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We’re a bit obsessed with working out – and the best workout headphones have only made us more addicted to the sweat. Long gone are the days of having to carry around a long, tangled cord – you can now get heart-pumping bass and treble with lightweight wireless headphones.
Of course, there are lots of options out there for headphones – and many are not so great. So we aggregated millions of actual customer reviews, and tested the top models. We took them to the gym, worked out outside, and even hit the treadmill in our own home.
There are great headphones out there for lifting weights, running marathons, doing yoga, walking, and even for bike riding – and we tried them all. No matter what you may be doing – there is a pair of workout headphones out there for you.
So after many hours of testing, here are our choices for the best workout headphones on the market today.
Our Top Pick
Jaybird Vista
The Jaybird Vista pair of headphones has become very famous on the internet – and for good reason. Basically, these headphones are indestructible.
They’re drop-proof, water-proof, and even crush-proof. While they cost slightly more than a budget pick, if you’re serious about the best workout headphones to use while getting skinnier (or stronger) – these headphones are our top recommendation. Simply the best.
Other Great Picks
Sennheiser Momentum
Sennheiser is well-known for their high-quality headphones – and this pair shows exactly why. With a plethora of flawless customer reviews, and amazing sound quality – it’s very hard to go wrong with these.
While not a budget option, if you care about sound quality – this is one serious pair of headphones. Our top audiophile recommendation, and as good as it gets, when it comes to working out with the best sound imaginable.
Bose SoundSport
Bose is famous for its sound quality, and these SoundSport headphones are another excellent addition to their catalog. Moderately priced for Bose, these headphones are also very affordable.
It’s hard to think of a reason not to recommend this pair of headphones, as we absolutely loved the results we got from our testing. Bose also makes great noise-cancelling over-ear headphones, so if you need an immersive pair for traveling, we recommend Bose for that purpose as well. Definitely a top pick.
Beats Powerbeats3
Beats is a famous headphone brand, and with Dr. Dre endorsing them – how could they not be? The Powerbeats are the smaller, more portable line – and we loved them for gym work.
For earbuds, they pack in an insane level of bass, and definitely live up to their name. With a myriad of 5-star customer reviews, clearly we’re not the only ones who love these little guys. Definitely recommended.
Jabra Elite Active 75t
These stylish earbuds are insanely great for all types of exercise. They’re backed by thousands of great customer reviews, and it was nearly impossible to find even a small flaw with this pair.
The noise cancellation – while more than adequate – isn’t quite as good as you’ll get with over-ear headphones, but that’s to be expected. We recommend these to anyone who is equally serious about music, as they are about working out. An incredible pick.
Apple AirPods Pro
Apple is famous for their white earbuds – and the AirPods were the obvious next step in the evolution of their product line. We love the AirPods Pro – even though they’re not a budget pick.
However, their ease of use, good sound quality, and great charging options – all make for a great recommendation. As is the case with nearly every Apple product, these are backed by a ton of great customer reviews, and we definitely recommend these tiny (but powerful) earbuds for practically any type of use.
Mpow Flame
Mpow is not nearly as well-known when it comes to headphone brands, but this budget pair of headphones actually performed quite well during our testing. They are also backed by a huge amount of positive customer reviews.
While you might not get quite the sound quality of the Powerbeats here – you will get a pair of headphones that comes in at 1/10th the cost of the Dre-endorsed headphones. If you want to work out vigorously – but you love saving money – this is the perfect budget choice.
Cowin E7ANC
This very well-reviewed pair of workout headphones from Cowin far exceeded our expectations. Since they only cost a fraction of what bigger brand headphones cost, we were not expecting the quality to be quite so good.
However, we were pleasantly surprised, as this crispy pair of headphones delivered stellar performance. If you want to save a ton of money – but do not want to compromise when it comes to performance – grab this pair of headphones. You won’t be disappointed.
Bose QuietComfort 35 II
One of our favorite pairs of noise-cancelling headphones ever produced, the QuietComfort series continues to deliver. These work great at the gym, and the ability to wear them for long periods of time (without any annoyance) is nearly unparalleled.
Since these headphones also work great while traveling, you can make one purchase, and get the value of two pairs of separate headphones. While Bose is almost never the cheapest option – that’s because they never compromise, when it comes to using high-quality parts and engineering. Yet another solid choice from Bose, and two thumbs way up.
JBL Under Armour Sport
These stylish headphones from JBL and Under Armour not only look great – they offer stellar performance. They held up during deadlifts, pull-ups, push-ups, dumbbell curls – and even squats.
With a mountain of great customer reviews, we’re hardly the only ones who love this sleek pair of headphones, either. While you can spend less and get a budget pick – we think the combination of low price point and great performance here hits the sweet spot for most consumers. Another excellent pick.
Letscom U81
Want to get a great pair of workout headphones for barely the cost of 2 sandwiches? Then grab this awesome pair from Letscom – they sound far better than their price point might imply.
