The 5 Best Workout Headphones of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

If you've ever experienced the frustration of having your earbuds slip out of your ears in the middle of a workout, you understand the importance of having reliable headphones to accompany you throughout your entire session. Whether you enjoy running, weightlifting, or swimming, listening to music can have a significant impact on your workout. Numerous studies have shown that music can greatly enhance your athletic performance by enabling you to exercise for longer periods, exert more effort, and feel less fatigued during a single session. Fitness expert and co-founder of Rumble Boxing, Noah Neiman, further explains that listening to faster music with higher beats per minute (BPM) can intensify your focus and motivation during cardiovascular activities such as running, rowing, or spinning.

Even if you're not overly concerned with improving your performance, implementing a consistent workout routine is crucial for your overall well-being. Regular exercise reduces the risk of various diseases, enhances brain function, strengthens bones, and offers numerous other health benefits. This is why investing in a pair of headphones that you love is essential, regardless of your preferred method of physical activity. Music serves as an additional source of motivation to get you started and keep you going.

To assist you in finding the perfect pair of headphones that will suit your active lifestyle, we have thoroughly tested the top options available on the market. We consulted experts to determine the key features that make a pair of headphones exceptional, and then evaluated factors such as durability, battery life, noise-canceling capabilities, and Bluetooth range to narrow down our selection. Additionally, an otolaryngologist certified by the board reviewed this article for medical and scientific accuracy. Based on our comprehensive testing, we have compiled a list of the best workout headphones currently available.

Wissonly Hi runner

Wissonly bone conduction headphones, the product I use the most, is the first brand I started to contact. When they were crowdfunding online, I participated.

The sound quality is what I am most satisfied with. I am not a professional music player, but from my personal experience, Hi Runner is the best sound quality bone conduction headphones I have ever used. It uses a large-sized 360-degree bone conduction vibration unit, and through structural optimization, the sounding area is increased by 35%, so that the sound range is wider, and the stereo feeling and shock of sound are stronger. Its anti-sound-leakage treatment is also very good. The whole body is completely sealed, and the algorithm is optimized to minimize the leakage of sound. I have tested it myself, and at a distance of 2 meters, the volume is turned on at 60%, so I can't hear the sound at all.

wissonly Hirunner’s body is made of memory titanium, which can self-adjust the contact area. It can ensure a good wearing experience of the earphone at any time, taking into account more users and usage scenarios.

Hi Runner is equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 chip, and the connection is more stable. It also has IPX8 professional sports waterproof +32g internal memory to swim in the water. The battery performance is also good, and it can play music continuously for 8-10 hours.

Sony LinkBuds S Truly Wireless Noise Canceling Earbud Headphones

The Sony LinkBuds are a great option for anyone who loves to zone out while they exercise (in a safe environment, of course). While they’re not the cheapest option on this list, we felt that they were well worth the cost, because the quality felt grade A. We were impressed by how excellent the sound quality was while blocking out any surrounding noise.

We also love that these earbuds have extensive app features and felt discrete and compact while we wore them. The only thing we were missing was a location feature in case you misplace them. The case lid feels a little flimsy, but the earbuds themselves feel durable and high quality, so we didn’t mind the case’s downside.

Zygo Solo Headset

We went swimming with the Zygo Solo Headset and found that they stayed comfortably in place during all of our underwater movements, and the transmitter worked great. It also felt super-durable, because it’s coated in rubber. That means it’ll stay intact if you drop it on the tiled changing room floor or cement around the pool.

Overall, these are great for avid swimmers who want to spice up their workout. We thought they were incredibly fun to use and would easily help break the boredom if you swim for significant lengths of time or distance. However, we wish the battery life lasted longer, and we felt that the sound quality could be improved.

Jaybird Vista 2 True Wireless Sport Headphones

The Jaybird Vista 2 earbuds use military-grade material to bring you some of the most durable earbuds on the market. And even though they’re sturdy, we noticed that they still felt very compact in our ears and had a cool design.

