up

These Apple-friendly earbuds sound great, with slightly boosted bass. Flexible wings help hold these earbuds securely in your ears, but their water and sweat resistance is lower than that of our top pick.

The Beats Fit Pro earbuds are a fantastic option for Apple-centric users who want easy device switching and “Hey Siri” voice control. These sealed earbuds are small, stay securely in place, and do a good job of blocking out gym noise. But the battery life and water resistance are both lower than those of our top pick, and this pair usually costs more.

The stabilizing wings grip securely. The earbuds are light and small, so they don’t tug at your ear. I did some HIIT, weights, and yoga, and these earbuds didn’t budge. However, people who have very small or sensitive ears may find that the wings create a “too full” feeling that can be fatiguing during long workout sessions.

The IPX4 water-resistance rating is acceptable. These earbuds should tolerate the average run or indoor workout. But for water-based workouts or those that produce very heavy sweating, we recommend the IP68-rated JBL pick.

The physical buttons are easy to use. Each earbud has a single physical button that is easy to find by feel and is comfortable to press. However, to enable volume controls, you have to forgo the ability to toggle between the ANC and hear-through modes.

A close-up of a pair of Beats Fit Pro earbuds inside of their charging case.
On the Beats Fit Pro earbuds, the flexible winglets ensure that they stay in place, no matter your activity level. Photo: Michael Hession

The six-hour battery life is middle-of-the-road. But this pair’s quick-charge capabilities and the three full charges provided by the charging case mean that most people will get through a full day of use with no problems.

They sound pretty darn great. We found the Fit Pro’s extra bass boost to be pleasant, and higher frequencies like consonants and cymbals were clear—not harsh or piercing. But you can’t adjust the sound profile to your preference, as you can with our top pick.

The sealed design effectively blocked gym noise. Also, we found the noise cancellation to be effective, but only in a specific frequency range. In our guide to noise-cancelling headphones, we talk more about how the Fit Pro earbuds compare to others in that regard.

Meanwhile, the hear-through mode is excellent. So it’s easy to carry on a conversation or maintain situational awareness without adding too much distracting sibilance to the sound of the world around you. And when you want to keep one ear open, you can use either earbud independently.

The biggest advantage is their ability to access Apple features. You can read more about those features in our guide to Bluetooth earbuds. Android-device owners who need more onboard controls may prefer the full suite of controls on the Tribit MoveBuds H1 set or the hands-free Google Assistant compatibility of the JBL Reflect Aero TWS pair.

The charging case is comparatively big. It’s too large to fit in the key pocket of running shorts. However, the wear sensor on the earbuds is sensitive enough that, in a pinch, you can slip these earbuds into your pocket without completely draining the battery or triggering music playback.

Our pick for best workout headphones on a budget, the JLab Go Air Sport, in black, shown next to their charging case.
Photo: Michael Hession

Budget pick

This affordable pair hooks over your ears to stay in place, has good water resistance, and sounds surprisingly decent for the price. But it lacks features like noise cancellation and a hear-through mode.

If you don’t want to pay more than $50 for workout headphones, the JLab Go Air Sport is an inexpensive true wireless, water-resistant pair that’s perfect for tossing in your gym bag. Though this pair isn’t without its flaws, nothing else we’ve tested in the sub-$50 price range can compete.

The IP55 dust- and water-resistance rating is above average. The Go Air Sport earbuds can take on any sweaty, land-based workout.

The hook-over-the-ear design is secure. Instead of relying on stabilizing wings, like our top two picks do, these earbuds use flexible hooks that grip securely and comfortably over the top of each ear. This might be more comfortable for folks who have very small or sensitive ear canals.

This pair blocks out noise but lacks ANC and hear-through features. The package includes three sizes of ear tips, which should allow these earbuds to seal nearly all ear-canal sizes and physically block gym noise. If you need situational awareness for safety, either earbud can work independently, but using only one bud results in limited touch-control functionality.

The touch controls are large and easy to find. Unlike much of the competition, this pair has full controls on board: playback, volume, and digital-assistant activation. We found the response to be a bit finicky at times, especially when our hair got in the way.