We were initially impressed with the huge amount of great customer reviews, which drew us in (even though we weren’t as familiar with Letscom as a brand). To our delight, these headphones held up during every test, and inspired us to have some of our best workouts. A great purchase – and one of the best budget options out there.
What Are Workout Headphones?
Workout headphones are portable (usually wireless) devices specifically designed for listening to music while exercising. These headphones are often of the earbud variety, since these models are more lightweight, and easier to move around with.
As such, sound quality isn’t as emphasized on workout headphones, compared to say, the best studio monitoring headphones. Instead, portability, durability, and lightweight construction are the three most important factors to weight – when it comes to ranking the best workout headphones.
Buying Guide For The Best Workout Headphones
Choosing the best workout headphones can be a bit overwhelming. With the rise of wireless headphones, there has come a huge influx of cheap (or flat out bad) pairs of headphones.
We think that sound quality is one of the highest ranking factors for workout headphones – as well as being lightweight, while still very durable. Price was less important in our ranking system, since the best workout headphones will last for a long time – making a slightly higher upfront price, ultimately worth it.
We also recommend considering what type of workouts you’ll be doing regularly. We say this, because a pair of workout headphones might be great for lifting weights – but not so good for jogging or yoga.
The next factor to consider, is what type of music do you like. If you want bass-heavy workout headphones for lifting weights, they will be a very different model, than a pair made for someone who likes pop and runs marathons.
An often overlooked factor when buying workout headphones, is battery life. As headphones have gone wireless, the trade-off has been that they need to regularly be charged.
All of the picks on our list offer excellent battery life, but if you venture outside of our choices, make sure that the model you purchase has a battery life of many hours. There is nothing worse than having your headphones die in the middle of a killer workout – trust us, we’ve had it happen on more than one occasion.
Which Headphones Are Good For The Gym?
There are a number of great headphones for the gym. What you want to look for are portability, durability, good sound quality, and a low price point.
Any of the 10 recommendations from our above list will be good headphones for the gym, so simply choose the model that seems right for you. Also be sure to consider what type of workouts you’ll be doing regularly – whether it be yoga, jogging, or weightlifting – when choosing the best workout headphones for you.
Are AirPods Good For The Gym?
Apple’s AirPods are a stellar choice for the gym. They’re lightweight, offer good sound quality, and are specifically designed to interface extremely well with all other Apple products.
If you have an iPhone, it’s very easy to add the AirPods to your daily life. Of course, AirPods are not cheap – so we also have lots of other options for the best workout headphones, included on our above list.
What Earbuds Do Athletes Use?
There are many different earbuds that pro athletes work out with. However, the Beats By Dre line, as well as the Apple AirPods – are two of the most popular choices.
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter much what earbuds your favorite pro athlete works out with. You need to choose the best workout headphones for yourself – that’s all that really matters.
Do AirPods Fall Out At The Gym?
While AirPods can technically fall out at the gym – it’s unlikely that they will, at least on a consistent basis. AirPods have been specially designed to stay in your ear – no matter what activity you’re partaking in.
Are Earbuds Better Than Headphones?
Earbuds are certainly different than headphones. But objectively speaking, headphones are not better than earbuds.
Essentially, earbuds and headphones serve two different purposes. Earbuds are meant to be portable and lightweight – whereas headphones are usually preferred for the ultimate in overall sound quality.
In some situations (like traveling, or for high-quality listening, like in a recording studio) – headphones will be a better choice. In other situations (like working out, on conference calls, or while dancing) – earbuds may be preferable.
What Are The Best Headphones For Sweating?
Believe it or not, there are sweat-proof headphones available. Any of the choices from our above list should block out your sweat – and many also block out water.
However, we found in our testing, that we really didn’t ever sweat very much directly on our headphones. So unless you produce a lot of sweat normally, this isn’t a high ranking factor to consider, when ultimately deciding on the best workout headphones for your own use.
Do AirPods Fall Out When Running?
AirPods can fall out while you’re running, sure, but it’s not very likely. In fact, AirPods are specifically designed not to fall out, and give you the most comfortable earbud experience possible.
Since the AirPods are slightly pricier than many earbuds, we also recommend some lower priced models, which are similar in construction. Ultimately, no wireless earbuds should consistently fall out during any of your exercise, no matter which product you choose to go with.
The Best Workout Headphones
There you have it – our top picks for the best workout headphones on the market today. Whether you want bass, sound quality, or indestructibility – we’ve got you covered.
Of course, the best workout headphones have a little bit of all three of those categories. We prefer earbuds for working out, but many other options are also available.
Whether you want to hit the treadmill, lift some heavy weights, or just do yoga – we’ve got you covered. And if you liked our list of the best workout headphones, be sure to check out some of our other comprehensive product reviews.