The very best wi-fi exercise headphones for 2025

No matter what sort of train you’re into, when you’re understanding, you’ll desire a pair of wi-fi exercise headphones. They permit you to be free and untethered throughout a critical weight-lifting session, a 5K run, an hour on the skate park and all over the place in between the place you’re transferring and sweating a ton. There are dozens of nice wireless headphones and wireless earbud choices on the market, however for train specifically, there are extra elements to contemplate earlier than choosing one up like water resistance, battery life and total consolation.

At Engadget, we’ve examined a bunch of fitness-ready headphones and earbuds to provide you with our high picks, plus some recommendation to contemplate earlier than you decide up a pair. All of our high picks under will work out and in of the health club, so you may put money into only one pair and make these your every day driver. In the event you’re primarily a runner, take a look at our record of best headphones for running.

Greatest exercise headphones for 2025

JLab

Connectivity: Wi-fi | Fashion: In-ear with hook | Assistant assist: None

You probably have lower than $50 to spend, the $30 JLab Go Air Sport+ are an amazing possibility. These are the most recent model of our earlier decide right here, the Go Air Sport. After I examined these, I didn’t have excessive expectations going into testing these buds, however I used to be rapidly impressed by their consolation and sound high quality. A lot of headphones designed for exercises have this hook that wraps across the high of your ear, and it does assist the Go Air Sport keep securely hooked up to your head.

The Sport+ maintains that design. The hooks are fairly versatile and have a soft-touch end, which provides to their consolation. Admittedly, this design will take some getting used to when you’re new to it, but it surely’s a surefire approach to get a bit additional stability throughout excessive depth exercises.

Sound high quality is fairly good on these buds as properly, though not almost as balanced as that of our high decide. I additionally admire that you may cycle via three completely different EQ modes — Signature, Balanced and Bass Enhance — utilizing the buds’ onboard controls. There’s no app to fuss with, and that was a pleasant change of tempo after largely testing buds with some type of app connectivity.

You may anticipate over 9 hours of playtime on the Go Air Sport+, plus one other 26 hours of battery life with its charging case. JLab additionally mounted a significant pain-point in regards to the earlier variations right here: as an alternative of the previous, built-in USB-A cable for charging, it is now a extra fashionable USB-C cable. Nonetheless, the case is on the cumbersome facet; you may nonetheless throw it right into a backpack or purse simply, but it surely’s not as svelte as circumstances you’ll see on costlier buds.

Execs

• Inexpensive
• Spectacular sound high quality for the worth
• IP55-rated design
• Good battery life

Cons

• Massive case
• Hook design gained’t be for everybody

$30 at Amazon

SHOKZ

Connectivity: Wi-fi | Fashion: Open-ear | Assistant assist: None

The Shokz OpenFit 2 are the most recent iteration of those open-ear headphones, with our earlier high decide right here being the unique OpenFit. Earbuds with open designs like this enable for extra situational consciousness, with the aim being to let noise in relatively than block it out. In my expertise, the OpenFits do an amazing job of this with out skimping on sound high quality or consolation.

The buds themselves nearly float over your ear cavern and Shokz’s soft-finish “dolphin arc” hook is versatile sufficient to securely wrap across the high of your ear with out placing an excessive amount of stress on it. There’s a bud-like portion on the different finish of the hook that acts as counterbalance, leading to a dependable match that by no means faltered throughout all types of actions together with operating, power coaching and indoor biking. Granted, none of these workout routines contain shaking your head an excessive amount of; possibly don’t put on the OpenFit to take heed to head-banging demise metallic (when you can’t management your self).

Sound high quality is stable contemplating the design, and the OpenFit will get fairly loud as properly. These buds have Shokz’s Direct Pitch expertise, which makes use of reverse sound waves to optimize the gap and angle to your ear canal. The corporate claims this helps scale back sound leakage. In my testing, I discovered that true to a sure extent. The OpenFit had one of the best sound high quality and total quantity out of the entire open-ear units I attempted, however when you crank the amount as much as the max (or shut), the individual subsequent to you’ll positively hear what you’re listening to. General, these are an amazing possibility for anybody who doesn’t discover in-ear buds significantly comfy, or those that simply favor to have extra consciousness of their environment whereas understanding.

