Whether you're pushing yourself to beat your personal record or pushing through a challenging workout session, having a pair of earbuds that can keep up with your pace can greatly enhance your exercise experience. However, with a wide range of options available, selecting the best earbuds for your fitness journey can be overwhelming. Apart from delivering exceptional audio quality, the ideal exercise earbuds should be able to withstand movement and sweat, while also providing a long-lasting battery life to keep you motivated. Furthermore, choosing earbuds is a personal decision, as the pair recommended by your friend may not have the features that are right for you. To assist you in finding the perfect match, we have compiled a list of nine top options below to suit various needs and budgets. Each model has received positive ratings from reviewers who have used them during sports activities, and we have provided a breakdown of their advantages and disadvantages so that you can decide which features are essential for your earbuds and which ones you can do without.
OUR TOP PICK OF EARBUDS FOR EXERCISE
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.
Jabra Elite 8 Active
Jabra’s Elite 8 Active buds may not be hugely different from the Elite 7 Actives, but their upgrade to an IP68-rating is a notable one. According to Jabra, you can drop the buds, take them through clouds of dust, and even fully submerge them in up to 1.5 metres of water, and they’ll still come out the other side unscathed.
Because of this, they aren’t just great for sweat and rain – they’re great for just about any outdoor activity. Their durability makes them easy to clean after a particularly strenuous gym session too – just stick them under a tap and give them a quick wash. The charging case also has an IP54-rating that grants it some resistance against dust and water splashes, though we wouldn’t recommend dropping it in a puddle.
Other features include better active noise-cancellation and wind-reduction technology, along with a slightly improved battery life. A more compact design also makes the Elite 8 Actives a better fit for most people than the 7s, although
Beats Flex Wireless
If you’ve lost an earbud or two in your time, these neckband earbuds from Beats could save you from forking out on yet another replacement pair. The earbuds are attached to a band that sits behind your neck, which not only prevents them from tangling or getting in your way as you run, but allows you to take them out of your ears and wear them when they aren’t in use.
Sound is decent for the price and the battery lasts for up to twelve hours, which is longer than any other model on this list (if you’re not counting the charging cases). However, noise cancellation is missing and so is an IP rating for sweat and water resistance.
Like other Beats models, the buds work best with Apple devices, and come with Apple’s W1 chip so you can seamlessly connect them to your iPhone. Priced at under $100, they’re also the cheapest option on this list, so they’re a great pick for those shopping on a budget.
soundcore by Anker Sport X10
If you’re after a pair of sport-friendly buds that don’t cost the earth, the soundcore by Anker Sport X10s are a nice pick. For $129.99 you get a bunch of features typically found on more expensive earbuds, like active noise cancellation, wind reduction technology and an IPX7 waterproof rating.
We also like the flexible ear hooks, which make the buds more compact in the charging case and help them to sit better on your ears. The battery life is great for the price too, with up to eight hours of play from the buds alone.
The noise-cancellation doesn’t stand up to pricier models on this list, and features like touch-sensitive controls are notably missing. However, the Sport X10s remain a seriously decent model for those with a price limit.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) with USB-C
While AirPods aren’t technically made for sport, we know you’re going to go ahead and use them for it anyway. So, we will concede that the AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) are a nice choice if you’re not going to be pumping iron or moving around too vigorously.
They don’t have the most stable fit compared to other earbuds on this list, but they’ll stay put while walking, and are comfortable to wear for a few hours at a time. Thanks to the Apple H2 chip, the second generation also has a few notable upgrades from its predecessor, including double the noise cancellation, richer bass, a transparency mode, a longer battery life and customisable spatial audio. The second generation also finally sees the buds updated to USB-C charging instead of lightning, which is a huge win in our books.
When it comes to chatting to friends on-the-go, the microphone is a bit better at cancelling out background noise than the first-generation, though it may still struggle to capture your voice if you’re walking in busy areas. For casual users though, it should be just fine.
