No matter what sort of train you’re into, for those who’re understanding, you’ll desire a pair of wi-fi exercise headphones. They help you be free and untethered throughout a severe weight-lifting session, a 5K run, an hour on the skate park and in every single place in between the place you’re shifting and sweating a ton. There are dozens of nice wireless headphones and wireless earbud choices on the market, however for train particularly, there are further elements to contemplate earlier than selecting one up like water resistance, battery life and general consolation.
At Engadget, we’ve examined a bunch of fitness-ready headphones and earbuds to provide you with our prime picks, plus some recommendation to contemplate earlier than you choose up a pair. All of our prime picks beneath will work out and in of the gymnasium, so you possibly can put money into only one pair and make these your each day driver. In case you’re primarily a runner, try our listing of best headphones for running.
Greatest exercise headphones for 2025
Connectivity: Wi-fi | Fashion: In-ear with wingtip | Assistant help: Google Assistant, Siri
Learn our full Beats Fit Pro review
The Beats Fit Pro got here out on the head of the pack because of their snug, safe design, good sound high quality and transparency mode, amongst different issues. As my colleague Billy Steele detailed in his review of the Fit Pro, the buds’ wingtip design units them aside from different Beats earbuds and makes them notably good for operating and different exercises. The buds are pretty small and light-weight, and the wingtip on every is versatile sufficient to hug your ear properly with out placing an excessive amount of strain on it. This helps them really feel safer if you’re shifting round rather a lot be it throughout a morning jog or whereas taking a HIIT class. The buds are additionally IPX4 rated — not the very best quantity of safety I encountered, however sufficient to maintain the buds working effectively even throughout my sweatiest classes.
Because it have been, the Beats Match Professional stayed put throughout each single exercise. Nonetheless, adjusting their place on the fly can result in certainly one of my few gripes with the buds: unintentional presses of the onboard controls. There have been quite a few instances after I went to regulate a bud and I ended up pausing my music within the course of as a result of the buttons are really easy to set off.
Sound high quality is stable and notably nice for exercising because of its punchy bass and general balanced profile. Spatial audio help is nice to have, and whereas Adaptive EQ means you possibly can’t modify the EQ your self like you possibly can with different buds, it does make for persistently good audio high quality. It’s additionally one much less factor to play with out of the field, which I anticipate many individuals will respect; these earbuds are a real unbox-and-go choice. ANC can be sturdy and transparency mode will come in useful for individuals who usually run, cycle or in any other case train outdoors. It was essentially the most natural-sounding transparency mode of any earbuds I attempted, and it’s straightforward to activate or off both with onboard controls or from the management panel in your iOS or Android smartphone.
Talking of, the Beats Match Professional work notably effectively with iPhones because of their built-in H1 chip, however Android customers can obtain their companion app to entry issues like fast pairing, management customizations and a battery standing indicator. I didn’t get into element in regards to the setup course of as a result of, effectively, there isn’t a lot of 1. However I’ll say that, upon unboxing, I used to be stunned how low-cost the charging case feels. Whereas it offers an additional 21 hours of charging on prime of the buds’ promised six hours of life, the construct high quality looks like an actual step down in comparison with the buds themselves. Apart from that and the contact controls, although, the Beats Match Professional provide a whole package deal for athletes, one which can be utilized all day along with coaching classes. Plus, their commonplace $200 value isn’t too cost-prohibitive, and so they can usually be discovered on sale for much less.
- Comfy IPX4 design
- Nice sound high quality with Adaptive EQ
- Efficient ANC and helpful transparency mode
- Multipoint connectivity
- Strong battery life
- Onboard controls are straightforward to unintentionally press
- Charging case feels low-cost
JLab
Connectivity: Wi-fi | Fashion: In-ear with hook | Assistant help: None
If in case you have lower than $50 to spend, the $30 JLab Go Air Sport+ are an amazing choice. These are the most recent model of our earlier choose right here, the Go Air Sport. Once I examined these, I didn’t have excessive expectations going into testing these buds, however I used to be rapidly impressed by their consolation and sound high quality. A lot of headphones designed for exercises have this hook that wraps across the prime of your ear, and it does assist the Go Air Sport keep securely hooked up to your head.
