February 25, 2023
earphones for running
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Aftershokz
Aftershokz seem to be a popular choice for running headphones due to their bone conduction technology which allows you to hear your surroundings clearly. People say that they are comfortable
[1]
[2]
and remain securely in place
[3]
. They also have an OpenFit design which allows for ambient noise
[5]
, and a long battery life of up to 8 hours on a single charge
[7]
. Additionally, Aftershokz come with a great warranty and customer service
[1]
, meaning that they could be the perfect choice for those who want both comfort and awareness while running.
Powerbeats Pro
It seems the Powerbeats Pro are a good choice for running, as they are earphones that hook over the ear and can still hear traffic and other external sounds
[3]
. They have a great battery life
[5]
, come with ear plugs
[3]
, and provide a comfortable fit while running or working out
[5]
. People say that these are worth paying for, as they are water resistant
[3]
and have an excellent sound quality
[5]
. Furthermore, they do not provide noise isolation
[5]
, but their intuitive touch controls makes them great for phone calls. Additionally, they're sturdy and durable
[5]
and come with a high-quality charging case.
Apple AirPods Pro
It seems Apple AirPods Pro are one of the top contenders for running earphones. They're comfortable and don't fall out of the ears easily
[3]
, have a transparency mode and good sound quality
[5]
, as well as offering privacy, long battery life, and not needing an Apple device to set up
[6]
. People say that they're great for iPhones
[6]
, but some might find them a bit pricey compared to other options
[3]
.
Jaybirds
It seems Jaybirds are a popular option for running earphones. People say that they don't fall out
[4]
and provide good quality
[4]
[5]
. They're also sweat resistant
[4]
, and have intuitive touch controls
[5]
. I think they may be slightly uncomfortable for some people
[7]
, but overall seem to be a great choice for running headphones.
Jabra Elite 85t
It seems Jabra Elite 85t are a good option for running as they provide both hear-through and noise-canceling features
[3]
, are highly sweat resistant
[5]
and provide a secure fit
[7]
. Additionally, people say that the sound quality is very good and engaging
[3]
, with a great battery life
[5]
, small case
[3]
and the ability to work with Strava
[3]
. Lastly, it appears that they are also water resistant
[5]
.
All answers
Comfort and Fit
The Powerbeats Pro
[2]
provide an excellent fit that won't fall out during your run. For those who don't trust buds, the Otium Bluetooth Headphones
[2]
are also a great option with their comfortable fit. The Jaybird Tarah Pro
[2]
, Apple AirPods
[4]
, and Plantronics Backbeat FIT
[3]
also stay in nicely while running.
Open-ear Design
For a running experience that keeps you aware of your surroundings, open-ear design allows you to hear ambient noises while you listen to your music or take calls. Among the options available, Aftershokz Aeropex
[1]
have great customer service, good fit with hooks into ear, and bone conduction technology to make sure you don't miss any important sounds. The Jabra Elite Active 75t
[1]
are also a great option with their hear-through feature and ability to work with Strava.
Audio Quality
For crystal-clear audio, the Bose SoundSport Wireless Earbuds
[4]
can deliver great sound quality without compromising outside noise. The Trekz AfterShokz
[5]
provide excellent audio quality and a carry case, while the Bose QuietComfort Noise Canceling Earbuds
[5]
come with well-balanced mids, lows, and highs.
Battery Life
The headphones that offer great battery life include the QCY T2C
[1]
, Anker Soundcore Spirit X
[1]
, and Beats Earbuds
[3]
, which can all last up to 18 hours on a single charge. The AirPod Pros offer up to 6 hours of listening time and over 24 hours with the charging case
[4]
. The Bose Sport Earbuds give you up 5 hours in one charge
[5]
.
Sweat and Water Resistance
The headphones that are sweat resistant include the Jabra Elite 65T Active
[2]
, Powerbeat Pros
[3]
, Jaybird Tarah Pro
[2]
, Plantronics Backbeat FIT
[3]
, Samsung Gear X
[2]
, Mpow Magneto
[2]
, Bose Soundsport Wireless
[4]
, and Bose Sport Earbuds
[5]
. For waterproof headphones, there's the TREBLAB X3 Pro Wireless Earbuds with Ear Hooks
[5]
which is IPX7 certified for sweatproof protection and AfterShokz AS600CR Titanium Bone Conduction Wireless Headphones which is IPX5 certified for moisture resistance.