A close-up of the JLab Go Air Sport earbuds inside their charging case.
The JLab Go Air Sport’s charging case is on the larger side, but it has a built-in USB-A charge cable. Photo: Michael Hession

The sound quality is pretty stellar for earbuds at this price. However, it isn’t as good as that of our top picks. There are three EQ presets: One boosts bass, one boosts treble, and one sits somewhere in the middle. The favorite in our tests was the middle-ground JLab Signature preset—it still produced a boomier bass than we preferred, but it had a more balanced sound than the other two.

Battery life is around eight hours. The volume level at which you listen and the number of phone calls you take may affect run time, but the case provides an additional 24 hours of power.

The case is bigger than we’d like. Because the case has to accommodate the larger, hook-over-the-ear design of the earbuds, it’s bigger than the cases for our top picks. You may be able to fit it in a deeper gym-short pocket, but generally speaking, this is a case best stored in a bag or running belt. The charge cable is standard USB-A style and permanently attached, so you never need to find a cord. Though we like this clever feature, we wish that this case had the newer USB-C type of cable or that it could charge wirelessly.

Our pick for best workout headphones with the best battery life, the Tribit MoveBuds H1, shown next to their charging case.
Photo: Michael Hession

Also great

These earbuds have a 15-hour battery life, a high water-resistance rating, and good sound quality—but they lack a few helpful features that you get with our pricier picks.

Buying Options

The Tribit MoveBuds H1 is a secure-fitting pair of true wireless earbuds. This set offers a super-long battery life, a high water-resistance rating, and easy-to-use touch controls—all for less than $100.

The 15-hour battery life is impressive for wireless earbuds. The charge case provides an additional 35 hours of power, but it’s not what we’d consider pocketable—it’s about the size of a bar of soap. Since these earbuds have such a long battery life, we’ll let that pass. If you want to bring the case with you, though, plan on stowing it in a bag or a running belt.

The MoveBuds H1 is rated IPX8. That means this pair is waterproof for 30 minutes in 5 feet of water. These earbuds aren’t made for swimming, however (Bluetooth can’t travel through water). Make sure you dry them completely before charging. If anything goes wrong, Tribit covers them with a one-year warranty.

The hook-over-the-ear design holds the earbuds securely in place. Each earbud’s flexible, rubberized arm loops over the top of the ear comfortably. Tribit includes six different sizes of tips, so you’re more likely to find a set that suits you.

The touch controls are large and easy to tap. The H1’s controls handle phone calls, all playback functions, volume adjustment, and digital assistant call-up. We found the sensors to be a bit temperamental, so there can be hiccups if you have hair that gets in the way—but this set isn’t as prone to misfires as others we’ve tested. Plus you can use the app to customize the controls to your preference.

This pair lacks active noise cancellation but has a hear-through mode. Though there is no ANC, this sealed pair blocked out most distractions for us. The hear-through mode has two levels of intensity to choose from: Neither sounds as natural as what you’ll get from our top picks, but it’s still handy for brief conversations. If you need more awareness, you can use a single earbud, though this option gives you less control functionality.

The sound is excellent for the price. Though this pair lacks the sense of space and detail of our top picks, it’s great for waterproof earbuds under $100. The sound is decent out of the box, but we were happiest after adjusting the EQ in the Tribit app.

If you dislike the feel of stabilizing wings and over-the-ear hooks: The Jabra Elite 8 Active is one of the most universally comfortable pairs of earbuds we’ve worn. The earbuds should nestle securely in most ear shapes and are held in place using Jabra’s grippy coating that gets tackier when damp. We performed a series of very aggressive movements (think head-banging and jump-tucks), and the Elite 8 Active set stayed in our ears, only wiggling a touch out of place when the motion had a lot of centrifugal force.

This pair is also one of the most rugged sets we’ve tested, with a dust/water resistance rating of IP68 for the earbuds and IP54 for the charging case (most charge cases don’t even have an IP rating), which Jabra backs with a two-year warranty. The earbuds feature dual-device connectivity and the full suite of controls, with large, comfortable-to-press physical buttons. The eight-hour battery life (with ANC on, 14 with it off) is impressive, as is the microphones’ clarity when you're in a noisy or breezy environment.

What's less impressive is the noise cancellation, which is not as effective as we'd like, and the hear-through mode, which sounds muffled. It's fine for brief conversations, but less ideal if you need situational awareness for safety. The side tone also has a metallic, distant quality, so it doesn’t eliminate your urge to speak louder. None of these are necessarily dealbreakers for workout headphones, but they are enough to keep this pair from being an official pick.

