Whether you’re swimming laps or breaking a sweat running, take your music along with these waterproof headphones that are worth buying right now.
A carefully-curated playlist can be the perfect companion to your gym workout, swim, or morning run, but not every pair of headphones will be able to stand up to the task. Waterproof headphones allow music lovers with an active lifestyle to take their tunes with them wherever they go, and there’s a huge range out there to choose from. However, not all waterproof headphones are equal — most are designed for one specific type of activity, and aren’t quite so good outside of that environment. So, it’s important that you pick the pair best suited to your routine.
Our list of top picks aims to cover all the main reasons you might want a pair of waterproof headphones, and there’s something for all budgets, too. All of these pairs are naturally quite tough, but if you’re in the market specifically for something hard-wearing, then we’ve also compiled a list of the most durable headphones you can buy right now. Alternatively, if overall sound quality is your number one priority, take a look at our roundup of the best-sounding over-ear headphones available.IP ratings explained
Before buying a pair of waterproof headphones, it’s important to work out whether the pair in question will be resistant to the water conditions you’ll need them for. The main way manufacturers measure this resistance is through an ingress protection (IP) rating, which measures protection against both dust and water. The IP rating will usually take the form of either a two-digit number (for example, IP68) or a single digit with an X (say, IPX7). The first digit relates to dust protection, while the second digit relates to waterproofing, so it’s the important one here. The X isn’t anything to worry about — it simply means the manufacturer hasn’t tested the device for that particular type of protection, so in the case of an IPX7 rating, dust ingress protection hasn’t been measured.
Ratings less than IPX5 should not be considered waterproof at all, and any product with either IPX5 or IPX6 ratings will only be able to withstand water spray, not submersion of any kind. IPX7 is what most people would consider true waterproofing, since the product will be able to withstand submersion in water for 30 minutes at depths of up to 1 meter (roughly 3 feet). IPX8 is the top level found in most commercially-available headphones, meaning they can be submerged deeper than 3 feet, with the exact limitations specified by the manufacturer.Naenka Runner Pro
Naenka’s Runner Pro bone conduction headphones are a bit of a jack of all trades, and as such, they’re great for the athlete who likes some variety in their workout routine. As you might expect from the name, they’re primarily designed for running, and they’re comfortable enough for multiple hours of wear on the go. Our reviewer found that users with smaller heads might notice the headphones hang down a bit, but regardless of head size, they remained secure while running.
Bone conduction headphones bypass your eardrum altogether, piping sound directly to the bones in your ear. This provides a safer listening experience, especially when listening to louder music for long periods, but it does usually come at the expense of sound quality. The Runner Pros are one of the best-sounding bone conduction headphones we’ve tried, though, with impressive mid-range tones and vocals. With an IPX8 rating, they’re also suitable for swimming, and they come with 8GB of built-in storage so you can pre-load your songs without having to worry about a patchy Bluetooth connection underwater. Unlike many of their competitors though, they also feature Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity for when you’re not in the pool. Neanka advertises six hours of battery life per charge, although we found that to be a little optimistic, with realistic play time closer to five hours.Jaybird Vista 2
Anyone looking to make sure their headphones are “Earthproof” as well as just waterproof will appreciate the Jaybird Vista 2 true wireless earbuds, which feature IP68 dust and water protection as well as military-grade drop and crush protection up to MIL-STD-810G standard. Their general toughness and comfortable in-ear fit make them some of the best running headphones you can buy, suitable for anything from steadier-paced long-distance runs to HIIT workouts. The Vista 2s forgo physical buttons entirely, instead relying on a series of touch controls to activate various functions including answering calls and skipping tracks.