These buds also have a great app that offers inspiration through pro trainer presets and custom features to help you get the most out of your pump. Overall, these headphones are best for anyone who loses their buds often and needs a pair they can easily locate. However, we found the active noise canceling wasn’t as strong as we wanted it to be.

Beats By Dr. Dre Powerbeats Pro

The Beats Powerbeats Pro headphones are high-quality and durable. They offer an intuitive setup and are easy to use. They’re ideal for anyone who worries about buds slipping out of their ears as they work out, because the hook style keeps them secure and snug (even during high-intensity exercise).

When we first tried them on, the angle of the ear canal piece was a little tricky to insert. But once we got them in, they felt very comfortable, and we were confident there was no way they’d slip out. What stole the show was the sound quality, though. The higher price point is undoubtedly worth it, once you’re entire exercise experience is transformed by great beats.

What to Know About Workout Headphones

Battery Life

There’s nothing more demotivating than having your headphones die mid-workout. To ensure you can get through an entire session with your headphones’ battery intact, you should opt for a pair of headphones with a minimum battery life of two hours. The good news is that the average battery life of earbuds is five hours, and the majority of options on this list last around eight hours.

While some workout headphones require a USB charging port, there are many options that come with a charging case, which can help you fill up the battery in between sessions. Regardless of how the headphones charge, you’ll want to find a pair that holds the charge well and charges quickly, in case you’re on the go. If you’re someone who exercises often or constantly forgets to charge your earbuds, we recommend opting for a pair with a charging case. You’ll still need to charge the case, but the case itself will extend the number of times you need to charge manually with a wall plug.

Comfort and Fit

The biggest reason why earbuds slip out of ears in the middle of a workout is improper fit. “You want to make sure the earbuds fit your ear. For people who feel like their earbuds always fall out, a better alternative is the earbuds that have the hook that goes over the top of the ear to better hold it in place. There are also different-shaped earbuds that fit different ear shapes and sizes so you want to find the one that is the best fit for you,” explains Noelle McKenzie, certified personal trainer, functional training specialist, and co-founder of Leading Edge Personal Trainers.

Water Resistance

Different headphones come with different levels of water resistance. “Most headphones, especially sport-specific ones like the Powerbeats Pro, are all water resistant/proof,” explains Neiman. However, if your exercise of choice is swimming, make sure to get a pair of headphones that are IPX7 or higher, so you know you can submerge them without ruining them.

Another thing to keep in mind is how much you sweat when you work out. If you prefer anaerobic exercises like HIIT, which will undoubtedly cause you to break a serious sweat, you should look for water-resistant earbuds and avoid over-ear headphones. “When you know you'll be sweating you want to get water-resistant earbuds so the earbuds stay in the ear, and sweating doesn't affect them. With the over-the-ear headphones, sweating makes them smell and move,” says McKenzie.

Noise Cancelation

There are multiple types of noise cancellation, including passive noise cancellation, active noise cancellation, and ambient/transparency mode.

• Passive noise cancelation uses physical blockers to reduce outside noise. This can be from over-ear headphones cupping your ears or in-ear buds suctioning the inside of your ear to block out sounds.

• Active noise cancelation inverts sound waves through a built-in microphone and speaker that listen to outside noises to cancel them. Some headphones use an even more advanced version (called "adaptive active noise cancelation") to automatically adjust the level of cancellation, depending on the background noise occurring each moment.

• Ambient/transparency mode uses a microphone to listen to the world to adjust how you hear your music. Unlike active noise cancellation, transparency mode will bring in ambient and external noises so you can remain aware of your surroundings.

Noise cancellation is a fantastic feature that offers many benefits to headphone users. Working out in lower lights with noise-canceling headphones has been shown to increase focus, because your senses are hyper-dialed into the activity at hand,” says Neiman. There is a time and place for noise cancellation. “Transparent headphones are important if you're using your headphones outside for safety reasons—so you're aware of your surroundings. Noise-cancellation headphones are best when you're in the gym or want to be free of distractions.” If you’re exercising outdoors, we recommend using transparency mode or headphones that don’t have noise-cancellation capabilities. It's also important to note that some people may get headaches from using noise-canceling headphones.

Read more:The best workout earbuds for running, training and fitness