If you prefer over-ear headphones for the gym: Our top pick for Bluetooth over-ear headphones, the JBL Tour One M2, is a well-rounded pair with excellent sound and a long battery life. Although this pair isn’t specifically designed for the gym, it is IPX5 rated for water resistance, so sweat (or a water-bottle mishap) won’t damage your gear. The headband is comfortable and secure enough for weight-lifting or cardio-machine exercise. The earpads, while not washable, are easy to wipe down. The Tour One M2 features fairly effective ANC to reduce treadmill whir.

However, the faux-leather earpads don’t breathe as well as fabric would, so you may find earbuds to be more airflow-friendly. Additionally, if high-impact workouts are part of your routine, you may find over-ear headphones to be too bulky for burpees. And lastly, the touch controls can be somewhat sensitive; tapping them on the move may take some practice. You can read more about the M2’s overall performance in our guide to Bluetooth headphones.

If you need headphones to swim laps: If you use Spotify or Amazon Music, the Waterproof Mighty Vibe music player/headphone system is an excellent way to spice up your water-based workouts. Download playlists to the IP68-rated player before you hit the water. It’s lightweight and clips to your goggle strap securely enough to handle flip-turns (even when we did the dreaded back-to-breast IM backflip). The earbuds have three sizes of triple-flange tips that seal water out of your ear, providing the air needed to hear sound clearly underwater. We recommend allowing extra time to fuss with the fit the first time out—swap tip sizes, run the cable over or under your ear, and position the player in different locations and directions. The Vibe provides about five hours of music playback and can hold around 1,000 songs.

The Mighty Vibe player can also connect to Bluetooth earbuds, which provides versatility. However, Bluetooth doesn’t work underwater, so you can’t stream music to earbuds or from the cloud while swimming. This is the only current player we are aware of that allows for syncing with streaming services, which is important since many people don’t purchase music files anymore.

The downsides are that the player charges using a specialized cable via headphone jack, so it will be harder to find a replacement should you lose it. Also, only Amazon Music and Spotify are supported, so subscribers to other services are out of luck.

If you prefer wired earbuds: The super-affordable Koss FitClips KSC32i is a great set of wired earbuds to stow in your gym bag. Because they’re wired, you don’t have to worry about charging them, but you may need a headphone-jack adapter, depending on which smartphone you use. The hook-over-the-ear design is flexible and comfortable, the sound is way better than the low price implies, and the sealed earbuds will block gym noise. Plus, the cable has a universal single-button remote and mic. On the downside, this pair lacks an official IP rating, active noise cancellation, and a hear-through mode, and the microphone isn’t fantastic for phone conversations.

Sennheiser announced the Momentum Sport true wireless earbuds with built-in Polar heart-rate and temperature sensors that communicate real-time data. The sensors are compatible with apps like Apple Health, Garmin Connect, Strava, and Peloton, as well as the Polar Flow line of apps. The earbuds’ semi-open design is designed to reduce the occlusion effect, and wearers can employ ANC and adjustable hear-through modes. The earbuds are sweat- and water-resistant with an IP55 rating, and the case has an IP54 rating. The earbuds offer six hours of battery life, with an additional three full charges in the case. The Momentum Sport will be available on April 9 and is expected to cost $330.

Shokz announced the OpenSwim Pro, a set of IP68-rated, open-ear, bone-conduction earbuds with 32 GB of MP3 storage built in, plus a Bluetooth mode—so you can choose to play saved playlists while swimming laps or stream your tunes from your mobile device during land-based activities. The OpenSwim Pro is due out in late spring to early summer, and the price is expected to be just under $200.

We’ve tested more than 250 pairs of headphones for this guide. That’s a lot to cover, so we’ve listed only the most recently tested competitors here. However, if you’re curious about a specific model, we’ve archived many of our more recent testing notes in a spreadsheet.

Beats Studio Buds +: The upgraded version of the Studio Buds, this pair offers better battery life, Android customization, and noise cancellation compared with the original. What hasn’t changed is the IPX4 rating and the overall earbud design (the shell is transparent, though). These earbuds share a lot of iOS-friendly features with the Beats Fit Pro set, but we like the Fit Pro earbuds better because they’re more secure in the ears, they still offer better noise cancellation, and their button design is more ergonomic. We think that’s worth spending a little extra.

