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The best running headphones will motivate you to keep going and stay in place. What you use to run sessions is, of course, a matter of personal taste. But if you want to stay focused on your runs, it’s better to buy a pair that pushes you and doesn’t have controls that are hard to use or a loose fit that will distract you.
The best running headphones should stay in your ears and not fall out when you’re a half mile down the road. They also need to be rated IPX4 or higher to keep water and sweat out. Anyone who wants to live a more active life should understand the value of listening to a podcast or motivational music while they work out.
Best Running Headphones
Shokz OpenRun Pro
Features
Shokz, which used to be called AfterShokz, is the best-known brand of bone conduction headphones, and the OpenRun Pro are its best headphones to date. When they come out in early 2021, they will have new bass transducers that make sound that is full and round. With the OpenRun Pro.
Overall, it looks a lot like the original OpenRun, which was first called the Aeropex. It has a light, springy titanium band that holds the earpieces of the headphones securely but gently in place. They stay in place no matter what, and they never pinch or rub. There are a few small differences, though.
Pros
- Comfortable and lightweight
- Good sound for bone conduction
- Improved call quality
- Great battery life
Cons
- More noticeable vibrations
- More expensive than OpenRun
Jlab Go Air Sport
Features
It’s rare to find a cheap pair of earbuds that do everything right. Still, the Jlab Go Air Sport beat the odds and proved once and for all that you can get more for less. This isn’t the first time JLab has made cheap headphones that sound better than they should for the price, but this time, it might have nailed it.
The Jlab Go Air Sport has given us a lot of wonderful surprises in the time we’ve had it. It was much more comfortable to wear than our previous favourite, the more expensive Beats Fit Pro. We also liked how it sounded, even though it wasn’t up to audiophile standards. All frequencies were well represented, especially the bass, which was loud but not too loud.
Pros
- Affordable
- Sculpted, bass-forward sound signature
- Solid battery life
- Water-resistant build
Cons
- Case has hardwired (and very short) charging cable
- Finicky on-ear controls
Jabra Elite Active 75t
Features
The Jabra Elite Active 75t are great wireless earbuds in general, but they also have a lot of features that make them almost perfect for running. First, there’s the fit. It’s rare to find a pair of true wireless buds that stay in the ear without wing-tips or ear hooks, but these do.
The weatherproofing gets an IP57 rating, which means it is completely safe from dust and can even be fully submerged in shallow water. Rain or sweat don’t pose a threat on their own. The battery life is also better than that of the AirPods Pro, and Jabra’s buds come with ANC for less money.
Pros
- Dynamic, lively sound
- Active and passive noise cancellation
- Waterproof
- Longer battery life than AirPods Pro
- In-app audio customization
- Sleek and durable aesthetics
Cons
- Newer features unavailable at launch
- Can get extremely loud at max volume
Beats Powerbeats Pro
Features
Even though they don’t look like it, the Beats Powerbeats Pro were heavily influenced by Apple’s AirPods headphones. In fact, they use the same Apple H1 chip as the AirPods Pro, which means they can connect to iPhones right away. And if you’ve updated to iOS 14, you can switch right away to other iOS and Mac devices you may have at home.
That’s great, but how do the Powerbeats Pro work when you run? As it turns out, very well. During our tough tests, these ear hooks kept the buds in place, and the sound was strong enough to match. The IPX4 means that the Powerbeats Pro can handle sweat pretty well.
Pros
- Secure, comfortable fit thanks to ear hooks
- Easy to control with buttons on the frames
- Sleek design
Cons
- No active noise cancellation
- iPhone bias
Sony WF-C500
Features
The WF-C500 wireless earbuds from Sony are like a stripped-down version of the WF-1000XM4 above. They won a What Hi-Fi? Award in 2022, just like the XM4. And they do a lot of what makes those wireless earbuds popular without sacrificing too much.
The IPX4 rating makes them good for running and sports, and you can connect to Android devices and Windows 10 PCs using “fast pair” and “swift pair,” respectively. The sound is well-balanced, has a lot of mid-range detail, and is put together in a way that sounds musical.
Pros
- Informative, organized and lively sound
- Neat and comfortable
- Proper control app
Cons
- Battery life is nothing special
- Could sound both deeper and wider
Jaybird Vista 2 Truly Wireless
Features
The Jaybird Vista 2 Truly Wireless headphones are the best ones we’ve tried for running. These earbuds for sports are tough and well-made. They have an IP68 rating, which means that dust can’t get in and water can’t get in. They fit well and stay in your ears, so they won’t fall out while you’re running.
They also have easy-to-use controls for music and volume. Their continuous battery life of about 5.3 hours isn’t the best, but they come with a portable case that can hold a few extra charges and protects them from dust and water, thanks to their IP54 rating.
Pros
- Clear, energetic sound
- Good ANC
- Practical and comfortable design
Cons
- Not sonically special
FAQs
What should I look for in running headphones?
- Battery life
- Water resistance
- Weight
- Comfort
- Stability
- Safety
Are headphones good for running?
But you don’t need in-ear earbuds to listen to your workout playlist while running. Over-ear headphones are a good choice if you want gear that won’t move, slip, or die just as you’re hitting your stride.
How long do running headphones last?
They have a battery life of eight hours, and the charging cable is built right into the case, so you can’t lose it. During our runs, which included a very hot and sweaty marathon, we found that the buds stayed in place.
How can you tell if headphones are good quality?
The best way to figure out how good headphones are is to try them out. When you listen to acoustic guitar or piano music, you can easily tell the difference between good and bad. But the specs of two headphones that sound very different will often be the same. The price is likely the easiest and most useful spec.