[5]
Jump to top
Research
Source: "The best headphones for running in 2023 | Digit..." (from web, www.digitaltrends.com)
-
JLab Epic Air Sport ANC True Wireless Earbuds (2021)
- Simple setup
- Stable, comfy fit for working out
- Outstanding battery life
- IP66 weather-resistance rating
- Good, customizable sound
- Average call quality
- Mediocre ANC
-
JBL Reflect Aero TWS
- Excellent IP68 resistance
- Some of the best ANC we’ve seen
- Eight-hour battery life
- Company design may not be a secure fit for everyone
-
Beats Powerbeats Pro
- Class-leading battery life
- Water resistant
- Secure fit, sleek design
- Bold, vibrant sound
- No basic battery gauge
- Massive case
- Intermittent connection issues
-
Plantronics BackBeat FIT 2100
- More-affordable running earbuds
- Cool app features
- Waterproof
- Reflective band
- No noise cancellation
-
Anker Soundcore Sport X10
- Comfy fit and stability
- Rugged durability
- Good sound quality
- Solid ANC and ambient performance
- Great app support
- Wind can break through
- No aptX support
- No wireless charging
-
Shokz OpenRun Pro
- Open-ear conduction design
- Durable titanium design that still manages to be comfortable
- 10-hour battery life
- Bone conduction design isn’t for everyone
-
Jaybird Vista 2
- Fully water and dustproof
- Compact and secure fit
- Great sound quality
Source: "The Best Running Headphones of 2023 | livestrong" (from web, www.livestrong.com)
-
Bose Sport Earbuds
- Secure fit
- Charge length of up to 5 hours and additional 2 hours from the case
- Sweat-proof
- Features include tips that lock into your ears, pause, play and skip songs and take calls
- Price of $129
-
Apple Airpods Pro
- Noise-canceling feature
- Comes with three sizes of silicone tips
- Can dictate messages and have Siri read them
- Price of $209.99
-
Back Bay Duet 50 Pro Earbuds
- Battery life of up to 8 hours and additional 122 hours from the case
- Sweat-proof and water-resistant
- Price of $54.99
-
Skullcandy Push Ultra True Wireless Earbuds
- Moldable hooks that wrap around your ears to help keep them in place
- Three listening modes
- Price of $79.99
-
Powerbeats3 Wireless Headphones
- Charge lasts up to 12 hours
- Price of $114.97
-
Adidas RPT-01 On-Ear Wireless Headphones
- Durable fabric encases the headband
- Sweat- and waterproof
- Price of $169.99
-
Jabra Elite Sport Wireless Earbuds
- Built-in heart rate monitor
- Waterproof
- Holds 13.5 hours of battery
- Price of $79.99
-
Shokz OpenRun Headphones
- Bone-conduction technology
- Control buttons
- Price of $129.95
-
Under Armour True Wireless Flash X Earbuds
- Two listening modes - TalkThru and AmbientAware
- Sport-tip buds lock into place in your ears
- Price of $74.95
-
Jaybird Sport Vista Earbuds
- Nature-proof
- Holds up to 32 hours of charge
- Price of $126.09
-
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live
- 12mm speaker
- Built-in voice assistant
- Price of $79.99
- Plantronics Back
Source: "Switching to Aftershokz open-ear headphones fro..." (from reddit, r/running)
-
Aftershokz Aeropex
- Safety factor: you feel a lot safer when you’re aware of all that other stuff going on
- Sound quality: not really the main selling point, may get nothing more than a faint hint of what song is playing
- Comfort/Fit: both the Aftershokz and earbuds tend to completely disappear when you get into a good running groove; earbuds may fall out with rain or heavy sweat
- Controls: rocker is behind your head and really fiddly; main control button is hard to feel, especially through running gloves
- Battery life: 8 hrs on a single charge; need a separate charging cable
- Annoying beep with every action performed; can’t turn it off
- Can hear foot strikes and breathing if you turn the volume down a bit
- Amazing warranty; they will replace your headphones for free if they stop working within the first two years
-
Earbuds
- Sound quality: better than Aftershokz; touch-based and super easy to use
- Comfort/Fit: can be slightly annoying; earbuds may fall out with rain or heavy sweat