The Sport+ maintains that design. The hooks are fairly versatile and have a soft-touch end, which provides to their consolation. Admittedly, this design will take some getting used to for those who’re new to it, but it surely’s a surefire strategy to get a bit additional stability throughout excessive depth exercises.
Sound high quality is fairly good on these buds as effectively, though not practically as balanced as that of our prime choose. I additionally respect you could cycle via three totally different EQ modes — Signature, Balanced and Bass Increase — utilizing the buds’ onboard controls. There’s no app to fuss with, and that was a pleasant change of tempo after largely testing buds with some type of app connectivity.
You possibly can anticipate over 9 hours of playtime on the Go Air Sport+, plus one other 26 hours of battery life with its charging case. JLab additionally fastened a serious pain-point in regards to the earlier variations right here: as an alternative of the previous, built-in USB-A cable for charging, it is now a extra fashionable USB-C cable. Nonetheless, the case is on the cumbersome aspect; you possibly can nonetheless throw it right into a backpack or purse simply, but it surely’s not as svelte as instances you’ll see on dearer buds.
- Reasonably priced
- Spectacular sound high quality for the worth
- IP55-rated design
- Good battery life
- Massive case
- Hook design gained’t be for everybody
SHOKZ
Connectivity: Wi-fi | Fashion: Open-ear | Assistant help: None
The Shokz OpenFit 2 are the most recent iteration of those open-ear headphones, with our earlier prime choose right here being the unique OpenFit. Earbuds with open designs like this permit for extra situational consciousness, with the purpose being to let noise in quite than block it out. In my expertise, the OpenFits do an amazing job of this with out skimping on sound high quality or consolation.
The buds themselves virtually float over your ear cavern and Shokz’s soft-finish “dolphin arc” hook is versatile sufficient to securely wrap across the prime of your ear with out placing an excessive amount of strain on it. There’s a bud-like portion on the different finish of the hook that acts as counterbalance, leading to a dependable match that by no means faltered throughout all kinds of actions together with operating, power coaching and indoor biking. Granted, none of these workout routines contain shaking your head an excessive amount of; perhaps don’t put on the OpenFit to hearken to head-banging loss of life steel (for those who can’t management your self).
Sound high quality is stable contemplating the design, and the OpenFit will get fairly loud as effectively. These buds have Shokz’s Direct Pitch expertise, which makes use of reverse sound waves to optimize the gap and angle to your ear canal. The corporate claims this helps scale back sound leakage. In my testing, I discovered that true to a sure extent. The OpenFit had the very best sound high quality and general quantity out of the entire open-ear gadgets I attempted, however for those who crank the quantity as much as the max (or shut), the individual subsequent to you’ll positively hear what you’re listening to. General, these are an amazing choice for anybody who doesn’t discover in-ear buds notably snug, or those that simply favor to have extra consciousness of their environment whereas understanding.
- Comfy open-ear design
- Design permits for extra situational consciousness
- Good sound high quality and quantity
- No ANC
- Not as safe when in comparison with in-ear or hook-toting buds
H2O Audio
Connectivity: Wi-fi | Fashion: Over-ear | Assistant help: None
Some favor to put on over-ear headphones all day, day-after-day, and if that sounds such as you, there’s a great likelihood you already use your daily-driver headphones on the gymnasium. However for those who’re noticing elevated wear-and-tear on these cans as a result of sweat or prolonged durations of use, chances are you’ll need to contemplate a pair of over-ear headphones particularly for understanding.
