The Best Wireless Earbuds for Working Out

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  Photograph: Philippa Langley/Getty Images

  A Few Pointers

  Should I Get Wired or Wireless Headphones?

  Which buds are right for you? A surprising number of people still prefer wired headphones. When you're going on a long run, the last thing you want to do is stand on your front porch, shivering in your shorts, trying to figure out why the right earbud isn't connected. But for obvious reasons, wireless headphones are much more convenient when doing other strenuous physical activities.

  I recommend investing in a pair that has ear hooks, clips, or fins to hold them securely in place; you can also buy ear hooks a la carte online. A tight, secure seal ensures that you get that big bass sound to power you through the last mile. Everyone's ears are different, and your left might even be different than your right. Don't be afraid to try mismatching sizes of ear tips or fins for a better fit.

• Photograph: Jaybird

  Best Overall

  Jaybird Vista 2

  Jaybird's update of the Vista retains the long battery life and durable encapsulated construction, where each bud has a bubble inside it that protects the components from being submerged in up to 1.5 meters of water. The build quality has dramatically improved, with more comfortable ear fins and a textured button that's softer and easier to push. The app can also find your buds when you lose them or switch from noise-canceling mode to letting in ambient sound. 

  Voice calls sound excellent and the case is slim enough to fit into the waist pocket on my hiking backpack's hip belt, unlike the Beats Powerbeats Pro, which accidentally turns on whenever I pack them into a bag. They do have one big caveat: After 3 months of near-constant wear, noise-canceling pooped out and sounded murky. The issue resolved itself after I turned them on and off a few times, but it's an annoying thing to happen with a pair of expensive buds. 

• Photograph: Jabra

  Runner-Up

  Jabra Elite 85t

  WIRED's head audio reviewer Parker Hall loves the Jabra Elite 85T. After trying them, I have to agree. The Elite 85T are tiny—both the case and buds are the smallest of a half-dozen pairs sitting on my desk. I usually prefer workout earbuds with ear hooks or fins to keep them in place, but the 85T fit comfortably and securely, even in my small ears. The sound quality is excellent, for both music and calls, and unlike previous generations of Jabra Elite headphones, these have active noise canceling for when you return to the gym.

  If you're unwilling to shell out the full price for the latest pair, Jabra has a demonstrated commitment to its earlier models. The company recently added noise-canceling to the still-excellent 75T. It also offers a two-year-warranty that is far above the industry standard. 

• Photograph: Letsfit

  Best Super-Cheap Earbuds

  Letsfit Bluetooth Headphones

  Workout headphones take a beating. Even if you're only running or working out at home, mine get shoved in backpacks and fanny packs, thrown in my key bin, or end up at the bottom of wet tote bags all the time. With treatment like that, even a $50 set like our previous budget pick, the JLab Audio Epic Sport2, starts to seem expensive. That's why at $18, the Letsfit workout buds are … fine! They're not outstanding but are adequate. I didn't hear any echoes or distortion. After a little fiddling with the ear hooks, the buds stayed put on miles-long trail runs. The 15-hour battery life is amazing, and they're rated IPX7 waterproof. 

  These are also great as an extra pair to keep your workout bag. If you don't mind spending a bit more for better quality, we still recommend JLab Audio's cheaper options, too. 

  $20 at Target
• Photograph: Beats

  Best for Apple Users

  Beats Powerbeats (2020)

  It's been years, and my Beats Powerbeats are still going strong. They are by far the best headphones for Apple users. They have the same stellar sound quality as the wireless Powerbeats Pro (8/10, WIRED Recommends), but there's a wire that runs from bud to bud for better battery life and more security. They fit comfortably and snugly in my ear, and unlike nearly every other bud I've tried, I've never knocked one out and into the mud. 

  The IPX4 waterproof rating has held up. They haven't fritzed out and I've never had the Bluetooth connection drop out due to inclement weather. I do have an iPhone 11, so some of the inconveniences our audio reviewer Parker Hall noted while testing it on an Android phone in our Powerbeats review (8/10, WIRED Recommends) don't apply to me. For example, you have to charge it with a Lightning cable, and there's no voice assistant support.

• Photograph: Apple

  Another Option for Apple Users

  Apple AirPods Pro

  I love my AirPods Pro (8/10, WIRED Recommends), but they're not my favorite earbuds for working out. They fit much more securely than the standard AirPods (most earbuds do), but they still don't seal in your ear. I also wouldn’t take any headphones that don’t have an ear fin or over-ear clip on an outdoor run. (You can also take your chances with non-Apple-manufactured ear fins). 

  If you’re an iPhone owner who wants only one set of headphones, the Pro Pods are rated IPX4, which means they’re sweat-resistant (don’t wear them in the shower, though). The sound quality and noise canceling are also excellent, and you can long-squeeze the stem to let in ambient sound if you need to cross the street or say hi to a fellow gym-goer.

• Photograph: Ultimate Ears

  Best Fitting Buds

  Ultimate Ears Fits

  If you have trouble finding earbuds to fit your weird little ears, the UE Fits might be for you. Open the sealed, funky-smelling ear tips and run through the app-based prompts. An ultraviolet light then custom-molds each ear tip to your ear, making them the comfiest earbuds you've ever tried.