- Controls: touch-based and super easy to use; don’t throw off stride rhythm
- Battery life: depends on the earbuds; some use standard USB-C for the charging case
- Can buy memory foam tips for earbuds for better comfort and fit
- Can have conductive hearing loss which may not work with Aftershokz
-
Open-ear headphones
- Safety factor: aware of all that other stuff going on
- Sound quality: may not be great; just a nice bonus
- Comfort/Fit: can be slightly annoying; Aftershokz loop behind the head sometimes feels a bit cold/plastic-y against neck
- Controls: fiddly; main control button hard to feel, especially through running gloves
- Battery life: depends on the headphones; some can last up to 8 hrs on a single charge
- Can hear foot strikes and breathing if you turn the volume down a bit
- Make you a more considerate runner; can hear faster runners coming up behind you in advance
Source: "Best running headphones. What do you use/recomm..." (from reddit, r/running)
-
Trekz AfterShokz
- Bone conduction headphones, can hear ambient noises
- Comfortable
-
Bose Soundsport Wireless
- Perfect, worth paying for
- Water resistant
-
Mpow Magneto
- Cheap
- Can slip them into silicone inserts
-
Apple AirPods
- Great for iPhones
- Need an Apple device to set up
-
Plantronics Backbeat FIT
- Good sound quality
- Battery life of 8-10 hours
-
Powerbeats pro
- Best ever used
-
Jabra Elite 65T Active
- Highly recommend
-
Jaybird Tarah Pro
- Comfortable, water resistant
- Jaybird app to customize sound profile
-
Samsung Gear X
- Wireless
-
Anker Soundbuds Slim
- Not too expensive, usually in the £16-20 range
Source: "Plantronics BackBeat FIT 350 Wireless Headphone..." (from web, www.amazon.com.au)
-
Plantronics BackBeat FIT 350 Wireless Headphones
- Good fit on the ears for running
- Sound quality is good enough for running activities
- Battery last 3 hours
- Light weight and comfortable
- Variable size parts
- Blocks out a fair amount of ambient noise
-
Other headphones
- Excellent value sports headphones
- Good sound quality and comfortable
- Weak base and sound very tinny
- No base, very tinny
- Good design but keep falling out
💭 Looking into
Are there any earphones for running that are both noise cancelling and waterproof?
💭 Looking into
What are the best wireless earphones for running?
💭 Looking into
What apps work with the Jabra Elite Active 75t?
💭 Looking into
What kind of sound quality does the Plantronics BackBeat Fit provide?
💭 Looking into
What is the battery life of Aftershokz?
Source: "12 Best Running Headphones in 2023 | Headphones..." (from web, headphonesproreview.com)
-
TREBLAB X3 Pro Wireless Earbuds with Ear Hooks
- Can work up to 9 hours with a single charge
- Fast charging using USB-C type charge
- Seamless Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity
- IPX7 sweatproof and waterproof
- Excellent audio quality
- Treble is a bit overpowering
-
AfterShokz AS600CR Titanium Bone Conduction Wireless Headphones
- Great audio quality; delivers crystal-clear audio
- OpenFit design allows ambient noise
- Comfortable and lightweight
- Enjoy calls and music for up to 6 hours
- IPX5 sweatproof and moisture resistant
- Comes with a carry case
- Does not comprise a noise-canceling microphone
- Tickling sensation on the cheek slightly increases when the volume is high
-
Bose SoundSport Wireless Earbuds
- Provides a comfortable fit while running or working out
- Can work for up to 6 hours in a single charge
- Quick Bluetooth and NFC pairing
- Sweat- and water-resistant
- Sturdy and durable
- High-quality charging case
- Sleek and stylish
- Do not provide noise isolation
-
Bose Sport Earbuds
- Provide a secure and comfortable fit
- Come with 3 sizes of StayHear Max Tips for a perfect fit
- Can work up to 5 hours in a single charge
- IPX4 sweat- and water-resistant
- Excellent sound quality
- True wireless convenience
-
Bose QuietComfort Noise Canceling Earbuds
- Made of soft silicone material
- Well-balanced mids, lows, and highs
- Excellent sound quality
- Great build quality
- Intuitive touch controls
