Best Wireless Workout Earbuds for Running, Lifting, and Swimming 2024
September 28, 2024
These top wireless earbuds for working out provide superior sound for a wide variety of activities on land—and even water.
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Most of us would rather cut the cord and opt for the best wireless earbuds when working out. While over-ear headphones can be bulky and wired earbuds tend to be cumbersome, wireless buds are experiencing a renaissance these days—thanks in large part to improved Bluetooth technology and increasing demand for alternatives to Apple's ubiquitous AirPods. The virtual disappearance of wired headphones means that buds are now the go-to option for active folks who prefer to run, lift, bike, paddle, climb, ski, and even swim to their favorite tunes with no encumbrances. Audio companies have in turn amped up their in-ear offerings to the nth degree.
The leap to headphones with no attachments doesn't mean you have to skimp on features. Quite the opposite. In addition to all of the usual digital conveniences, wireless earbud options are now specifically geared toward sport-oriented pursuits. Active folks should look for a few must-have features, like voice or touch controls that allow you to easily take important calls. Noise-cancelling and "pass-through" sound options boost concentration and ambient awareness respectively. The best wireless buds are also built to stay put during high-intensity activity while offering some level of water resistance for protection against sweat. Incredibly, some are now totally waterproof for aquatic-friendly audio.
Alongside those necessities, it's also crucial that these tiny music machines pump out excellent sound quality to let you properly get into your groove. If you can't bear doing practically anything without your favorite tunes, pick one of these overachieving wireless earbuds tailored for active people.
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1. Nothing Ear (stick) Earbuds
After releasing a stunning phone, Nothing jumped into the earbud game with an equally gorgeous Ear (stick). Standing out at first glance with a cool, cylindrical case made for easy pocketing and a clear plastic stem, these light buds (just 4.4 grams) offer cutting-edge tech—including a custom 12.6 mm dynamic driver and three high definition mics that filter out over a million ambient sounds for optimal crispness and clarity. They also quickly connect to any Android device through Fast Pair, and the app lets you customize gesture controls and adjust EQ settings. Ergonomically designed, they're comfy enough to wear all day no matter what activities you're up to.
Active audiophiles who take their workout music seriously are the target audience for the Nura Tune Pros—the first earbuds to offer lossless audio over Bluetooth. Offering CD-quality sound in a tiny, wireless package, the earbuds additional features include a self-tuning equalizer, spacial audio, adaptive noise cancelation, eight-hour battery life, and IPX4 sweat resistance.
Ideal for the guy who needs music to push through punishing workouts, Skullcandy's Push Active True headphones are armed with flexible, over-ear hooks that'll stay on during the most intense exercise sessions. Rated to an IP55 water-resistance also keeps them safe from the sweatiest athlete. No need to touch them with your greasy hand either. The earbuds' Skull-iQ Smart Feature Technology enables voice commands to do things like share audio with a workout buddy, customize controls, and prompt your phone camera to take a mid-lift shot.
If swimming is how you get your workout fix but you love to listen to music, finally you can mix the two. H20 Audio's underwater headphones use bone conduction—pushing sound waves through your skull to your inner ear, not the ear canal—to get tunes into your head in the water. The phones also include an internal 8GB (2,000 songs) MP3 player to store your tunes. If you have a smartwatch, you can use that to stream music over Bluetooth. The only catch is you have to attach it to your goggles (not your wrist) to move the sound to the device underwater. Rated to IPX8, these headphones are waterproof to 12 feet and will last for up to seven hours.
Noise-cancelling earbuds are all the rage, but if you're engaging in any outdoor activities it's good to hear what's going on around you. Sony's Linkbuds have a unique design that utilizes a hollow center, like a donut, to funnel outside noise into your ear canal. Awesome audio is preserved with an integrated V1 processor that pumps out balanced, high-quality sound—plus special voice tech that ensures clear conversation on calls. Super-comfy, these tiny buds will get you about 5.5 hours of listening time and boast an IPX4 water-resistant rating.
Recently updated, Shure's Aonic 215 earbuds feature over-ear attachments modeled after the kind musicians use on stage and an integrated premium headphone amp supporting a range of codecs including Qualcomm aptX, AAC and SBC. The result: a foolproof secure fit and studio sound quality. Isolating tech filters out up to 37 dB of noise, but you can quickly shut it off with a touch of a button to instantly hear the outside world. Other neat features include a variety of sleeves to add to the earbuds that allows you to customize them to your style plus a detectable connection so you can hook up to any device for a wired link.
7. 1More EVO True Wireless Active Noise Canceling Headphones
Earbuds often tout "audiophile" quality sound that ends up falling flat. Not the 1More EVOs, which use LDAC audio coding technology to transmit around three times more data standard Bluetooth. A 10mm diamond-like-carbon dynamic driver and balanced armature also ensure distortion-free music. Active noise cancellation blocks up to 42 dB of outside sounds during up to 28 hours of total listening time while recharging with the case. The earbuds' IPX4 water-resistant rating lets you shed sweat while rocking out in the weight room.
Bose Sport earbuds offer that amazing sound quality we expect from this brand, featuring patented acoustic ports and high-efficiency drivers that combine with an active equalizer for clear, balanced sound at any volume. Umbrella-shaped tips with flexible wings (no ungainly ear hooks here) keep them planted in your ear during high-intensity activity. Comfort is a key part of the Sport's design, since every surface that's snugged up to your ear is covered in soft-touch silicone. Rated IPX4 for water/sweat resistance, these buds use a capacitive touch surface for playing music or taking calls with just a few taps.
Active guys who require some bumping bass to power their workouts or adventure sports will dig the JBL Endurance Peak IIs—tuned with the brand's Pure Bass sound to highlight the bottom range for a little extra kick in the pants. A robust IP67 rating ensures durability for all environments, while bendable ear hooks provide comfort plus security. Hands-free features like a start/stop function that keys off of your movement and a dual connect feature that lets you use either bud to talk or adjust the sound make them ideal for sports. A combined 30 hours of listening life comes from six hours total on the earbuds plus 24 hours of charge time in the case.
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