Execs

• Snug open-ear design
• Design permits for extra situational consciousness
• Good sound high quality and quantity

Cons

• No ANC
• Not as safe when in comparison with in-ear or hook-toting buds

$180 at Amazon

H2O Audio

Connectivity: Wi-fi | Fashion: Over-ear | Assistant assist: None

Some favor to put on over-ear headphones all day, on daily basis, and if that sounds such as you, there’s a great probability you already use your daily-driver headphones on the health club. However when you’re noticing elevated wear-and-tear on these cans resulting from sweat or prolonged durations of use, you could wish to think about a pair of over-ear headphones particularly for understanding.

In that case, think about the H2O Audio Ript Ultra. Whereas these wi-fi headphones don’t have a selected IP score (they’re not designed for the pool, to be clear), they do declare to be “one hundred pc sweatproof” thanks partially to their detachable and washable earcups. They survived a few of my hardest runs and strength-training classes with out problem, and the earcups are fairly simple to take away if you wish to give them a wipe-down. There’s additionally a second pair of earcups included within the field so you may swap them in when the originals ultimately quit the ghost.

Sound high quality is respectable, but it surely needs to be higher on a pair of $250 headphones. The Ript Extremely has customized 45mm drivers and energetic noise cancellation as much as 30 dB. Whereas the general sound high quality isn’t higher than our high decide, it’s greater than sufficient to get your blood pumping throughout a exercise. However extra importantly, you’ll doubtless get higher sound high quality on a pair of Bose or Beats headphones on the identical value vary; you’re actually paying for the improved sturdiness with the Ript Extremely. Finally, in order for you a pair of headphones for the health club that may deal with sweat and (doubtlessly) last more than different cans in the identical value vary, the Ript Extremely is an effective selection.

Execs

• Sweatproof
• Removeable, washable earcups
• Second pair of earcups included within the field
• Snug match

Cons

• Costly
• Sound high quality might be higher

$250 at Amazon

Others wi-fi exercise headphones we examined

Apple AirPods Professional 3

On the subject of operating and understanding, the sting that the AirPods Pro 3 have over the Professional 2, and even the highest picks on our record, is built-in coronary heart price monitoring. Which means you would exit with simply your Professional 3 earbuds and your iPhone and nonetheless get coronary heart price data on your complete coaching session. However in any other case, the Professional 3 buds are simply as succesful because the Professional 2 in the case of train. Some might favor the soft-touch end on our high picks to the AirPods’ slick texture.

Beats Powerbeats Professional 2

The Powerbeats Pro 2 are a great different to the Beats Match Professional when you’re a stickler for a hook design. Nonetheless, they value $50 greater than the Powerbeats Match, and the primary added benefit right here is built-in coronary heart price sensors.

Anker Soundcore AeroFit Professional

The Soundcore AeroFit Pro is Anker’s model of the Shokz OpenFit, however I discovered the match to be much less safe and never as comfy. The precise earbuds on the AeroFit Professional are noticeably bulkier than these on the OpenFit and that brought about them to shift and transfer far more throughout train. They by no means fell off of my ears utterly, however I spent extra time adjusting them than I did having fun with them.

JBL Endurance Peak 3

Essentially the most noteworthy factor in regards to the Endurance Peak 3 is that they’ve the identical IP68 score because the Jabra Elite 8 Energetic, besides they solely value $100. However, whilst you get the identical safety right here, you’ll should sacrifice in different areas. The Endurance Peak 3 didn’t blow me away when it got here to sound high quality or consolation (its hook is extra inflexible than these on my favourite equally designed buds) and their charging case is huge in comparison with most rivals.

What to search for in exercise headphones

Design

Earlier than diving in, it’s value mentioning that this information focuses on wireless earbuds. When you might put on over-ear or on-ear headphones throughout a exercise, many of the best headphones obtainable now wouldn’t have the identical stage of sturdiness. Water and dirt resistance, significantly the previous, is vital for any audio gear you intend on sweating with or taking outside, and that’s extra prevalent within the wi-fi earbuds world.

