Compare Top Workout Headphones
How to Keep Your In-Ear Buds From Falling Out AccordionItemContainerButton LargeChevron To a certain extent, how the headphones sound matters less than if they fit correctly. They can be the best-sounding headphones in the world, but I will find them irritating if they won't stay in mid-run. So how do you keep your headphones from falling out? Here are a few tips and tricks that I've tried over the years. Dial it in. To put on your buds, pull open your ear a little bit and give it a little twist to fix it in place. If they don't fit, don't be afraid to switch or mismatch ear tip sizes—one ear might need a medium tip and the other a small, for example, or one might need a foam tip while the other needs a plastic tip. Accessorize. Still can't get it to fit quite right? There's a healthy market for aftermarket clips and wings to get your earbuds or AirPods to fit more securely. Check the IP rating. Ingress-protection ratings give you a quick indication of the headphones’ dust- and water-resistance. If you’re running outside in the pouring rain, you need a higher IP than if you’re doing gentle calisthenics in the gym. How We Tested AccordionItemContainerButton LargeChevron I wear headphones while working out, which I do every day. I run 3-5 miles every other day, ride a bike every day, and lift weights at home or in the gym 3-4 times a week. Naturally, I test swimming headphones in the pool. I listen for sound quality with songs in a variety of registers (is it dating myself to say that my standards include Mariah Carey for higher registers and Beyoncé's Beyoncé for bass). I test durability by dropping them and sweating in them. I test water resistance by sweating while wearing them and pouring water on them (or on my head while I'm wearing them). I also test battery life by checking how long it takes for one charge to last while wearing them. What We're Testing Next AccordionItemContainerButton LargeChevron I'm currently testing the H2O Audio Tri Run ($100).
Honorable Mentions
We try every pair of new workout buds that come out. Here are a few that we also like that didn't quite earn a space above.
Shokz OpenFit Pro for $250: The most interesting headphones that I tested last year were the Shokz OpenFit Pro. Shokz purported to create the world's first open-ear noise reduction system. The sound quality is excellent; the buds are beautiful and comfortable; and I like the physical buttons. Ultimately, though, the noise reduction system just blunts outside noise rather than blocks it, so I don't really understand the value proposition on offer here.
Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pro for $180: The same goes for the AeroFit 2 Pro, which actually transform shape from open earbuds to noise-canceling buds. The case is weirdly big and the noise cancellation is not really that effective. Still, it's an interesting idea and I like being able to toggle the angle on the ear hooks to get them to fit more securely.
Nwm Go for $99: Stylish Japanese brand Nwm recently launched these open-ear bone conduction headphones that purport to reduce sound leakage, so not everyone can listen to your spicy audiobook on the train. This works, they sound fine and are incredibly light, but they use a proprietary charger and my husband thinks they look like some weird dental device.
Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active for $130: The BlueAnt headphones are just a better buy in all regards, but I enjoyed these a lot. The noise canceling doesn't work very well, but these headphones are attractive and the bass is astoundingly powerful—my whole head vibrated while listening to Jay-Z at the gym.
Photograph: Adrienne So
Chamelo Music Shield for $260: Chamelo's audio sunglasses have electrochromic lenses; you can change how dark they get with a finger slider on the arm. This is very cool and these glasses are very attractive. However, the music isn't very loud, they're very expensive, and the battery life is much worse than the Vanguard.
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