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds: The open-ear, cuff-like design of this pair is surprisingly comfortable and good for outdoor runners who want to hear their surroundings, but it’s not good for blocking out noise at the gym. This pair has more low-bass representation than other unsealed and open-ear designs we’ve tested, but the microphone quality is incredibly disappointing. Even in a quiet room, voices sound reedy and hissy on phone calls. Add any background noise, and the roaring, static-like cacophony that will greet your caller is distracting (in the case of one tester, it was bad enough for their conversation partner to request a call back with a different device). If Bose could improve the microphones, we might consider recommending this pricey pair for runners—but for $300, we expect a more well-rounded set of earbuds.

LG Tone Free Fit TF8: We like this pair’s various sizes of wings and tips, as well as the charging case, which doubles as a Bluetooth transmitter. Out of the box, the sound wasn’t our favorite. But with some patience, we were able to dial in EQ settings (via the app) that made us happy. The noise cancellation is middle-of-the-road; it’s useful, but it is not a compelling reason to purchase this pair. Unfortunately, the touch controls are fussy and incredibly difficult to use while you’re in motion; it takes time to get a sense of the proper cadence of double and triple taps.

Philips Go TAA7607: If you like bone-conduction headphones and want a little extra visibility when training outdoors at dusk, this pair has a red LED strip across the cable in the back that can glow solid or flash so you’re easier to spot. Performance-wise, this set is similar to the less-expensive Shokz OpenRun, which we recommend for outdoor runners who don’t like to wear earbuds. But bone-conduction headphones won’t block out noise at the gym, because they leave your ear canals open.

Shokz OpenFit Pro: This pair is very comfortable, and it has a small charging case. That’s why we were so disappointed that the bass distorts like crazy when you turn the volume up even to moderate levels. If you bring down the volume to the level where it doesn’t distort, the highs are still somewhat harsh. We also wish the OpenFit Pro had more controls than play/pause and skip/reverse.

Shokz OpenRun: This set (and its counterpart for smaller heads, the OpenRun Mini) is the best-performing pair of bone-conduction headphones for the price, which is why we recommend it for outdoor runners who don’t like to wear earbuds. But bone-conduction headphones won’t block out noise at the gym, because they leave your ear canals open.

Shokz OpenRun Pro: This pair is nearly identical to the OpenRun set but adds quick-charge capabilities and two more hours of battery life. However, it’s less dust- and water-resistant, so unless you need an upgraded battery, we think the OpenRun set is the better choice.

Soundpeats GoFree2: While we appreciate this pair’s lightweight design and flexible hooks, it has coarse sound with piercing highs. The microphones sound distant and are unable to handle wind noise, essentially muting at the first gust. Worst of all, the app is frustratingly buggy and requires a confirmed email address.

Suunto Wing: We appreciate that this bone-conduction set includes a snap-in-place dock that charges the Wing on the go, much like the cases that come with true wireless earbuds. It’s bulky, but useful if you run out of battery life away from a power outlet. However, the bone conduction is less successful here than on the Shokz OpenRun. Despite the Suunto app’s indoor/outdoor EQ settings, at volume levels sufficient to use outside, the Wing buzzes and vibrates, tickling your face annoyingly. And in quiet settings, people nearby can easily hear what you’re listening to—and your phone calls.

This article was edited by Adrienne Maxwell and Grant Clauser.

Meet your guide

Lauren Dragan

Lauren Dragan is a senior staff writer and has tested nearly 2,000 headphones for Wirecutter. She has a BA from Ithaca College in music performance and audio production. She’s been featured in Good Morning America, NBC Nightly News, The New York Times, and more. Additionally, she’s a voice actor whose work includes projects for Disney and Mattel.

Further reading

  • Half a dozen of our best headphones picks arranged on a wood surface.

    The Best Headphones

    by Lauren Dragan

    We’ve tested several hundred headphones, including wireless, noise-cancelling, and even kids headphones, to pick the best headphones in each category.

  • A pair of white in-ear headphones plugged into a bluetooth headphone adapter, next to a smartphone playing music.

    The Best Bluetooth Headphone Adapter

    by Adrienne Maxwell

    If you want to use your favorite wired headphones over a wireless connection, the easy-to-use 1Mii ML100 is the best Bluetooth headphone adapter for most people.

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    The Best Headphones for Running

    by Lauren Dragan

    When it comes to running headphones, one size definitely doesn’t fit all. So we have multiple recommendations based on style, features, and price.

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