In that case, contemplate the H2O Audio Ript Ultra. Whereas these wi-fi headphones don’t have a particular IP score (they’re not designed for the pool, to be clear), they do declare to be “one hundred pc sweatproof” thanks partly to their detachable and washable earcups. They survived a few of my hardest runs and strength-training classes with out challenge, and the earcups are fairly straightforward to take away if you need to give them a wipe-down. There’s additionally a second pair of earcups included within the field so you possibly can swap them in when the originals finally surrender the ghost.
Sound high quality is first rate, but it surely must be higher on a pair of $250 headphones. The Ript Extremely has customized 45mm drivers and lively noise cancellation as much as 30 dB. Whereas the general sound high quality isn’t higher than our prime choose, it’s greater than sufficient to get your blood pumping throughout a exercise. However extra importantly, you’ll doubtless get higher sound high quality on a pair of Bose or Beats headphones on the identical value vary; you’re actually paying for the improved sturdiness with the Ript Extremely. Finally, in order for you a pair of headphones for the gymnasium that may deal with sweat and (doubtlessly) last more than different cans in the identical value vary, the Ript Extremely is an effective alternative.
- Sweatproof
- Removeable, washable earcups
- Second pair of earcups included within the field
- Comfy match
- Costly
- Sound high quality could possibly be higher
Others wi-fi exercise headphones we examined
Apple AirPods Professional
The Apple AirPods Pro have an IP54 score, which protects them from transient encounters with mud and splashes. Whereas that’s extra mud safety than many different earbuds we examined, it’s the identical stage of water resistance that almost all exercise-specific opponents have. We usually just like the AirPods Professional, however the Beats Match Professional provide most of the identical options and conveniences (particularly good transparency mode and the H1 chip), with a design that’s extra applicable for understanding.
Beats Powerbeats Professional
The Powerbeats Pro are a great different to the Beats Match Professional for those who’re a stickler for a hook design. Nonetheless, they price $50 greater than the Match Professional (though they usually hover round $180) and don’t provide any important upgrades or further options other than their design. They’re additionally fairly previous at this level (launched in 2019) and it seems Beats is placing extra effort into upgrading and updating its newer fashions quite than this mannequin.
Anker Soundcore AeroFit Professional
The Soundcore AeroFit Pro is Anker’s model of the Shokz OpenFit, however I discovered it to be much less safe and never as snug because the latter. The precise earbuds on the AeroFit Professional are noticeably bulkier than these on the OpenFit, which brought about them to shift and transfer way more after I was carrying them throughout train. They by no means fell off my ears utterly, however I spent extra time adjusting them than I did having fun with them.
JBL Endurance Peak 3
Probably the most noteworthy factor in regards to the Endurance Peak 3 is that they’ve the identical IP68-rating that the (now discontinued) Jabra Elite 8 Lively do, however they solely price $100. However, whilst you get the identical safety right here, you’ll should sacrifice in different areas. The Endurance Peak 3 didn’t blow me away when it got here to sound high quality or consolation (the hook is extra inflexible than these on my favourite buds of the same type) and their charging case is very large in comparison with most opponents.
What to search for in exercise headphones
Design
Earlier than diving in, it’s price mentioning that this information focuses on wireless earbuds. Whilst you might put on over-ear or on-ear headphones throughout a exercise, many of the best headphones out there now wouldn’t have the identical stage of sturdiness. Water and dirt resistance, notably the previous, is necessary for any audio gear you intend on sweating with or taking outside, and that’s extra prevalent within the wi-fi earbuds world.
Most earbuds have certainly one of three designs: in-ear, in-ear with hook or open-ear. The primary two are the preferred. In-ears are arguably the most typical, whereas these with hooks promise higher safety and match since they’ve an appendage that curls across the prime of your ear. Open-ear designs don’t stick into your ear canal, however quite sit simply outdoors of it. This makes it simpler to listen to the world round you whereas additionally listening to audio, and could possibly be extra snug for individuals who don’t just like the intrusiveness of in-ear buds.