Most earbuds have one in every of three designs: in-ear, in-ear with hook or open-ear. The primary two are the most well-liked. In-ears are arguably the commonest, whereas these with hooks promise higher safety and match since they’ve an appendage that curls across the high of your ear. Open-ear designs don’t stick into your ear canal, however relatively sit simply outdoors of it. This makes it simpler to listen to the world round you whereas additionally listening to audio, and might be extra comfy for individuals who don’t just like the intrusiveness of in-ear buds.

Water resistance and dirt safety

Even when a pair of headphones for understanding aren’t marketed particularly as train headphones, a sturdy, waterproof design will, by default, make them appropriate for train. To keep away from repetition, right here’s a fast primer on sturdiness, or ingression safety (IP) scores. The primary digit you’ll see after the “IP” refers to safety from mud and different potential intrusions, measured on a scale from 1 to six. The second refers to water resistance and even waterproofing, in one of the best circumstances. The scores for water resistance are ranked on a scale of 1 to 9; increased numbers imply extra safety, whereas the letter “X” means the gadget will not be rated for defense in that regard.

All the earbuds we examined for this information have no less than an IPX4 score, which implies there’s no mud safety, however the buds can face up to splashes from any route and are sweat resistant, however most likely should not be submerged. For an in depth breakdown of all of the potential permutations, take a look at this information revealed by a provider referred to as The Enclosure Firm.

Energetic noise cancellation and transparency mode

Energetic noise cancellation (ANC) is changing into commonplace on wi-fi earbuds, no less than these above a sure value level. In the event you’re on the lookout for a pair of buds that may be your exercise companion and serve you outdoors of the health club, too, noise cancelation is an effective characteristic to have. It makes the buds extra versatile, permitting you to dam out the boring roar of your property or workplace so you may focus, or offer you some solitude throughout a busy commute.

However an earbud’s means to dam out the world goes hand-in-hand with its means to open issues again up do you have to want it. Many ANC earbuds additionally assist some kind of “transparency mode,” or varied ranges of noise discount. That is vital for running headphones as a result of exercising outside, alongside busy streets, might be harmful. You most likely don’t wish to be completely oblivious to what’s happening round you if you’re operating outdoors; adjusting noise cancelation ranges to extend your consciousness will assist with that. Stronger noise cancelation could be extra interesting to these doing extra indoor coaching in the event that they wish to block out the boring roar of a health club or the man exaggeratingly lifting weights subsequent to you.

Battery life

All the Bluetooth earbuds we examined have a battery lifetime of six to eight hours. Normally, that’s what you may anticipate from this area, with just a few outliers that may rise up to fifteen hours of life on a cost. Even the low finish of the spectrum needs to be ok for many athletes and health club junkies, but it surely’ll be useful to maintain the buds’ charging case on you when you assume you’ll get near utilizing up all their juice throughout a single session.

You’ll get a mean of 20 to twenty-eight additional hours of battery out of most charging circumstances and the entire earbuds we examined had holders that supplied no less than an additional 15 hours. This can dictate how usually you truly should cost the gadget — as in bodily join the case with earbuds inside to a charging cable, or set it on a wireless charger to energy up.

How we check exercise headphones

In testing wi-fi exercise headphones, I put on them throughout each little bit of train I do — be it an informal stroll across the block, a brisk morning run or a difficult weight-lifting session. I’m on the lookout for consolation arguably most of all, since you ought to by no means be fussing together with your earbuds when try to be specializing in understanding. In the identical vein, I’m cognizant of in the event that they get unfastened throughout quick actions or slippery once I’m sweating. I additionally use the earbuds when not exercising to take calls and take heed to music all through the day. Many individuals will need only one pair of earbuds that they will use whereas exercising and simply doing on a regular basis issues, so I consider every pair on their means to be comfy and supply a great listening expertise in a number of completely different actions.

Whereas I’m additionally evaluating sound high quality, I’m admittedly not an audio knowledgeable. My colleague Billy Steele holds that title at Engadget, and also you’ll discover far more detailed details about audio high quality for a few of our high picks in his critiques and shopping for guides. With these headphones for understanding, nevertheless, I’ll make observe of associated points in the event that they stood out (i.e. if a pair of earbuds had noticeably robust bass out of the field, weak highs, and many others). A lot of the wi-fi exercise headphones we examined work with companion apps which have adjustable EQ settings, so that you’ll be capable to tweak sound profiles to your liking typically.