- Comfortable and durable
Source: "Best earphones /headphones to run?" (from reddit, r/running)
-
Aftershokz Aeropex
- Situational awareness you retain with them can’t be beat
- Can be used with a hat or headband
- Can be used for yoga videos/meditations, phone calls/podcasts, dog walks
- Lower sound quality than some other options
- Prone to dropping down the back of the head and resting on the back of the neck
-
Powerbeats Pro
- Great battery life
- Pumping bass and sound quality
- Easy to use
- Overpriced for what they are
-
Airpods Pro
- Never fall out
- Great sound quality
- Transparency mode
-
Jaybirds
- Don’t fall out
- Good quality
- Hard to ruin with sweat
-
Jabra Elite 75t
- Very good and engaging sound
- Great battery
- Small case
- Water resistant
- Good for phone calls
-
Aftershokz Trekz
- Ability to turn the outside world on and off
- Great sound
- Solid fit
- Durable
- 4hrs before low battery warning
-
Samsung Galaxy Buds
- Ambient noise feature
- Fit snug in the ear
-
Beats Earbuds
- Quite cheap
- Great sound quality
- Don’t ever fall out
-
Plantronics Backbeat Fit
- Work really well
- Battery life and comfort can be concerns for long runs
Source: "Best Headphones For Running?" (from reddit, r/running)
-
Aftershokz
- Bone conduction
- Good customer service
- Good fit (hooks into ear)
-
Plantronics BackBeat Fit
- Does not block ambient sound
- Hooks into ear
- Good sound
- Note: some newer versions have quality issues
-
Jabra Elite Active 75t
- Good fit
- Hear-through feature
- Heart rate readings
- Work with Strava
-
Adidas RPT 01
- Over-ear headphones
- Control button on side
- Removable ear pads
-
QCY T2C
- Cheap
- Comfortable
- Good sound quality
- 18 hours battery life
-
AirPod Pros
- Noise cancelling
- Stay in ear nicely
- Able to get wet
-
Anker Soundcore Spirit X
- Cheap
- Comfortable
- 18 hours battery life
- No buttons to control audio on headphones
-
Regular AirPods
- Comfortable
- Not noise cancelling
-
Headband
- Holds earbuds in
Source: "Best running headphones. What do you use/recomm..." (from reddit, r/running)
-
Aftershokz
- Stay on, comfortable, don’t block outside noises (bikes, other runners etc), sound fine, decent charge/playing time
- Can hear surroundings plus can use them to chat as they have a built in mic
- Best headphones, comfort, great sound, incredible battery life, safety of having ears open
- Don’t forget they are on
- Amazing customer service
-
Bose sound sport wireless
- Can get pretty loud, can hear all music around busy roads
- Come with ear plugs
- Can’t hear everything going on around them when it’s super cold
- Great for phone calls
- Can be used all day without noticing
-
Apple AirPods
- Very good
- Fall out of ears quickly
- Good for gym, privacy, and airplanes
Source: "Earphones for running?" (from reddit, r/running)
-
Plantronics Backbeat Fit
- Earphones that hook over the ear and can still hear traffic and other external sounds
- Waterproof
-
Jabra Elite Active 75T
- Highly sweat resistant
-
Bose earphones
- Good for those that sweat a lot and don’t fall out
- Quite expensive
-
Aftershokz
- Bone conduction headphones, so don’t go in your ear nor block your hearing in anyway
- Long battery life
- Able to be aware of your surroundings
-
Powerbeats Pro
- Hooks over the ear
- Good sound quality
-
Otium Bluetooth headphones
- Good for those that don’t trust buds
-
Headband earphones
- Hold back hair, keep ears warm in winter, stops sweat dripping down face on hot days
- Machine washable
-
LG TONE Free FN6 earbuds
- Microphones and will mix in outside sound if you want
-
Sound Blaster Jam headphones
- Throwback to 90s headphones
- Incredibly light, 18 hours of battery life, excellent sound quality
-
AirPods Pro
- 6 hours listening time and over 24 hours with the case
- Transparency on
-
Jabra Elite 85t
- Hear through or noise cancelling both work well
-
Powerbeat Pros
- Over ear and use them for running, strength, core, yoga, stretching, etc and they never move
-
Beats
- Good
💭 Looking into
What are the best earphones for running?