Compare Top 5 Workout Headphones
How to Keep Your In-Ear Headphones From Falling Out
To a certain extent, how the headphones sound matters less than if they fit correctly. They can be the best-sounding headphones in the world, but I will find them irritating if they won’t stay in mid-run. So how do you keep your headphones from falling out? Here are a few tips and tricks that I’ve tried over the years.
Dial it in. To put on your buds, pull open your ear a little bit and give it a little twist to fix it in place. If they don’t fit, don’t be afraid to switch or mismatch ear tip sizes—one ear might need a medium tip and the other a small, for example, or one might need a foam tip while the other needs a plastic tip.
Accessorize. Still can’t get it to fit quite right? There’s a healthy market for aftermarket clips and wings to get your earbuds or AirPods to fit more securely.
Check the IP rating. Ingress-protection ratings give you a quick indication of the headphones’ dust- and water-resistance. If you’re running outside in the pouring rain, you need a higher IP than if you’re doing gentle calisthenics in the gym.
I wear headphones while working out in their intended environments—open-ear headphones while running or biking, over-ear and noise-canceling headphones in a gym, and swimming headphones in the pool.
I listen for sound quality with songs in a variety of registers (is it dating myself to say that my standards include Mariah Carey for higher registers and Beyoncé’s Beyoncé for bass). I test durability by dropping them, sweating in them, pouring water on them, and leaving them in grody gym bags. I also test battery life by tracking how long it takes for one charge to last.
Honorable Mentions
Photograph: Adrienne So
We try almost every pair of new workout buds that come out. Here are a few that we also like that didn’t quite earn a space above.
Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active for $210: The BlueAnt headphones are just a better buy in all regards, but I enjoyed these a lot. The noise canceling doesn’t work very well, but these headphones are attractive and the bass is astoundingly powerful—my whole head vibrated while listening to Jay-Z at the gym.
Apple AirPods Pro 2 for $249: These are nice headphones, but I don’t particularly like them for working out. However, everyone else does, including my husband, so here they are.
JLab Epic Sport ANC 3 for $100: This is the upgraded version of the Go Air Sport above, with hybrid dual drivers for better sound, a higher IP rating, better battery life, and active noise canceling. You need a fully-sealed fit for ANC to be effective, which these don’t have; I can still hear people at the gym when I’m lifting weights. Still, in every other way these headphones meet their promises and they do feel incredibly secure.
Photograph: Adrienne So
Shokz OpenSwim Pro for $180: Swim headphones are still somewhat of a niche category, and the OpenRun Pro 2 above sound better if you’re above water. However, if you’re in the water, there’s no comparing the ease of use or the sound quality of these headphones.
H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport for $200: These are a huge improvement of the first iteration of the brand’s waterproof headphones, with a better fit, better buttons, and a better silicone finish. I also like the charging case! However, they’re pricier than the Shokz and they use a proprietary charger instead of USB-C, which is annoying.
Nothing Open Earbuds for $100: These are some of the slimmest buds I’ve tested and they fit well under layers of hoods, helmets, and hats.
Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2 for $100: I like the price, the beautiful colors, and the sound is great. However, they are a little bulkier than some of our other picks and the fit a little less secure.
JLab JBuds Mini for $40: If I were spending my own money, I would buy a pair of JLab workout buds and be done with it. I raved about these cute, tiny buds last year and they are also in our Best Wireless Earbuds guide.
Suunto Sonic for $129: If you want to try a neckband-style headphone like the Shokz above, but for cheaper, Sawh also likes these lightweight headphones with a balanced sound profile.
Shokz Openrun Pro for $160: These headphones still work perfectly well and are smaller than the new version. There’s also a mini version ($130) where the neckband is almost an inch shorter, which I like, because I am smol.
Speck Gemtones Sport for $70: These are cheap and fit well. The buttons are a little too sensitive, and the sound is noticeably fuzzier than most of our other picks, but they’re not bad.
Dishonorable Mentions
There’s nothing more annoying than carving out some time in your day for a workout, getting out the door, and realizing that you can’t listen to your fun podcast because your headphones are glitching out. These are the ones I hated.
Photograph: Amazon
Raycon Bone Conduction Headphones for $85: I have no idea if these sound good, because they pressed directly on top of my ear canal, where they buzzed the flesh of my eardrums and not my bones. It was unbearable.
Skullcandy Method 360 ANC for $100: The case is huge, the buds are big and awkward, and noise canceling works not at all.
Anker Soundcore C40i for $100: These fulfilled all my worst imaginings about open-ear buds; they fell out before I’d run a block down my street. I put them in my pocket and didn’t wear them again for the rest of the run.
Oladance Sport for $180: These have a high IPX rating and sound decent. However, the neckband is way too big for me, so they keep falling out of place, and the buttons are hard to use and unpleasant to push.
1More Fit Open for $130: Don’t buy these. They sound OK, but the buttons are so sensitive that I couldn’t run for more than five minutes without a song skipping or the music turning off.
Suunto Wing for $200: These look very nice and come with a bunch of thoughtful accessories, like a carrying case and a charging holder. But they sound way too tinny for this price.
Suunto Aqua for $115: I wish Suunto would improve its software experience. The lifeguard at the pool actually yelled at me for lane-hogging while trying to get these to work. For that reason alone, I have to continue to go with the Shokz headphones above.
FAQs
Why are the young ones plugging their headphones in?
Earbuds are amazingly convenient, but Bluetooth pairing can be wonky, and I always seem to drop one out at the most inconvenient times. To plug your headphones in, you’ll either need a headphone jack adapter or a phone with a headphone jack.
Why can’t I work out in my regular headphones?
You spent hundreds of dollars on your Sony WH-1000XM6, why wouldn’t you just wear them to work out? Sweat has salt and minerals that can corrode ear cups, especially if they’re made from premium materials, like leather. You’re also out and about in the world, encountering rain and other cold, hot, or humid environments that aren’t great for delicate drivers and other headphone components. No one’s telling you you can’t work out in regular headphones, but if you consider yours precious, it’s worth getting a cheaper pair that you won’t mind getting damaged.
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