Best Workout Headphones 2023
In my 2020 blog, Let the Music Move You, I explained that, through the release of the body’s “feel good” chemical dopamine, listening to music during exercise distracts people from pain and fatigue, elevates mood, increases endurance, reduces perceived effort, and may even promote metabolic efficiency. When listening to music, people run farther, bike longer, and swim faster than usual—often without realizing it. Music can also function as a metronome, helping to maintain a steady pace and decreasing energy expenditure.
But what I neglected to include, was a suggestion for the best headphones through which to listen to your beats. So here it is…according to well-known, respected organizations including: CNN, Forbes, CNET, the New York Times, bestreviews.guide.com, and TechRadar, there are three clear winners: Beats Fit Pro, Jabra Elite 7 Active, and the JBL Reflect Aero TWS.
BEATS FIT PRO
These nifty little earbuds offer all of the performance of Apple’s first-generation AirPods Pro that’s perfect for more active pursuits, but great for everyday use, too. In fact, they’ve been the recommended headphones for Apple users in general for the past year. Their reliable fit, easy-to-use touch controls, and snug wingtip design means that even over months of intense exercise testing, they never fell out — not one single time.
JABRA ELITE 7 ACTIVE
What sets these Jabra Elite 7 Active earbuds apart is their very intentional design for active lifestyles. Whether you’re running, biking, or bouncing around, these earbuds will stay firmly in your ears thanks to a liquid silicon rubber coating Jabra dubs “ShakeGrip.” That same secure fit enhances the active noise cancellation (ANC), which uses six microphones and has wind protection—useful if your workout activities are outdoors.
JBL REFLECT AERO TWS
Like most of today’s earbuds, the JBL Elite also has a long battery life, stability, noise isolation, and terrific sound quality. But what’s unique is how they are compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant and support Alexa voice commands! This means you will now be able to use the earbuds to control Spotify, run various Alexa skills, control Alexa-compatible devices, and more. Totally cool, but what makes them superior for exercising, is the IP rating. With an IP68 water-resistance rating, this pair of buds can handle buckets of sweat, so you don’t have to worry about them falling out or shorting out during a workout.
Although these are rated as the top three, there are so many other options from which to choose . And quite frankly, since they are all so much better than the AM/FM radios of the 70s, you really can’t go wrong! But still, when choosing a pair of earbuds, there are a few things you should consider:
NOISE CANCELLATION & SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
Noise cancellation is a great feature to look for in exercise headphones. Whether you’re listening to music in the gym or following along with a class or virtual trainer, it’s great to be able to block out the external world and really focus. Plus you can keep your tunes at an acceptable level so you won’t damage your ears. However, if your exercise regimen takes you outdoors, you won’t want to close off your ears from the world around you. Luckily, most noise-canceling models include a transparency mode that uses the headphone’s call microphones to let in some external sound, letting you maintain situational awareness. The best transparency modes include some noise-canceling features, like wind noise filtering, which are great if you’re out for a run.
COMFORT, FIT & STABILITY
The best way to keep your headphones steady is to consider a pair that uses wings, fins, hooks, or clips (you can add third-party wings or hooks to your AirPods Pro, of course, but then they won’t fit in the charging case). These devices keep the earbuds secure in your ears, even while running, HIIT training, and most any other activity, and they let you focus better since you won’t be checking to see if you’ve lost an earbud every few seconds.
WATER & SWEAT RESISTANCE
Most workout headphones are water-resistant to some degree, typically described using an IP (ingress protection) rating, which uses two digits to describe protection against dust and moisture (if it isn’t rated against one or the other, you’ll see an “X” in one of the places. This will ensure that you won’t ruin the electronics after an intensely sweaty workout, a dusty trail run or in the rain. The dust scale runs from 1 to 6 and the water resistance scale runs from 1 to 9. An IP rating of IPX1 includes no dust resistance and only mild moisture protection; a rating of IPX9 is fully waterproof; a rating of IP68 is dustproof and can survive immersion in water.
SOUND QUALITY
Just because you’re exercising doesn’t mean you need to tolerate poor audio quality, especially if you’re working out indoors. But audio quality is highly personal, so it’s best to try them out (if you can) first.
SEALED VS OPEN-EAR DESIGN
Noise-canceling headphones are typically sealed — they depend on a silicone or foam tip that fits snugly into your ear, piping sound directly into your ear canal. Those are great for indoor workouts, and using them in transparency mode lets them work outdoors as well. But if you really want to prioritize staying aware of your surroundings, an open-ear design lets you hear the outside world just as well as you would if you weren’t wearing headphones. Most of the open designs on the market use an ear hook or a clip secured to glasses frames to suspend a miniature, highly directional speaker above your ear. Others use bone conduction, in which tiny, powerful drivers that rest on your cheekbones work a bit like miniature subwoofers, transmitting vibrations and sound directly to your inner ear via your skull. Neither approach provides sound quality anywhere near as good as sealed models, but if you’re hitting the road or trail it may be worth sacrificing a little sound quality for situational awareness in order to stay safe.
BATTERY LIFE
The majority of Bluetooth headphones today will last through about a day of use on a single charge, and most come with a charging case that extends that to a week or so of all-day use.
USABILITY & CONTROLS
The last thing you want to do while working out is to stop and mess with controls, which is why most workout headphones let you do basic things with touch controls, like adjust audio or skip, pause or forward tracks. Some go further, allowing you to make and take calls, summon a voice assistant, or switch out the level of noise isolation, all with a simple tap to the earbud.
What kind of exercise earbuds do you own? Would you recommend them? Let us know in the comments below. And if you just got a pair and need to try them out, click the button below for a day pass to either Success Studio location.