Water resistance and dirt safety
Even when a pair of headphones for understanding aren’t marketed particularly as train headphones, a sturdy, waterproof design will, by default, make them appropriate for train. To keep away from repetition, right here’s a fast primer on sturdiness, or ingression safety (IP) scores. The primary digit you’ll see after the “IP” refers to safety from mud and different potential intrusions, measured on a scale from 1 to six. The second refers to water resistance and even waterproofing, in the very best instances. The scores for water resistance are ranked on a scale of 1 to 9; greater numbers imply extra safety, whereas the letter “X” means the system just isn’t rated for defense in that regard.
All the earbuds we examined for this information have at the least an IPX4 score, which suggests there’s no mud safety, however the buds can face up to splashes from any path and are sweat resistant, however most likely should not be submerged. For an in depth breakdown of all of the attainable permutations, try this information printed by a provider referred to as The Enclosure Firm.
Lively noise cancellation and transparency mode
Lively noise cancellation (ANC) is changing into commonplace on wi-fi earbuds, at the least these above a sure value level. In case you’re in search of a pair of buds that may be your exercise companion and serve you outdoors of the gymnasium, too, noise cancelation is an effective characteristic to have. It makes the buds extra versatile, permitting you to dam out the boring roar of your own home or workplace so you possibly can focus, or provide you with some solitude throughout a busy commute.
However an earbud’s skill to dam out the world goes hand-in-hand with its skill to open issues again up do you have to want it. Many ANC earbuds additionally help some kind of “transparency mode,” or numerous ranges of noise discount. That is necessary for running headphones as a result of exercising outside, alongside busy streets, could be harmful. You most likely don’t need to be completely oblivious to what’s occurring round you if you’re operating outdoors; adjusting noise cancelation ranges to extend your consciousness will assist with that. Stronger noise cancelation could be extra interesting to these doing extra indoor coaching in the event that they need to block out the boring roar of a gymnasium or the man exaggeratingly lifting weights subsequent to you.
Battery life
All the Bluetooth earbuds we examined have a battery lifetime of six to eight hours. Typically, that’s what you possibly can anticipate from this area, with a couple of outliers that may rise up to fifteen hours of life on a cost. Even the low finish of the spectrum must be adequate for many athletes and gymnasium junkies, but it surely’ll be useful to maintain the buds’ charging case on you for those who suppose you’ll get near utilizing up all their juice throughout a single session.
You’ll get a mean of 20 to twenty-eight additional hours of battery out of most charging instances and the entire earbuds we examined had holders that supplied at the least an additional 15 hours. It will dictate how usually you truly should cost the system — as in bodily join the case with earbuds inside to a charging cable, or set it on a wireless charger to energy up.
How we take a look at exercise headphones
In testing wi-fi exercise headphones, I put on them throughout each little bit of train I do — be it an off-the-cuff stroll across the block, a brisk morning run or a difficult weight-lifting session. I’m in search of consolation arguably most of all, since you ought to by no means be fussing along with your earbuds when you need to be specializing in understanding. In the identical vein, I’m cognizant of in the event that they get unfastened throughout quick actions or slippery after I’m sweating. I additionally use the earbuds when not exercising to take calls and hearken to music all through the day. Many individuals will need only one pair of earbuds that they’ll use whereas exercising and simply doing on a regular basis issues, so I consider every pair on their skill to be snug and supply a great listening expertise in a number of totally different actions.
Whereas I’m additionally evaluating sound high quality, I’m admittedly not an audio knowledgeable. My colleague Billy Steele holds that title at Engadget, and also you’ll discover way more detailed details about audio high quality for a few of our prime picks in his evaluations and shopping for guides. With these headphones for understanding, nonetheless, I’ll make be aware of associated points in the event that they stood out (i.e. if a pair of earbuds had noticeably sturdy bass out of the field, weak highs, and so on). A lot of the wi-fi exercise headphones we examined work with companion apps which have adjustable EQ settings, so that you’ll be capable to tweak sound profiles to your liking most often.
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