  I have so much trouble fitting buds into my shallow left ear hole that these were a revelation. They sound great and have fantastic passive noise reduction. I even recommended them in our Best Running Gear guide. However, they don't have a great sweat-resistance rating and you can't pipe in ambient sound if you're working out outside. The fit is also so solid that I can hear every single footstep and heartbeat in my ears as I move. It doesn't annoy me, but it might annoy you.

• Photograph: Samsung

  Most Comfortable Buds

  Samsung Galaxy Buds2

  WIRED audio reviewer Parker Hall says the new Samsung Galaxy Buds2 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) are everything they've been promised to be. They're smaller and lighter than predecessors, and you get several important features at a tantalizing $150 price, like active noise-canceling tech, a wireless charging case, and a nicer-sounding dual-driver array.  They do only have a so-so sweat-resistance rating, but they have up to five hours of battery life and are incredibly comfortable. Most importantly, they look like tiny space nuggets and come in cool colors. 

• Photograph: Sony Electronics

  For Bigger Ears

  Sony WF-1000XM4

  In his write-up, WIRED reviewer Parker Hall notes that Sony redesigned these buds to fit roundly in your ear instead of the “mostly in but with a bit hanging out” style of previous iterations. These buds are too big for my ears, but if you have bigger earholes, this is the one pair to rule them all. 

  The sound quality is excellent, the noise-canceling is better, and they pick up your voice more clearly than ever before. They also have wireless charging and an industry-leading eight hours of battery life. Hall says he found them a little bulky to use on runs, but for lifting weights at home, they work just fine.

• Photograph: Bose

  Best for Biking

  Bose Frames Tempo

  On my long, rambling ebike rides, I usually put on the Bose Frames Tempo. Bose's audio sunglasses have a small speaker below each temple. I was very skeptical of audio quality, but they actually sound nice! The frames are comfortable, and the speakers are clear and loud enough for me to enjoy a Laura Veirs' album, even when I'm pedaling down the street at over 20 mph. It also allows me to hear oncoming traffic and guards my eyes against the sun.

  These are a great option if you spend a lot of time exercising outside and are having trouble juggling all the accouterments—the sunglasses, the earbuds, the hats. I can even hear them if they're pushed up on my head. I have a slightly wider-than-average skull, and these are just a skosh too tight.

• Photograph: Bang & Olufsen

  The Status Pick

  Bang & Olufsen E8 Sport

  Bang & Olufsen make gorgeous headphones, and these ... well, they're gorgeous. I especially love their small size and their low profile in the ear. I have extremely small ears, and these stayed put. They sound amazing and are hugely customizable. You can pick different listening profiles and adjust the degree of audio transparency you'd like, so you can hear the outside world better or barely at all. They're water-resistant and offer up to seven hours of battery life outside the case, and 30 with it. If you like world-class sound and aesthetics, and wouldn't throw yourself off a cliff if you lost a $350 earbud, these are great.

• Photograph: JBL

  A Personal Fave

  JBL Under Armor True Wireless Streak

  On paper, the JBL & Under Armour True Wireless Streak might not be anyone's top pick. They're expressly designed for smaller ears, but the buds and case are noticeably larger than the Jabra Elite 85T. We're fans of JBL speakers, but they don't have the best sound on this list. They just move a lot of air in proportion to their size. The controls are also confusing—it was way too difficult to switch them back into pairing mode so my husband could try them too.

  Still, I like these a lot. The fit is excellent, the bass is pumping, and it has dedicated features to make them easier and safer to use outdoors, like Ambient Aware to pipe in outside ambient noise and TalkThru to help you chat with your workout partner. They have a waterproof rating of IPX7 and come in a variety of colors that make them really stand out in a sea of basic black buds.

  $150 at Amazon
• Photograph: JLab

  Honorable Mentions

  Other Workout Buds We Like

  We try almost every pair of new workout buds that come out. Here are a few that we like, but didn't make the cut.

  • Master & Dynamic MW07 Go for $199: We love these headphones, but they're an older pick.
  • Bose Sport for $179: Likewise for the Bose Sport, which are comfortable and sound great but not significantly better than other newer headphones.
  • JLab Audio Flex Sport Headphones ($79): I reviewed these a few years ago, but they're even cheaper now, and I have yet to come across another pair of over-ear workout headphones I like as much.
  • Philips Wireless Sport Headphones ($70): These fit well, and the sound is decent, but the case battery life is underwhelming, and the UV sterilizing tech seems like a gimmick.
  • And a fond farewell to the Plantronics BackBeat Fit 2100 ($70): One of our longtime favorites, the BackBeat line by Poly (formerly Plantronics) is no longer being manufactured. They'll continue to be sold for as long as supplies last and are still a great buy that will last you for years—just catch them at their $50 price. My pair from 2017 is still going strong.
• Photograph: Apple

  Buds We Didn't Love

  Why Didn't We Include AirPods?

  The products I'm asked about most often are Aftershokz and AirPods. I have tried several pairs of Aftershokz bone-conducting headphones, and I find the faint buzzing in my skull to be deeply unpleasant. Other reviewers on our team have concurred, with verdicts ranging from "I'd rather just not wear headphones" to "I just don't get it."

  While many people like exercising with the original AirPods, we rejected these as well, because they have an inflexible, slick plastic fit and their sound is mediocre. We also reviewed other pairs of buds, like the Tivoli Go Fonico, which look great, sound great, and fit well. They didn't make the cut for this roundup due to their poor battery life, glitchy Bluetooth, and puzzling controls. I also found the sound for other buds, like Aukey's sport wireless buds, to be underwhelming.